K12 Gallery & TEJAS is pleased to announce that the SOS II: Signs of Suicide Exhibition has now begun it’s 9 months of travels.

SOS: Signs of Suicide II

SOS II is a suicide prevention campaign which uses visual art and literature to shine a light on the epidemic of suicide.  Created by local artists, staff, volunteers and teens participating in K12 Gallery & TEJAS’s Artist in Training (AIT) After School Art Program, the SOS imagery works to dispel myths and inform the public about facts associated with suicide among young people aged 13-25.  As a year-long campaign, the exhibition featuring thirty 4 foot by 8 foot paintings will travel to local schools, universities, libraries and community centers to educate students and the general public about the signs of suicide.

Each of the panels represents young adult or adult literature that deals with mental illness, loss, resiliency, or self-harm in beautifully poetic ways.  Some of the books represented include: The Catcher in the Rye, 13 Reaso’s Why, This Song will Save your Life, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Long Walk to the Water, and Man’s Search for Meaning.

The entire book list can be found here:

The SOS II traveling exhibition premiered in October when it was on display at K12 Gallery & TEJAS from October 6-28, 2017.

Our purpose is to expand the discussion so that those drawn to the darkness of isolation might find hope in the light portrayed not only by the artists, but also through the discussion of resources available to help those affected by the signs of despair.  The exhibition will reach 20 locations to educate over 20,000+ students, parents, teachers and community members.

The goal of the SOS project is to create awareness and a visual voice for the subject of suicide, often referred to as a silent epidemic.  It is often through visual imagery that thoughts and feelings can be expressed where words cannot.

K12 Gallery & TEJAS coordinated this unique assembly of artistic expression to attempt to show the varied components one might feel in contemplating this desperate act, as well as a view from those who try to understand.  Our purpose is to expand the discussion so that those drawn to the darkness of isolation might find hope in light portrayed not only by the artists, but also through the discussion of resources available to help those affected by the signs of despair.

The schedule of 2018 travels:
January 16-29 Springboro High School
January 29-February 12 Yellow Springs High School
February 26-March 12 Sinclair Community College Library
March 12-26 Xenia Library
April 9-23 Butler High School and Vandalia Library
Arpil 30-May 14 Beavercreek High School
June 1-29 Dayton Metro Library~ Main Branch
June 29-July 27 Dayton Metro Library~ Northwest Branch
August Piqua YWCA
October 1-29 Pendelton Art Center in Middletown

Suicide is a public health crisis with over 20,000 victims in Ohio over the past 15 years, nearly triple the number of homicide victims.  In Ohio, suicide has claimed over 1,100 teens since 2,000.  Ohio mirrors the national average at nearly 13 deaths per 100,000.  In its 2011 Youth Risk Behavioral Report for Ohio, the Center for Disease Control reported that one in seven Ohio students said they had “seriously considered suicide” in the past 12 months.  Slightly more than one in seven had actually “made a plan” in that time. Additionally, one in eleven Ohio students reported “attempting suicide one or more times in the past 12 months”, nearly 50 percent higher than the national average.  According to the Suicide Prevention Center, 80% of all people who die by suicide exhibit definite warning signs.  For youth, 82-85% actually told someone, most often a friend, that they were thinking about suicide.  Therefore, knowing the warning signs of suicide, knowing what to do to help a suicidal individual, and knowing where to go for additional help could stop the majority of suicides from actually happening.

If interested in hosting the panels at your school or organization, please contact: Steve Yates, Program Director at steve@k12tejasgallery.org

This is made possible through the generous support of the Physician’s Charitable Trust Fund.