Raymond Materson
Mr. Materson is a nationally recognized needlepoint artist. He taught himself to create meticulous miniature embroideries while serving a 15-year sentence for drug-related crimes. Embroidering helped "transport" him from the hard realities of his cellblock, even as he depicted scenes from the ravaged life of a drug addict.
To create his masterpieces, some as small as a postage stamp, he salvaged the worn thread of cellmates' socks, sometimes embroidering national flags and sports heroes for awestruck inmates, and other times reproducing two-inch square, sock-thread versions of paintings by 17th century masters.
His recently published memoir, "Sins and Needles," coauthored with his wife Melanie, serves as a platform for public discussion on addiction.
His art shows the human side of addiction, bridging the gap between the science of addiction and insights of the addicted, provoking compassion for those addicted, and arguing for effective treatment and steadfast prevention.
Mr. Materson is director of Pregnancy Prevention and HIV Education at the Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth in Canaan, New York. He will use his Innovators Award to develop, implement and evaluate the "Artist in Residence Program" for addicted adolescents at Berkshire Farm.
Source: Innovators Combating Substance Abuse
