Janie’s Art Journals Debuts 'Joy In Resilience' at Salud Chicago Gala

Chicago paper artist Janie Flores, founder of Janie’s Art Journals, has been selected to present a new series at the Salud Chicago Inaugural Gala, an elegant evening supporting Salud Chicago’s nonprofit community mental health work. The event takes place on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. For this occasion, Flores created a special series of five handmade art journals titled “Joy In Resilience.” The series celebrates the resilience of Chicago’s neighborhoods and communities as they navigate daily challenges to their life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The “Joy In Resilience” journals are stories made from the very materials and experiences of the communities they represent. Each journal incorporates reclaimed materials, including protest signs and materials gathered from local communities and businesses, along with discarded papers, vintage materials, repurposed fabrics, and special touches of handmade art sourced from Oaxacan artisans in the Mexico Cultura y Orgullo collective. Together, these materials tell a story about the interconnectedness of immigrant life in Chicago and reflect lived realities shared by immigrant communities throughout the United States. “This series celebrates the incredible resilience that exists within our communities,” said Flores. “Our communities continue to thrive amidst uncertainty, fear and struggle, because there is joy. There is family. There is culture. There is unity. There is hope. That is the joy in resilience.”

The concept is deeply aligned with the foundation of Janie’s Art Journals, a sustainable art initiative founded in 2023 that transforms materials that might otherwise be discarded—old books, cardboard packaging, vintage papers, reclaimed fabrics and other found materials—into unique handmade works of art. “Joy In Resilience” builds on that philosophy by asking: What can discarded materials tell us about the people and communities that refuse to be discarded? The opportunity to present at Salud Chicago’s Inaugural Gala is especially meaningful because the event will benefit ongoing community mental health work while bringing together art, community and a shared commitment to making mental health resources more accessible. Those interested in attending can JOIN US at the gala.