By Jodi Schwan

Stories of perseverance designed to inspire others will be told through art if a new nonprofit can gather enough funding.

Chelsea Tracy, left, and Jillian Gunlicks are launching The Kalon Project.

Artist Jillian Gunlicks and downtown business owner Chelsea Tracy are partnering to launch The Kalon Project, which means “beauty that is more than skin deep.”

They have gathered stories from 22 people who represent surviving difficulties and becoming stronger.

“They’re all local. Some have never shared their story before. Some have and are passionate about the topic,” Tracy said. “We’re going to share our stories as well.”

Gunlicks plans to do a mix of charcoal drawings and paintings of the people profiled. They are working to secure a photographer as well. Part of the exhibit will be an audio recording of the person featured, “so you’ll hear people tell their story in their own voice,” Tracy said.

The hope is to install the exhibit, either for one event or longer, at the Museum of Visual Materials and then turn it into a traveling exhibit that can go to schools and other locations.

“We see it being an exhibit we bring to high school and college students, showing them you’re not alone in whatever you’re going through. People have gone through this and come out the other side,” Tracy said.

The project launched today on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo with the hope of raising $15,000. If funding is secured, the plan is to release the exhibit by mid-2018.

“I just see this as a time when everyone seems to be in a funk. The shooting, the hurricanes, and we want to bring something back to the community full of inspiration and hope and love,” she said. “The world isn’t a bad place. There’s so much good out there, and we want to showcase that.”