Jewel’s art exhibit is on display | members only

She started singing in public when she was knee-high, but this month, multiplatinum folk artist Jewel, 50, made another kind of debut with “The Portal: An Art Experience by Jewel.” The

singer’s exhibit, on display through July 28 at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, explores the intersection of music, mental health, technology and art.

“Art plays a really important role in our psyche,” says the musician, who cofounded the Inspiring Children Foundation to provide free mental health resources for families of all

socioeconomic levels. She’s gearing up to head out on tour with Melissa Etheridge, with dates starting in July. AARP spoke to Jewel about what inspired her art, why she wants to help others

and how she’s learning to listen to her own life advice. _This interview has been edited for length and clarity._ AT YOUR IMMERSIVE ART EXPERIENCE, PEOPLE SEE A HOLOGRAM OF YOU AND A DRONE

SHOW IN THE SKY. SOUNDS PSYCHEDELIC. It’s organized around a personal philosophy of mine I call “the three realms.” We each travel through three realms of reality every day: our inner realm,

which is our thoughts and our feelings; the seen realm, which is our families, jobs, the physical world; and the unseen realm, your spirituality, whatever makes you feel a sense of awe,

inspiration and wonder. The whole experience uses art and music to help people understand and navigate their three realms. The idea is that mental wellness is a side effect of these three

realms working in harmony, and mental conflict is these three realms being in conflict. I think behavioral health is a natural tie-in to art. Jewel poses next to her work of art

"Chill," a lucite sculpture of a cross-legged body full of floating pharmaceuticals. Photo: Arturo Olmos; Hairstylist: Jill Buck; Makeup Artist: Abraham Sprinkle WHAT INSPIRED YOU

TO HELP OTHERS WITH THEIR MENTAL WELLNESS? I always knew I was here to help people. Not because I thought I was some big talent to be a gift to the world. I just knew it was my job to pitch

in and make my community better. Having mental health struggles is very hard. Navigating the mental health system and the medical system is almost impossible. Navigating those things in

poverty, it’s insurmountable. I suffered when I was younger and found solutions. Creating tools and affordable access to those tools to help others became a real mission for me in my life.

HOW DID YOU SUFFER AS A TEEN? I moved out [of an abusive home] at 15. I worked hard to get myself through school. After I graduated, I had a boss who propositioned me. When I turned him

down, he wouldn’t give me my paycheck. I couldn’t pay my rent. I was like, “Fine. I’ll live in my car. I’ll figure it out.” Until my car got stolen and I was on the street. I was reduced to

being an animal.