A local artist has used social media to turn anonymous secrets from all around the world into works of art. The secrets range from murder to medical marijuana, from crises in faith to confessions from porn stars. Cristin Stevenson on Saturday unveils “The Secret Project” at the Glore Psychiatric Museum.

Stevenson collected the secrets anonymously, in a forum not noted for keeping secrets.

“I first asked on Facebook,” Stevenson said. “I posted a status and asked if anyone would feel comfortable sending me their secrets, and they did, and they’ve never stopped.

At this point I’ve probably got over a hundred.”

Stevenson said she’s created about 50 artworks for the exhibit at the Glore Psychiatric Museum.

“I think it’s a perfect place for it, because keeping these secrets inside of us is what can fester into mental illness,” she said. “A lot of times, these things that we’re ashamed of, that we’re holding in, will turn into mental illness. I think that’s a great place to have it, and raise awareness.”

Social media has made it possible for Stevenson to collect secrets from here in St. Joe and around the world, from friends and total strangers.

“I’ve had people from all around the world,” she said. “It started out as just friends, and then I would create the artwork and post all about it, and then the people would share it. And so I started getting e-mails, and on Instagram, and people setting up fake e-mails just to send me their secrets.”

The secrets cover a wide range of subjects, including “things that people are ashamed of, that they’ve never told anyone, things that not even their spouse knows about them.”

The official opening for “The Secret Project” was scheduled January 21 from 4-6pm at the Glore Psychiatric Museum, 3406 Frederick Ave. The exhibition will continue at least through the end of March. Click here to visit “PanArt – Artwork by Cristin Stevenson” on Facebook.