Many of these painting make me laugh out loud in joy and
delight—Mark’s Rake Tree, Julie’s Rainbow Butterflies Dancing, Anna’s Fancy
Dress Cupcake Ball; others draw out a certain sadness or even grief—such as Joe’s
This Is the Way Friends Used to Be. All are fairly vibrating with life, as was
the Green Door restaurant this evening, where H’Art’s most recent show opened.
The artists greeted friends, supporters, collectors, and strangers, welcoming each
one into the circle of creativity and community created by their bright colours
and bold imaginings. A creative community built for artists with developmental
disabilities, honouring their way of seeing and being in the world, and giving
them a space to share their vision, and themselves, with the wider artistic and
urban community of which they are an integral part.
Jessie is lucky to have snagged a spot at H’Art this year. While
her primary medium is dance, she has participated in H’Art during the summer or
on school breaks (it is tailored to adult artists) almost since its inception
in 2002 (with original funding funneled through the local Down syndrome
association). When a regular spot came up this fall (Fridays), Jessie was
excited and determined to make it fit in her schedule. I have to admit, this surprised me. I’ve never really pegged
Jessie as a visual artist (I know, I know, so many individuals with Down
syndrome are visual learners and communicators, but, as with many other
so-called typical traits, this one didn’t seem to be attached to Jessie’s extra
23rd, —in fact, she was assessed as an auditory learner early on.
Although that doesn’t quite explain why she doesn’t listen to me. Or, maybe it
does!) As a child she loved to paint and glue (or, let’s be honest, loved to
squeeze out the paint and the glue, I think it was more of a sensory thing),
but even with paint and other materials within easy reach, as she matured she
rarely chose crafts or painting or even pencil and line drawing as an activity.
It was (and is.) mostly dance and writing.
But I think that being in an artistic/creative environment,
where self-expression is honoured, encouraged, and celebrated [see this post about disability and art], offers Jessie a
kind of freedom to be that is rarely found in other spaces. For many of the
other artists, who, like Jessie may have been bound by preconceptions and
imposed limits, the studio has become a very special, safe, and exciting place
to explore and share their perceptions of the world around them. For some, the
studio is a safe harbour, for others it is their calling.
So now Jessie goes to the studio every Friday, spending the
morning exploring themes, journaling, being supported in the creative process,
and the afternoon prepping her canvas and painting, working with other artists,
some of whom have exceptional talent and are willing to mentor those just
beginning. And tonight was the opening of this year’s fall show, and once again
the art invited me to slow down, look, and be infused with a kind of joy and
respect and wonder that is at the heart of all true art. It will feed my soul
for months to come.
What art programs are out there in your community? How are
artists with disabilities included in the creative community where you live?
The H’Art show, Moon Is Laughing Gas, is at the Green Door Restaurant
in Ottawa, October 1–27, 2012.
