Exhibit proves ‘creativity is not connected to disability’ (June 27, 2008)
By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
Twice a week James Gendron travels from his South Portland residence to an art studio in Portland where he works on a number of artistic projects for a few hours. Gendron’s latest piece – a mural titled “Name of Dog” – will be portrayed alongside Cape Elizabeth resident Steven St. John’s untitled acrylic painting at a month-long “Matter of Perception” art exhibit in Cape Elizabeth beginning July 2. St. John said it took him several weeks to create the painting and he made the tough decision to make it available for purchase at the exhibit. It will be the third piece he has sold, and he said he hopes to have an art studio of his own as soon as he finishes classes at the Maine College of Art in Portland.
Both Gendron and St. John are not only accomplished artists, but adults living with disabilities.
“It is an amazing experience,” said Vision, Strength and Artistic Expression (VSA) arts of Maine Development and Marketing Coordinator, Gracia Woodward. “[The Matter of Perception exhibit] has done away with prejudices I didn’t even know I had.”
The July show is one of 15 exhibits VSA arts of Maine spearheads for adults with disabilities, and will feature 16 works of art not only by local artists but paintings, murals, drawings and other artistic mediums generated from disabled artists across the state. VSA arts of Maine Executive Director Kippy Rudy said nearly 400 submitted pieces will be displayed in exhibits from Machais to Ellsworth to Portland.
“It’s tempting to include work from the immediate area,” she said. “But we want to be certain you’ll see artists from all over. We really push for diversity.”
Diversity of location isn’t the only thing VSA arts of Maine pushes, as they accept works from artists with physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities, Woodward said.
“We hear the word ‘disability’ and it conjures up a lot of preconceived notions,” Rudy said. “People think a blind person can’t paint.”
Rudy said people are often shocked at the quality of the images VSA arts of Maine portrays in public places such as a library or school, especially when they learn the artists are disabled.
“Creativity is not connected to disability,” she said. “It shocks people there’s not a connection there.”
Debunking preconceived notions about the disabled is one of many goals of VSA arts of Maine. Rudy said they encourage artists to put a price tag on their work so they can take home not only a sense of accomplishment, but some cash as well. Rudy said artists often have a hard time making a living just from their work, especially when they also accrue the expenses of living with a disability.
“Unfortunately, most of our artists live below the poverty line,” she said.
VSA arts of Maine frames most of the artist submissions, and Rudy said if they choose to sell their painting at the show – last year 90 percent of the work was available for purchase and nearly one-third of the pieces were sold – artists receive 70 percent of the earnings.
“At a gallery they’d be lucky to get 50 percent,” she said.
VSA arts of Maine is part of the international organization, Very Special Arts, founded in 1974. VSA arts of Maine’s Matter of Perception exhibits began in 1996, and is just one of the programs the organization offers for disabled children and adults in order to increase their artistic opportunities and help them stay involved with their artistic community, Woodward said.
The Matter of Perception exhibit will open at the Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth July 2 and run through July 30, with an artist reception scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 18.
Staff Writer
Twice a week James Gendron travels from his South Portland residence to an art studio in Portland where he works on a number of artistic projects for a few hours. Gendron’s latest piece – a mural titled “Name of Dog” – will be portrayed alongside Cape Elizabeth resident Steven St. John’s untitled acrylic painting at a month-long “Matter of Perception” art exhibit in Cape Elizabeth beginning July 2. St. John said it took him several weeks to create the painting and he made the tough decision to make it available for purchase at the exhibit. It will be the third piece he has sold, and he said he hopes to have an art studio of his own as soon as he finishes classes at the Maine College of Art in Portland.
Both Gendron and St. John are not only accomplished artists, but adults living with disabilities.
“It is an amazing experience,” said Vision, Strength and Artistic Expression (VSA) arts of Maine Development and Marketing Coordinator, Gracia Woodward. “[The Matter of Perception exhibit] has done away with prejudices I didn’t even know I had.”
The July show is one of 15 exhibits VSA arts of Maine spearheads for adults with disabilities, and will feature 16 works of art not only by local artists but paintings, murals, drawings and other artistic mediums generated from disabled artists across the state. VSA arts of Maine Executive Director Kippy Rudy said nearly 400 submitted pieces will be displayed in exhibits from Machais to Ellsworth to Portland.
“It’s tempting to include work from the immediate area,” she said. “But we want to be certain you’ll see artists from all over. We really push for diversity.”
Diversity of location isn’t the only thing VSA arts of Maine pushes, as they accept works from artists with physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities, Woodward said.
“We hear the word ‘disability’ and it conjures up a lot of preconceived notions,” Rudy said. “People think a blind person can’t paint.”
Rudy said people are often shocked at the quality of the images VSA arts of Maine portrays in public places such as a library or school, especially when they learn the artists are disabled.
“Creativity is not connected to disability,” she said. “It shocks people there’s not a connection there.”
Debunking preconceived notions about the disabled is one of many goals of VSA arts of Maine. Rudy said they encourage artists to put a price tag on their work so they can take home not only a sense of accomplishment, but some cash as well. Rudy said artists often have a hard time making a living just from their work, especially when they also accrue the expenses of living with a disability.
“Unfortunately, most of our artists live below the poverty line,” she said.
VSA arts of Maine frames most of the artist submissions, and Rudy said if they choose to sell their painting at the show – last year 90 percent of the work was available for purchase and nearly one-third of the pieces were sold – artists receive 70 percent of the earnings.
“At a gallery they’d be lucky to get 50 percent,” she said.
VSA arts of Maine is part of the international organization, Very Special Arts, founded in 1974. VSA arts of Maine’s Matter of Perception exhibits began in 1996, and is just one of the programs the organization offers for disabled children and adults in order to increase their artistic opportunities and help them stay involved with their artistic community, Woodward said.
The Matter of Perception exhibit will open at the Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth July 2 and run through July 30, with an artist reception scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 18.
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