ARC AND INSPIRATION

People often ask what inspires me in my artwork. The answer is never simply put. There is always nature and literature making an appearance in my paintings. There is also something bigger. The notion that art should be accessible to all, that it celebrates inclusivity and diversity, and is so beneficial to so many is something that surely drives my work. Sharing my love of art is, by far, my most favorite inspiration.

 

From July 2022 to August 2023 I had the distinct privilege of teaching art classes at The ARC (Autism Resource Center) of Litchfield County to students ages 12 - adult that have autism. This inclusive art class met year round. I provided a specific lesson which focused on the principles of art using various mediums. The director, staff and I facilitated art lessons to foster social skills, listening, communication, building peer relationships, and friendships through creating art. These social skills are so important to children on the autism spectrum who navigate life differently than those without autism. The benefits are numerous, and I felt so lucky to be a part of this wonderful program where I was lovingly referred to as "The Art Lady." 

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I have also facilitated a mixed media collage workshop for young adults with autism. These students were in the process of moving into their own apartments, in order to live independently for the first time, and the event was designed to meet their neighbors while creating a piece of finished art to hang in their new places. 

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I am currently working as a middle school educational assistant in Special Education, and have been for the past 26 years at Northwestern Middle School in Winsted, Connecticut. My career, in addition to coaching sports there, has given me many rewarding  opportunities to connect with kids and families. I enjoy my work immensely! In 2015 I began painting after a long hiatus, which was a path to opening my own art business in October of 2021. However, I've always dreamed of teaching art! My love of working in the field of education, along with my passion for art, had brought me to this incredible place, and I am so grateful to have done this! The experience of working with the students in this program at ARC had brought so much joy, and had given me an extra purpose. It truly added unexpected richness to my life.

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KINDESS IN MOTION

In May of 2023 I applied for a Kindness in Motion grant through Northwestern Middle School. This is an incredible mini-grant program that was started by Dr. Judy Palmer, former Superintendent at Region 7. The original idea was started by Chris Rosati, a father who was diagnosed with ALS, and became determined to do something good with the time he had left. His vision was to create a "butterfly effect," or a chain of kind acts, by providing grant money with the recipient promising to do something kind. I was awarded the generous grant in order to create greeting cards out of the artwork made by students at ARC. It was my hope to sell enough cards to provide steady funding for high quality art supplies for the art classes I was teaching at ARC. 100% of the proceeds of the sales of these cards went toward art supplies for ARC, and funded the cost of the cards themselves. 

Please watch this video for more information on Kindness in Motion, and Chris  Rosati, who passed away at age 46 in 2017. His legacy will live on through Kindness in Motion. (Please copy and paste link into your browser).

https://youtu.be/90PUAMv7-DM