Full Circle 2009: Voice and Vision Recap

On Saturday night, I had the pleasure of attending Full Circle: Voice and Vision 2009. Full Circle is a yearly event where the clients who take part in the Arts Access Program at Matheny Medical and Education Center display their talent for a packed house. Upon entry into this beautiful facility on Saturday,  many of the works created by clients all over the walls. As I turned the corner to enter the performance space I was greeted by masterpiece after masterpiece, some of which had already been marked as sold to event attendee. Much of the artwork is also on display on the Arts Access Program Website (www.artsaccessprogram.org).

The performance segment of the event began as Lyn Sanders, director of the Arts Access Program, took the stage to make her welcoming remarks. I settled in standing in the back. The feeling in the theater was one of excitement and anticipation. The performing arts portion of the event lasted an hour and was made up of a mix of dance, dramatic scenes, monologues and the occasional documentary style interview. I must admit that the very first piece, a documentary piece by Chris Saglimbene set the mood for the performance perfectly. In the piece he addresses what it is to be an artist with a disability, and very eloquently expresses something we’ve all felt. Chris explains, “When I [make art] it feels like a ton of rocks have been lifted off my shoulders.”

While the pieces ranged in tone and medium from a heartfelt and expressive dance to a clever monologue addressed to Father Christmas from his not so jolly wife Mrs. Claus, they all had a few things in common–not just the unique voices of the clients who created them, but their faces as well. These choreographers, directors and writers fearlessly took the stage and took part in their pieces, which really allowed the audience to know all the work, and passion that went in to creating them. They addressed a range of issues from the tackling the daily challenges of being disabled to simple stories about love and friendship and loss. At the end of the performance the clients and performers took their well-deserved curtain call.

After the performance there was a dessert reception during which I got the opportunity to talk with a number of people responsible for the night’s festivities. Between handshakes and numerous congratulations, a number of the Arts Access clients explained that while they were nervous, they were excited about the performance and very proud of the work that they had done.

They have every reason to be. I feel as though I got a chance to be part of something really special and I extend many thanks to the people at Metheny and Arts Access for giving me the opportunity to be a part of it.

Full Circle 2009 at Matheny Arts Access

Untitled, by Cindy Shanks, acrylic on canvas, 59" x 57", 2009

I think it’s fair to say that the one thing that binds artists together across all mediums in the creative impulse. This desire can be overpowering at times. I like to think that there’s something inside all artists that says, “I have to create this now, and share it with the world.”

Now try to imagine having that impulse, that vision in your mind, but being unable to physically create it. In addition to the normal and frustrating stumbling blocks that lie in front of creativity, there’s a series of perhaps greater, physical obstacles as well. The artists involved with the Arts Access Program know that feeling all too well.

Arts Access is an organization dedicated to assisting people with oftentimes-severe disabilities in the creative process. What began as small program designed to keep the clients at the Matheny Medical and Education Center physically and mentally active soon grew into something much larger. After seeing the response that many of the patients had to creating arts with the help of a small staff, Matheny Center decide to expand its  artistic offerings, bringing in more personnel and adding a large visual and performing arts facility. They now offer programs in painting, digital arts, sculpture, dance, writing, drama, and music composition. If you’d like to know more about the Arts Access program, please  check out their website at www.ArtsAccessProgram.org.

What really resonated with me when I spoke with Brian Pollack, the drama and creative writing facilitator, is how the program actually allows its clients to create some of the most incredible pieces of art with the help of a facilitator. The more I spoke with Brian about his experience as someone who works 1 on 1 with the clients the more I got sense of the bond formed between artist and facilitator. Each client works 1 on 1 with a member of the Arts Access staff to create their masterpiece. The facilitator’s role with each client is unique depending on the needs of the individual, but Brian explained that the usual method is to streamline everything down to a series of yes or no questions, and the client’s vision is expressed through the answers to these questions with the facilitator acting as the paint brush, or scribe, or actor, the client begins to see his or her artwork take shape. The event taking place tomorrow afternoon, Full Circle Voice and Vision, is a collection of all the work created by the clients through their facilitators.

The Full Circle event is an opportunity for these artists to see their artwork displayed professionally and hear the applause of the audience as they show a side of themselves to the world that they don’t often get a chance to display. As a person with cerebral palsy, I’ve had the experience of going through treatment and many rounds of physical therapy and rehabilitation. In going through this process, I’m sure you believe me when I say that there’s not much room for creativity. Days are very strictly scheduled and most times very physically taxing. But what most hospitals and treatment centers miss is the importance of self-expression and creativity in the treatment process.

I applaud Arts Access in their efforts and am very excited to see the art works and performances on display on Saturday. I hope you’ll consider joining us for the event.