Showcasing abilities, not disabilities

Carroll County Times
2/25/2010

Carla Gray shares a laugh with Tori Eshelman while Eshelman paints her part of an under-the-sea themed mural created by The Arc of Carroll County clients at Studio On The Hill in Manchester Friday.

Derek Grier wanted to give his blue and white ocean painting to his sister. Usually, he is free to give away his favorite artwork. Not this time.

Grier’s latest painting will be part of an under-the-sea themed mural presented by The Arc of Carroll County at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster March 18-30. The exhibit will coincide with National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and will feature art by The Arc’s clients.

The art installation is a first-time venture for The Arc. It will showcase the vast creative abilities of The Arc’s developmentally disabled clients, director of development Lisa Albin said.

The Arc is the world’s largest community-based organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Carroll County Chapter is one of more than 730 throughout the United States.

Mural work is being completed at Studio On The Hill in Manchester. Owner Carla Gray meets with The Arc clients once a month at the studio and playfully encourages the artists to create pieces that make them happy.

“I think the big deal is they are so proud,” she said. “It’s always ‘Look how good mine is,’ ‘Look how wonderful mine is.’”

Greg Allen, a client at The Arc, knows that feeling. While waiting for his ride home from The Arc Friday, he pointed to a framed elephant painting posted in a hallway near the front entrance.

“That’s mine,” he said, with a sense of pride palpable in his voice.

Allen’s multicolored elephant, which appears poised to take a drink from a tiny lake, will be one of the works included at the exhibit. The artwork will all be for sale, with most of the proceeds going to the individual artists.

Art sessions are among the most popular activities at The Arc. Some clients work on projects every day. The completed projects are posted throughout the building, including in the front hallway and near the art classroom.

In November, The Arc clients took empty Mrs. Butterworth’s maple syrup containers and transformed them into pilgrims. They have also recently created paintings of flowers and panda bears.

The exhibit mural will feature painted seashells, fish, whales and sharks. Twelve artists from The Arc were on hand at Studio On The Hill Friday to work on the mural.

Brian Herboldsheimer studied an image of a multicolored fish and painted the design. Once done, his fish painting looked just like the picture, with orange stripes and a yellow fin.

At a nearby table, The Arc client Tori Eshelman toiled on a more abstract piece, which included almost every color in the rainbow. Eshelman decided her work needed more sparkle, so she asked for glitter.

Meanwhile, Grier, with his clothes protected by a red apron, started his painting. He carefully used a brush to spread blue paint for the mural’s vast ocean.

“Look at Derek,” Gray said. “He’s the perfect sea painter.”

IF YOU GO
What: Art exhibit presented by The Arc of Carroll County
When: Exhibit runs March 18-30. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays
Where: Carroll Arts Center, 91 W. Main St., Westminster
Admission: Free
Information: 410-848-7272

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