It’s often said that anyone can make art. That we all have our own individual way of looking at the world and interpreting it. But what if you couldn’t stand, walk or even hold a pen, brush or tube of paint in your hand?
This is the reality for many people including Karen, a 51-year-old resident at the Matheny Medical and Educational Center in Peapack. Karen was born with cerebral palsy and has very limited mobility, and asked not to share her last name for privacy concerns.
Many of the residents at Matheny, which specializes in treating children and adults with developmental disabilities, cannot speak and do not have control of their hands and arms. But they have creative and fertile minds. That’s where Arts Access comes in. This unique program empowers its residents to be artists.
They have solved accessibility challenges for these people with a staff of professional artists who act as facilitators. They become the feet, arms and hands that empower people with physical and cognitive disabilities to express themselves.
The methods used in Arts Access enable the residents to create in multiple artistic disciplines, including painting, digital art, sculpture, dance, choreography, poetry, creative writing and drama. The facilitator is just there to carry out the decisions made by the artist.
Professional artist and painting facilitator Joseph Matousek was one of the people who helped Karen realize her vision on a recent day at the program.
“We don’t care what their disabilities are or what their issues are,” said Matousek. “They’re coming in and they’re treated as an artist, as a person.”
Regardless of their disability, the new artists are provided with tools and materials to produce complete, original works. To do this right, the facilitators must maintain a sense of neutrality throughout the entire process. While some are limited in other areas of their lives, complete freedom is encouraged at Arts Access.
“We get each other and I’m able to convey that onto the canvas for them. It’s like a mental collaboration between a facilitator and artist,” said Matousek.”It’s actually an amazing experience to make that connection and then see the results on the canvas. And it’s exactly what they want, and their face, just like, lights up.”
Andre Malok can be reached at amalok@najdvancemedia.com. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.