With a bold blue brushstroke, John puts the finishing touches on his painting. “I’m calling it Intersecting Lines,” says John, who creates work in CATA’s adaptive painting workshops at BCArc’s Nu-Opps Brain Injury program. “I put my heart and soul into my paintings.”
Thanks to your support, John will soon see his painting framed and hanging in a gallery for CATA’s Annual Art Show “I Am a Part of Art”—where thousands of art lovers will enjoy it.
“My art deserves to be enjoyed by the masses,” says John. “It’s me in a nutshell. That’s me on the canvas.”
John Chapdelaine with his painting “Jellyfish.”
All year, people with disabilities across our community have been expressing themselves in CATA arts workshops—building skills, tapping into their talents, and creating remarkable works of art. Now, you can enjoy their stunning work in our exhibits this summer at the Clark Art Institute and the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts!
Maria (BCArc Transitions) with her painting at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts last year.
“CATA’s Annual Art Show is bursting with one-of-a-kind works of art,” says Margaret Keller, CATA Executive Director. “Vibrant acrylic paintings, dreamy watercolors, imaginative sculptures—even photography and stop-motion animation. Each work is a window into the imagination of artists with disabilities.”
Allen (UCP of Western Massachusetts) with his painting at the Clark Art Institute last year.
As CATA programs have grown to reach more people with disabilities, so has our Annual Art Show. This year, over 200 CATA artists will be featured in the exhibit: teens from local public schools, adults in our Great Barrington studios, and CATA artists from dozens of disability agencies, residences, and day habilitation programs across our community.
Curating an exhibit of this size takes many hands: “This year, we launched a new program where CATA artists learned about curating an art exhibit,” says Program Director Kara Smith. “They each took on a vital role in helping select the 300 works for this year’s exhibit.”
Each work is also available for sale and artists earn commission on their sold works: “Buying CATA art is a great way to brighten up your home or office and make a difference,” says Margaret Keller. “CATA artists take so much pride in selling their work.”
Emilee (BFAIR) with her painting “Garden Dreams,” which will be featured in CATA’s Annual Art Show
Emilee Eichorn, a CATA artist at BFAIR’s Community Based Day Program, is looking forward to having her painting “Garden Dreams” featured at the Clark.
“I like making art because I feel like I can be myself,” says Emilee. When visitors encounter her painting, she says: “I want them to know that I’m very unique. I made something out of the ordinary and out of the box. I’m just my own person.”
