Laurie Sunderland stands with her landscape painting “Fall.”
It’s a hot July afternoon and a joyful crowd of CATA artists, friends, family, caregivers, and community members gathers at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield for the opening of CATA’s Annual Art Show — a celebration of creativity, inclusion, and community.
Inside the gallery CATA artists beam with pride as they spot their framed work on the walls. There are hugs, laughter, and wide-eyed admiration as guests marvel at one colorful painting after another. And with every piece available for sale, today’s visitors get first pick!
Two gallery-goers admire art in CATA’s exhibit at the Lichtenstein.
“It’s all so wonderful,” says one guest, pointing to a luminous watercolor, “but I can’t take my eyes off this one.” She eagerly waves over a CATA staff member, ready to make her purchase.
As CATA programs have grown to reach more people with disabilities, so has our Annual Art Show. This year’s exhibit features work by more than 200 CATA artists: teens from local public schools, adults from our Great Barrington studios, and dozens of artists from disability agencies, residences, and day habilitation programs across the Berkshires.
CATA artists also helped curate our Annual Art Show, which is on display at the Clark Art Institute and the Lichtenstein all summer. “This year we launched a pilot program where CATA artists gained hands-on experience curating art exhibits,” says Program Director Kara Smith. “Each of the artists took on a vital role in selecting the 300 paintings, illustrations, photographs, sculptures, and stop motion animations for the show.”
Eric Schumann (left), Sam Pelletz (middle), and Kellie Ward (right) are CATA artists who co-curated CATA’s exhibit at the Lichtenstein.
As the gallery fills up, CATA artist-curator Eric Schumann leads a tour of photographs created in CATA’s adaptive “Through the Lens” workshop. He explains the digital techniques used to enhance the images, drawing a crowd of curious listeners. A woman scans a QR code on the wall and an audio guide of the artwork pops up on her screen — narrated by Eric!
A gallery visitor scans the QR code to read more about a piece of art through CATA’s guide on Bloomberg Connects!
QR codes like these are peppered throughout the gallery, linking visitors to CATA’s new digital exhibit guide on Bloomberg Connects — a free, interactive app used by major museums and cultural institutions across the globe. CATA’s guide is packed with behind-the-scenes videos, CATA artist interviews, exhibit highlights, and audio tours. The app is designed to remove barriers to arts and culture and connect visitors with the perspectives of CATA artists — with built-in accessibility features like voice over, captions and audio transcripts, image zoom, and font size adjustment. Best of all, CATA artist-curators helped create the content.
“Bloomberg Connects is a game changer for CATA,” says Executive Director Margaret Keller. “We were selected to join through our participation in the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative, and we are ecstatic about this opportunity to raise the remarkable talents of CATA artists with disabilities to a national stage. Through the app we’re able to create exciting new and accessible pathways for the public to learn about their stories, work, and unique perspectives.”
Max Schweizer watches his stop-motion animation.
In one sunny corner of the gallery, CATA artist Max Schweizer watches his stop-motion animation on an iPad podium. He spent months making a series of short films in CATA’s Creating Comics workshop. “It wasn’t easy,” Max says, “but I can’t wait to get back to making my movies when CATA starts again in the fall. I have a lot of ideas.”
Scott Thomas with his cardboard collage portrait.
On the other side of the gallery, artist Scott Thomas poses for a photo beside his collage portrait, when a guest spots him. “You’re the stand-up comedian, right?” she says, recognizing him from CATA’s Annual Performance in May. “You crack me up!”
CATA artist Sami DiFilippo holds her artwork— which just sold!
Sami DiFilippo, a young CATA artist from Pittsfield High School, grins as she shows her family the red sticker beside her painting — it’s just sold! Sami is new to CATA and already excited to continue her artistic journey. “Next year I want to make a really big painting,” she says. “And I want to try illustration and graphic art, too.”
Karl Droessler with is painting “Playground.”
Karl Droessler, a CATA artist from BCArc’s Nu Opps brain injury program, positions himself near his painting “Playground,” a bold piece filled with pink and purple shapes. He chats about his color choices with admirers. CATA Resident Art Faculty Lauren Levato Coyne says that when Karl started with CATA this spring he was hesitant at first. But once he jumped into a collaborative painting with another CATA artist, using accessible tempera paint sticks, he was unstoppable — soon a stunning painting emerged.
“This is my first CATA show,” says Karl, smiling, “and it’s just the beginning.”
I Am a Part of Art is sponsored by Berkshire Life Charitable Foundation and Phyllis Patti Klein, with additional support from Berkshire Magazine, Frames on Wheels, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and other generous supporters.
Photos by Christina Lane.
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