Sriharsha Sukla, Baby Deaf ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

Celebrating 50 years of excellence 25TH ANNIVERSARY

reasons to celebrate—Sal Panasci th Celebrating 25 years of Art Ability! has participated for 24 years, The 25 Betsy Clayton for 23, and Victoria Anniversary The Art Ability Patrons Reception began in the mid-1990s as a Pendragon was in the very first “friend-raising” vehicle to enhance Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s of Art Ability show. This will be her tenth. mission. Consisting of an eight-week exhibit, the first show in 1996 Celebration included approximately 200 pieces of art by 71 artists. Volunteer Over the 25-year history, sales assistance was provided by a hospital Fine Arts Committee, of which of art have totaled more than and Exhibition several members continue today to serve on the Art Ability Committee. $1.3 million. While commercial Betsy Clayton VIRTUAL CELEBRATION art galleries and dealers typically Twenty-five years Saturday, November 7, 2020 take up to 60% of the retail sale later, the show 6:00–8:00 pm “The Art Ability exhibitions are a terrific of artwork, Art Ability retains Eric Mohn, Great Falls Tavern, first Featured Artist and artwork has grown in size forum for encouraging, supporting only 20% of art sold during the Visit for and impact. This bidpal.net/artability20 annual exhibition. This high and showcasing works of art from year’s exhibition • Art for Sale rate of return for our artists is features 353 pieces around the world and surely has been central to the program’s mission • Silent Auction of art from 153 an inspiration for disabled artists to of contributing to the financial • Call to Give artists. Artists from stability and independence of (L-R) Exhibiting artist with Donna Phillips, continue creating and sharing their around the world Lee and Bill Warden in 2006 our artists. talents.” —Ralph Mindicino, Art Ability artist participate, with EXHIBITION AND SALE our 2020 featured Art Ability not only provides countless artists with disabilities an avenue November 8, 2020– artist hailing from to display and sell their works, it also advances the hospital’s mission. January 31, 2021* Art Ability Preview Reception, November 1996 India. Since inception, 25 countries have been represented, including Each year, revenue raised at the event contributes to hospital funding Austria, France, Guatemala, India, Israel, New Zealand, Scotland and priorities, such as advanced technology and program enrichments Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital South Africa. Representation from the United States is even more like art and music therapy. In just the last three years, the hospital has 414 Paoli Pike, Malvern, PA impressive, with artists from almost all 50 states (just three missing!) purchased four new pieces of state-of-the-art therapy equipment and a participating over the years. new van for patient transportation with event proceeds. * In light of this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital will be open to A total of 1,043 unique artists have participated in the Art Ability We are proud and humbled by Art Ability’s growth and impact over the public based on current visitation policies which can be found by 1996 Art Ability Committee (L-R) Tad Sperry, Exhibition and Sale. Many are annual participants, with nearly 60 the years and look forward to continuing to celebrate and honor the Members, (L-R) Amy Rabner, Marilyn Roland, and artist visiting mainlinehealth.org or calling Paula Hian, Cindy Westgate, Robert Saphier artists joining us for 10 or more years. A few artists have special abilities of our artists for years to come. 484.596.5400. Doris Gorden, Linda Lemmon

102 1 PRESIDENT’S LETTER LEADERSHIP SPONSORS

Dear Friends, Diamond Sponsor Gold Sponsors

We are pleased to celebrate Art Ability’s 25th Anniversary. 2020 has been a year unlike most Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Shein Law; The Benjamin of us have ever experienced. In the wake of the pandemic, we all have had to shift our normal Volunteer Association Shein Family Foundation and familiar ways of doing things. Art Ability is no exception. On behalf of our participating CenterState Stradley Ronon artists and the hospital programs and services this annual event helps to sustain, thank you Equus Partners Truist Bank for your strong support. Rolyn Companies USLI

Donna M. Phillips My congratulations to our artists, and their stories of inspiration. The annual exhibition has President, Bryn Mawr grown to hundreds of participating artists, ranging in age from 19 to 102, from 47 states and Premier Exhibition Wall Sponsor Rehabilitation Hospital eight countries. Our generous donors and artists have helped to build our permanent collection Platinum Sponsor Senior Executive, Ambulatory and Professional Services to over 500 pieces of artwork. This diverse and amazing collection beautifies our hospital Troutman Pepper environment and is integral to our work with patients. Art Ability artwork is also displayed and enjoyed throughout Main Line Health. Exhibition Wall Sponsors

We are equally proud of what has remained constant over the last 25 years. Art Ability serves as CIBC Private Wealth R.A.M.M., Inc. a showcase for and celebration of artists with disabilities. Bryn Mawr Rehab remains committed Management to helping improve the economic self-sufficiency of adults with disabilities, and changing the RoofOptions Johnson Controls perception of the talents of individuals with disabilities. Art Ability does just that. Saul Ewing LLP Keith Boyer/ The DiOrio Agencies, Funds raised from this year’s event and exhibition will support the livelihoods of our artists, KMRD Partners State Farm along with top hospital priorities that enable us to provide a highly progressive rehabilitative Mayfield Contracting Univest environment. We thank Stephen Zarrilli for sharing his story, as part of this year’s event. At McCann & Wall LLC WSFS Bank the top of his game, Steve came to us following an unforeseen stroke when he was just 58. His Meridian Bank strong will and positive attitude are shining examples of the power of the human spirit.

Whether you are an ongoing patron or new this year, thank you for joining us. Special thanks to In addition to these leadership sponsors, we extend our special thanks to the many others who demonstrated our Art Ability Committee, Bryn Mawr Rehab Foundation Board, sponsors, staff and volunteers their support through ads. for contributing to the success of this milestone silver anniversary, in these most unusual times. Art Ability is supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Warm regards, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

2 3 TRIBUTE

LOIS LEVY, 1943–2015 Lois helped to bring popular artists Eric Mohn and Tom Honoring the inspiration and hard work of our founders Lois Levy, born and raised Lee to Art Ability. She had special relationships with Betsy in Philadelphia, was an Clayton and Sal Panasci, and was persistent in encouraging Doris Gorden and Lois Levy spearheaded efforts to bring an art show to Bryn Mawr Rehab innovative people-person new artists to show their work. As the word got out, Art and set the foundation for the successful program we enjoy today. who loved her job working Ability grew exponentially. with artists. Prior to working described an experience she had with another organization DORIS “DEE” GORDEN, at Bryn Mawr Rehab, she when she called about a volunteer opportunity. Doris 1924–2019 had been the director “Lois didn’t just collect art, she collected stories.” Doris Gorden, a dedicated inquired about accessibility. “Why?” the woman on the of public relations at —Susan Christie, physical therapist volunteer at Bryn Mawr other end of the phone asked. “I’ve been in a wheelchair MossRehab, where she helped to initiate the region’s first Rehab Hospital for more for 25 years,” Doris replied. “Well, you should have told me major art exhibition of works by artists with disabilities. Art than 60 years, chaired that right up front. We only want able-bodied volunteers.” Artist Sal Panasci says, “Lois’s love of art, and recognition Ability Committee member Marilyn Roland remembers, the hospital’s Fine Arts With that, Doris took her volunteer interests and talents that art crosses many boundaries and has no limitations, “Lois invented the concept of the exhibition just from the Committee in 1996. She elsewhere—to Bryn Mawr Rehab—and dedicated her time allowed artists with disabilities to flourish.” She worked collection of art on her walls, all by disabled artists.” Doris and Bill Gordon provided creative insight to advocating for people with disabilities. tirelessly to ensure the exhibits she created helped her that was instrumental in In 1994, former hospital president Barry Rabner artists demonstrate and showcase their creative abilities. “I didn’t know a thing Before becoming disabled, Doris producing Art Ability’s first asked Lois to coordinate a similar exhibition. Under traveled the world as a flight Lois was a strong advocate for the presence of the arts in about art when I exhibition, and continued her leadership, the hospital established a Fine Arts attendant, and later obtained health care settings, given its healing power. Thanks to her started all this, but to serve on the Art Ability Committee. The goal was to develop programs which her pilot’s license. Doris and her legacy, artists with disabilities receive formal recognition Committee for 23 years, could utilize the visual arts to expand and enhance the I’m always up for a husband, Bill, regularly attended for their work, and the patients, staff and visitors of Bryn chairing another five times. lives of people with disabilities. The hospital’s permanent challenge.” —Doris Gorden the Art Ability Preview Reception, Mawr Rehab are able to experience their talents. In addition to her pivotal (L-R) Karen Gadson, collection of artwork was also established. and could often be found at the Art Ability role, Doris Doris and Bill Gorden and entrance greeting patrons. Robert Lang In 1996, Lois produced the first Art Ability exhibition served on the hospital’s Foundation Board, helping to at Bryn Mawr Rehab, while working as the hospital’s In honor of Lois Levy, we have added a new champion hospital priorities and community presence. Doris treasured the work she collected from Art Ability director of internal communications and community artist award this year, The Lois Levy People’s artists. Her favorite piece was a watercolor, Old Town, Doris, who was wheelchair bound due to polio, was affairs. She worked closely with the Fine Arts Committee Choice award. This cash prize will be awarded Alexandria by mouth-painter Eric Mohn. She and Bill devoted in her efforts to provide dignity for the disabled. to introduce Art Ability to the community. Through art, to an artist whose artwork receives the most often brought friends for a tour of the annual exhibit. Doris never let her disability hold her back, and she often they hoped to inspire patients to reach beyond their votes from Art Ability patrons. In 2019, they also hosted a satellite exhibit at the Art shared her story of how she began her volunteer service. limitations and encourage people with disabilities to Gallery at The Heritage of Green Hills, where they resided. In her 2009 interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer, she explore their own creativity.

4 5 OUR COMMITTEE & BOARDS ABOUT BRYN MAWR REHAB HOSPITAL

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Foundation Board Main Line Health BRYN MAWR REHAB HOSPITAL, Gabrielle D. Bailey Kenneth B. Mumma Board of Governors PART OF MAIN LINE HEALTH, IS A Barry Berkowitz Maria Luisa Nunez Stephen S. Aichele LEADER IN THE FIELD OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION. Keith A. Boyer Louis V. Ott Andrea Anania Michael J. Buongiorno Patty Panzo Elizabeth J. Balderston, Chair The 148-bed, not-for-profit Blake M. Chapman Cynthia W. Pelton Chris Bruner hospital offers the full continuum Michael Croce Donna M. Phillips Ned Carp, MD of rehabilitation services, including

Stephen J. DiOrio Rosadele Plumari Alex Costabile acute inpatient care as well as outpatient services for

Susan Levy Giles Michael T. Prendergast Robert Frederick, MD adults and adolescents. The hospital received Magnet® designation, the nation’s highest distinction for excellence Sheldon Gross, Vice Chair Kirk Rebane Barbara Gasper in nursing care and is accredited by the Joint Commission Liz Griesser, Lavender Meadow Thomas J. Haas Geoffrey Sheehan Ernest Gillan, MD and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Christine Jamison Paola Versano Nathaniel Hamilton Facilities (CARF). Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital treats patients John J. Lynch Karen E. Gadson Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN with traumatic and nontraumatic brain injury, stroke and Sal Panasci, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Executive Director of Robert E. McCann Peter Havens Development other neurological disorders, traumatic and nontraumatic Joseph J. McHale, Chair Wendell F. Holland spinal cord injury, amputations, and orthopedic injuries. Michelle Hong Bryn Mawr Rehab Outpatient Network treats individuals Art Ability Committee Cheryl Koch, MD with a wide range of conditions and injuries from brain

Maria Bruno Ellie Pfautz John J. Lynch injury, spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s disease to

Karen Cavin Alyssa Pizio Giancarlo Mercogliano, MD concussions, pelvic floor disorders and lymphedema. Our outpatient rehabilitation services are conveniently Michelle Guida Ruth Porritt George Nichols, III located throughout the western suburbs of Philadelphia. Lynda Hamm Theresa Renninger Steven Nichtberger, MD Linda Heiberger Marilyn and Bob Roland Ellen Rinaldi In 2020 Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital is celebrating 50 Years Peggy and Brian Jones Janet Rotoli William Stulginsky, Vice Chair of Excellence. In our 50-year history, we have continuously Debra Hope Colligan, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Jean Kozicki Tad Sperry John Walsh demonstrated our ongoing commitment to excellent Paul Laincz Linda Tordone patient care and to community programs like Art Ability. Lists current as of October 15, 2020. Claire Larson Cristine Largoza For more information about Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, Art Ability Coordinator Karen Meyers visit mainlinehealth.org/rehab.

6 7 ABOUT ART ABILITY

Mission Program Participating artists express their creativity through many mediums including painting, photography, Art Ability is dedicated to creating community awareness SELECTION OF THE ART sculpture, fiber arts, jewelry and fine crafts. Through of cognitive and physical disabilities, encouraging people A stringent, two-step process ensures that Art Ability these creative modes of expression, artists are able with disabilities to reach beyond their limitations and presents highly professional artwork, demonstrating the to convey their talent and receive recognition for their find fulfillment and inspiration through art. Art Ability strength of artistic talent within the disabled community. work, and in many cases are able to further recover Malcolm Corley, Surprise provides positive role models for people with disabilities The first step is conducted by a jury of art professionals from a life-altering illness or injury. while increasing their access to the arts. The program and the Art Ability curator, and includes reviewing consignment inventory. Each year, with the permission successfully develops new markets for artists with the submitted images and choosing the artwork for SALES of the artist, Art Ability retains a number of works disabilities where they can gain recognition for their the exhibition. The second step includes esteemed Artists earn 80 percent of the sales of exhibited work and from our annual exhibition to allow for more exposure technical skill and artistic vision. judges who are selected based on their expertise those commissioned during the 12-week show. Unsold for our artists and their talents. To browse artwork and prominence in the Greater Philadelphia fine arts available for purchase, visit bidpal.net/aa. Now celebrating 25 years, Art Ability continues to be an works are returned after the exhibit closes. Artists may community. They judge the work, selecting the pieces be invited to take part in Art Ability’s ongoing sales and integral part of Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital since its first • Corporate art acquisition program Art Ability also to receive awards in their respective categories. exhibition programs, receiving 60 percent of the sales for exhibition and sale of work by artists with disabilities serves as a resource for corporations to help meet their work sold during this time. in 1996. It continues to be a year-round showcase and needs for artwork for their collections. celebration of artists with disabilities and is the country’s largest international, juried exhibition and sale of its kind. PROGRAM COMPONENTS • Permanent collection of work Bryn Mawr Rehab While the annual exhibition is the highlight of the Hospital is an actively collecting institution whose Proceeds from sales of artwork help support Bryn Mawr program, Art Ability has many other components which permanent collection of over 500 objects is on display Rehab Hospital’s patient and community programs. include: throughout the year. Clinicians at the hospital often use The exhibit is free and open to the public and enjoyed by the art as a tool to motivate and treat their patients. more than 3,500 people annually, including the hospital’s • Satellite exhibitions Traveling satellite exhibitions patients and families, hospital staff, friends and visitors. of Art Ability artwork are a key component of the program and have been successful in generating For more information about Art Ability programs, In light of this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital enhanced awareness of the talent and skill of our call 484.596.5607 or email [email protected] will be open to the public based on current visitor policies artists; in addition to communicating that disability which can be found by visiting mainlinehealth.org or is as personally limiting as you make it. calling 484.596.5400. • Online sales gallery Our online sales gallery provides the opportunity to view works for sale from our Carol Spiker, Respite

8 9 PATIENT STORY IMPACT OF GIVING

Stephen Zarrilli High tech therapy thanks

Life changed in an instant. In July 2019, Steve made the difficult decision to step to the 2019 call to give driving to his shore home, Steve Zarrilli down from the Science Center last March The 2019 Art Ability Dinner and Auction was a great suffered a stroke. A dissection of the carotid and took on intensive rehabilitation as his success. Inspired by patient Alexandria Warner and her artery on the right side of his neck caused a full-time job. “Every day I tell myself I don’t mother Susan Levy Giles, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital stroke in the right side of his brain. Steve lost want this stroke to define me and I want to Foundation Board Member, guests generously contributed control and crashed into a guardrail. “The first get elements of that life I had before back in $122,850 in support of two specialized pieces of therapy miracle was I didn’t kill myself or anyone else.” place. I think we have to have the fortitude to equipment, the ReoGo and ArmeoSpring. The second was the good Samaritan who not let the current events define us.” stopped and called 911. Rushed to an area The ReoGo is an innovative motorized robotic arm that Beginning with his wife Carol, Steve is hospital, “it was a life and death situation.” helps patients with severe limitations to the forearm fortunate to have an incredible support tasks. It can also be used to address sensory deficits, Steve and Carol Zarrilli and hand. It takes patients through movement patterns, A month earlier, Steve completed a network. He knows his life will now be visual impairment and cognitive abilities. utilizing highly repetitive activities and feedback. While Philadelphia to Shore charity bike ride and different and he has made peace with that. traditional treatment methods, such as stacking cups, can Our staff members are thrilled to add this equipment to was a picture of good health, living the dream “My perspective on life has changed. The be monotonous, causing patients to become disengaged our many treatment options for patients and have been as CEO of the University City Science Center, a biggest reward has been to have more easily, the interactive nature of the ReoGo captures their impressed with the outcomes. Tori Snyder, MS, OTR/L, position he had taken just nine months earlier. empathy for others with a disability. I now interest and increases motivation. It is helping patients occupational therapist, shared, “Both of these pieces of live in a different world, and I appreciate Following his acute care hospital stay and improve their range of motion, muscle strength and tone as equipment have served as a huge motivator for patients. what others go through.” stabilization, Steve was an inpatient at Bryn well as movement smoothness and cognitive functioning. With any new technology, patients can be apprehensive Mawr Rehab Hospital for three months, and “Live life as best you can every day,” he says. at first, but this equipment is so straightforward, patients The ArmeoSpring is becoming one of the most widely continues today as an outpatient. “Bryn Mawr “You never know what’s going to happen. end up loving it and find therapy fun. This helps to increase used shoulder, arm and hand rehabilitation exoskeletons. Rehab is a world-class facility that has helped And stop worrying about the little stuff at their endurance and functional use of their arms, and The equipment enables independent training for patients me greatly in my recovery process.” Steve is the end of the day. It’s not what’s ultimately positively impact their recovery.” with returning movement after an injury affecting their learning to walk again with the help of a brace going to be important.” upper extremity. An extensive virtual 3D workspace The generosity of donors each year at Art Ability helps to and advanced equipment, like the robotic Steve Zarrilli’s story will be shared during this supports simultaneous shoulder, arm and hand therapy. make a lasting impact on the work we do all year long. exoskeleton device, to enhance strength, year’s Art Ability Virtual Celebration. Patients are motivated by the direct feedback on their mobility and endurance. He also benefits from progress through graphs, exercises and games, which occupational and cognitive therapy. then enables them to carry over these skills into everyday

10 11 CURATOR’S LETTER: HUMAN CONNECTION 2020 JUDGES

This year’s art was different than I’d normally expect; then again, this isn’t a normal year. Jessica Curtaz including Art Miami Fairs, Affordable Art Fairs, Delaware Most artists expressed themselves through concrete subjects, reality and comfort, rather than Jessica Curtaz is a Philadelphia-based Contemporary, and AIR Gallery. She has been featured abstract concepts. The beautiful depictions of landscapes and beaches are ones we can really street artist and arts advocate. She by multiple media outlets including The Philadelphia imagine going to…if only we could. crochets oversized flora and fauna like Inquirer, The Jealous Curator, It’s Nice That and Monocle weeds, insects, and real and imaginary Magazine. Popova is the founder of Create! Magazine, Many artists I’ve spoken with are using this time of quarantine in creative ways and creatures onto the urban landscape, host of Art & Cocktails podcast, co-author of The Smartist experimenting more at home or in the studio. Many others are not able to access the facilities bringing a feminized craft out of the home and onto the Guide: Essential Art Career Tips For Emerging Artists and or art centers that allow them to exercise their creativity and collaborate. People with disabilities Gaby Heit streets. She is an advocate for increasing the autonomy founder of The Art Queens, a mentorship program for are familiar with adapting; the global pandemic is one more challenge to push through. Art Ability Curator of marginalized populations as well as strengthening female artists. A common theme in this year’s Art Ability is “strength in humanity.” We see a diverse mix their voices in the larger community. Curtaz works as a of faces that could easily be our friends, neighbors, heroes and the people we miss most during teaching artist, specializing in adaptive teaching methods Jeff Schaller this time of social distancing. Art Ability artwork of “heroes” ranges from celebrities like John to special needs populations, including the blind and Jeff Schaller is an artist who describes Wayne and Jimi Hendrix, to veterans and first responders. Wonder Woman appears among visually impaired, and adults and children with physical his work as provocative and whimsical, “wonder women” of all kinds, including Harriet Tubman and a new mom. and intellectual disabilities. These classes focus on art both propelling the viewer into scenes of as a creative outlet and a vocation. To these ends she has seemingly unrelated subjects. With When we see these portraits, we ask, “Who is that person and what is their story?” Whether led several public art projects, including with students at encaustic paints, Schaller uses lost we view artwork on screens or walls, we naturally look for the story and intention behind the the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, insecure populations and found images, words and language, to paint with a work. It’s like connecting with loved ones through Zoom, where we safely reveal our smiles in Kensington, and immigrant and refugee populations in precision and intricacy not normally found in encaustic from behind our masks, and talk about our day. South and Northeast Philadelphia. paintings. Schaller’s work has been published and In honor of Art Ability’s 25th Anniversary, we’ve chosen “Celebration” as this year’s themed exhibited throughout the United States and can be seen category. Witnessing the tremendous loss in 2020 reminds us to be grateful for what we have, Ekaterina Popova in the TV show Friends. As a philanthropic and committed and the optimism at Bryn Mawr Rehab. In our 25 years there have been countless reasons to After moving to the United States from artist, Schaller is on the board of the Chester County Art celebrate, with more to come. Russia, Ekaterina Popova received a Association, and the founder of County Studio Tours. bachelor’s degree in painting from Schaller started the Chester County Studio Tour with Thank you to the Art Ability Committee, staff, jurors and judges for their hard work in making this Kutztown University. Since 2011 she has just 10 artists as a way to collaborate and share his art exhibition possible, especially in our new virtual experience. A special thanks to our Art Ability been painting, exhibiting her art, and locally. Now in its tenth year, it has grown to include over Coordinator, Cristine Largoza, whose guidance remains invaluable. I hope to give tours of this learning how to market and make sales. Popova has had 150 artists. He also founded tours in Montgomery and outstanding collection, so please keep informed of visitor policy updates at mainlinehealth.org. the pleasure of curating multiple exhibitions at Paradigm Delaware Counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. Gallery, Main Line Art Center, Hastings College, and more. Her oil paintings have been exhibited internationally,

12 13 ARTIST AWARDS

Best In Show People’s Choice Drawing Jewelry and Charles W. Hennessy Artist Award The Lois Levy People’s Choice Award and Fine Fine Craft Presented by: The Charles W. Hennessy Art Ability Presented by: Susan Christie and Lane Brown Printmaking 1st Prize Endowment Fund To be selected by popular vote and announced 1st Prize The 5 Senses Award Milton Davis, Untitled (Black and Shirtless) in December In Memory of Fred Stern Presented by: Presented by: Karen and Bruce Cavin Judges Choice Brian and Peggy Jones Joy Raskin, Tim Quinn, Laney and Tilly Zakim Bridge Pendant JESSICA CURTAZ 2nd Prize The Doris B. Gorden Award 2nd Prize Presented by: Presented by: The Doris B. Gorden Art Ability Presented by: The Art Trust Gallery Endowment Fund The Art Trust Gallery Tim Quinn, Laney and Tilly at Meridian Bank William Spiker, Reefer at Meridian Bank Larine Chung, Anna Wagner, Pause EKATERINA POPOVA Mercy of Time 3rd Prize In Honor of Carol Chapman The Kozicki Family Award Presented by: Stephano Slack 3rd Prize Presented by: Jen Dacota, Morning Glory In Appreciation of the BMRH Staff Jean P. Kozicki JEFF SCHALLER Presented by: Christine Severson, The Nancy Kopecky Memorial Award Linda W. Heiberger Thoughts Presented by: Sal and Linda Panasci Joy Raskin, Zakim Bridge Pendant Jace Laakso, Honorable Mention Jan Alice Keeling, Kelly in Pearls Under Neon Maple Presented by: Honorable Mention Stephano Slack, LLC Curator’s Choice Presented by: Jennifer Ingalls, Stephano Slack, LLC Steampunk Cufflinks In Honor of Ralph and Carmen Terrazas Chelsea Steinberg-Gay, Presented by: Brian and Peggy Jones Einayyim (Eyes) Jan Alice Keeling, Kelly in Pearls Meg Quinlisk, Wave Break William Spiker, Reefer 14 15 ARTIST AWARDS

Mixed Media Painting Photography Sculpture Special Theme: 1st Prize 1st Prize 1st Prize 1st Prize Celebration In Honor of The Celso Primus The Carmen Nasuti The Elliott T. Settle 1st Prize Lauren McGowan Memorial Award Memorial Award Memorial Award In Memory of Presented by: Presented by: Presented by: Presented by: David E. Tordone Brian and Peggy Jones Sal and Linda Panasci Sal and Linda Panasci The Settle Family Presented by: Linnie Greenberg, Jan Alice Keeling, Leslie A. Zukor, Rosary Solimanto, Cripple The Tordone Family What’s in Your Fridge? Mother and Baby Reading Screen Shot 2nd Prize Jen Dacota, The Wedding 2nd Prize 2nd Prize 2nd Prize The Stanley E. Kaimowitz 2nd Prize In Honor of Bryn Mawr The Evans Family Award; The Evans Family Award Memorial Award In Honor of BMRH’s Jen Dacota, Morning Glory Rehab Physical Therapists Presented by: Presented by: Presented by: Dedicated Volunteers Presented by: Scott and Lara Evans Scott and Lara Evans Michelle and Jack Guida Presented by: The Sargent Family Victor Mordasov, Mark Wittig, Oklahoma William Spiker, Wader The Bryn Mawr Rehab Cathleen Casey, Northern Spring Flowers State University Old Volunteer Association 3rd Prize Red-legged Frog Central, Front View Linda Goschke, 3rd Prize Debbie M. Corrigan It’s Spring: Red-wings 3rd Prize The Marjorie Kathleen “Kat” 3rd Prize Memorial Award are Back at the Meadow Linnie Greenberg, What’s in Your Fridge? The Barbara Tournier Ellis Memorial Award In Memory of Gilda Plumari Presented by: Gaby Bailey Memorial Award Presented by: Ruth Porritt Presented by: Carrie Albert, Emily 3rd Prize Presented by: Ruth Porritt Kathryn Noska, Rosadele Plumari Dickinson Meets Walt In Honor of Timmie S. Ott Nancy Smith, Together As One Hal Moran, Sounds Whitman on a Strange Presented by: The Ott Family Bougainvillea of Nature #21666 and Familiar Animal Honorable Mention Liz Griesser, Isla Mujeres: Meg Quinlisk, Wave Break Celebration of the Power Honorable Mention In memory of Honorable Mention Honorable Mention of Water The McTear Family Award James M. Hamm Presented by: Presented by: Presented by: Presented by: The Art Trust Gallery The Art Trust Gallery Honorable Mention Leslie A. Zukor, Screen Shot Brian and Allyson McTear The Hamm Family at Meridian Bank at Meridian Bank In Honor of the Maple Unit David Terrar, Rebecca Scheuer, Gail Foley, Buckets Kathleen McSherry, Presented by: Claire Larson Rosary Solimanto, Chasing the Darkness Golden Gate Venison DeMilo Amy Smith, Rebirth Cripple 16 17 FEATURED ARTIST ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Alex Albert Abingdon, MD and closed-eye visions. She seeks of seeing her disabilities in a color and contrast. When looking Sriharsha Sukla For many years, Albert primarily peace in the process and always, negative light, Avery uses her at her photographs after they are CUTTACK, ODISHA, INDIA enjoyed drawing—usually she finds beauty. A favorite quote restrictions to allow her to take developed, she imagines them exclusively in Sharpie that of Albert comes from Langston a different and interesting path as portals into which she can Indian artist Sriharsha Sukla was born deaf and was densely layered. He later Hughes: “Perhaps the mission in her artistic journeys. Creating enter. Bernard often asks, “What joined Make Studio, a program of an artist is to interpret beauty and selling her artwork, which environment exists beyond the nonverbal, and has been painting since early childhood. supporting the growth of artists to people—the beauty within consists of paintings, pottery image captured?” He is prolific, successful, and participates in many with disabilites, within the first themselves.” and photography, has helped exhibitions for artists with disabilities. few years of its founding in 2010. Avery to feel more confident Albert gradually increased his Brandon Allebach and free, despite her disabilities. Sriharsha was trained in Patachitra, a traditional, cloth- studio time and now attends Albuquerque, NM The different mediums have Allebach, a painter for more than based scroll painting, based in the eastern Indian states weekly to focus on painting. He also helped Avery to expand her particularly enjoys depicting family 13 years, uses acrylic on canvas artistic explorations, reaching of Odisha and West Bengal. This artform is known for members, friends, favorite places for his creations. He has focused within the desires of the art its intricate details as well as mythological narratives and animals. He expresses his on abstract art and his style, community. “As I travel into my and folktale themes. Sriharsha has a BFA from the Sriharsha has been encouraged by his parents, especially distinctive style through his choice cubism. Allebach has Holt-Oram images of art, my limitations syndrome, a condition which gave Uktal University in India, and has learned to visually his mother, to be a professional artist. In spite of their of T-shirts. Albert is a graduate of disappear...letting me feel free St. Elizabeth School and resides in him shorter limbs. He says he has and safe.” express himself in many disabilities, Sriharsha and his brother Siddhartha, also a Harford County, Maryland. never let his shorter arms get in mediums, including oil deaf Art Ability artist, feel abled in every respect. They say the way of creating art. Allebach MaryGrace Bernard Alex Albert, The Clown Fish painting, watercolor, that they never feel inferior to others because they are Carrie Albert Seattle, WA does acknowledge the technical Denver, CO Albert expresses her artistic challenges he has faced in Bernard is an interdisciplinary Frances Bernhardt-Noll Paoli, PA photography, and also “differently abled.” In recent years, the use of social media visions in myriad ways, including painting (straight lines and edges, artist living and working in Bernhardt-Noll prefers painting computer animation used and computer-based communication has given Sriharsha collage, poetry, assemblage, for example), but through the Denver while managing the because it’s something she’s in several Bollywood films. new ways to communicate with the deaf community all drawing and photography. Albert process of problem-solving and health challenges of living with worked with since she was a child, A versatile artist, Sriharsha around the world. In 2017, we had the pleasure to meet has chemical sensitivities and using his strengths, he has made cystic fibrosis. She often stays and she’s been able to develop uses only non-toxic mediums his art unique in facing those in the confines of her home or and hone her skills over that time. specializes in landscape Sriharsha at Bryn Mawr Rehab. He attended the Preview in her art. As a collagist, Albert challenges. “Sometimes I just hospital. When Bernard does She often chooses to work with and portrait art using a cut Reception and visited the hospital for several days that searches for healing by gathering paint to make beautiful things, have the ability to travel, which floral and natural themes because Sriharsha Sukla, Zebra Love paper collage technique, week. Because he knows American Sign Language, many fragments, symbols and torn but I also paint for catharsis and is her favorite pastime, she she likes to explore the different regularly on view at Bryn of our guests were fortunate enough to communicate with ephemera, and piecing them the ability to emotionally heal makes sure to document all the colors and shapes. Bemhardt-Noll together in unexpected ways. through art.” beautiful scenery, objects and says each step of the process Mawr Rehab. His artwork was awarded 1st place in Art him with the assistance of a translator. Through this methodology, she architecture she encounters. This inspires her. From identifying a Ability’s Works on Paper category in 2007. Sriharsha also Constance Avery Utica, NY A frequent participant in Art Ability, Sriharsha’s artworks creates wholeness and recognizes way, she can fill her small spaces source image or idea, to sketching, teaches collage workshops to youth and adults. herself and others. Albert says As an artist working with with the world that exists beyond then painting, each step is have developed a strong following. He feels fortunate to she works with subjects that call vision and hearing loss, Avery her everyday reach. Bernard’s self-reinforcing as she works to have an opportunity like Art Ability that pushes him to be to her, relying on subconscious has faced many limitations favorite photographs are those complete a piece. She enjoys the a successful professional, alongside other career artists. wisdom through dreams, poetry for the last 30 years. Instead that play with light and shadow, opportunity to share her work 18 19 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

with others. Living with a disability “I am unable to paint when my reader, sometimes in a whisper, and stay committed to serving the Cindy Clark Eagleville, PA their subject as light reflects creates barriers for her, but symptoms flare up but always sometimes with a shout. Bohle public through your practice.” Clark uses acrylic painting to spark through them. Like these sacred creating art is a way for Bemhardt- look forward to the next idea and enjoys working in large sizes with joy and provide encouragement windows, her paintings attempt to Noll to connect and share with putting it on canvas.” big brushes and bold colors. “I Dwayne Boone Philadelphia, PA to others. Having encephalopathy reveal both the intended subject others. “When I was in the acute am a bit of an introvert in life; I Boone is an emerging and arthritis brought on by a and also to open a window toward hospital, art and crafts helped me Charles Blackwell Oakland, CA like my paintings to be loud and Philadelphia-based artist and virus, she learned in cognitive a deeper story contained within to remember who I was, and the Blackwell operates on a note of extroverted.” Bohle has suffered entrepreneur. Born and raised in therapy at Bryn Mawr Rehab an inner joy. Cobb started painting things I enjoyed doing pre-injury.” serendipity, by moving colors with Parkinson’s disease for Germantown, he began to draw Hospital to adapt to her brain when she was diagnosed with on paper or canvas. He says that the past 20 years. The jagged comic book characters at an early limitations. Taking up painting as lupus in 2016. Creating has been sometimes he has an image in edges that appear in many of his age. As a child Boone would have therapy, Clark enrolled in an adult her lifeline through flares and long “There are days when his mind but it all changes once paintings represent how he feels a pencil in his hand as soon as he education class where she learned periods of isolation. he approaches the surface. “I got home from school, and his my disability can about the interface between the to mix her own colors. This gives use my blindness to execute universe and himself. mother would nag him to finish her control over the images she Debra Hope Colligan affect me, but when the final image, allowing for it his homework before drawing. tries to convey. Painting provides South Yarmouth, MA to take on a course of its own.” Priscilla Bohlen Narberth, PA Boone’s passion for making art has a sense of accomplishment and Hope Colligan creates her I draw or paint, I feel Producing pieces related to jazz Bohlen is a professional visual been a common thread throughout helps her focus on the beauty paintings in oils, using a variety music enables improvisation for artist who works on canvas using his life. His work has been exhibited of palette knives, brushes and very confident in of the outdoors. Clark especially the artist. When Blackwell hears acrylic paint, resin and acrylic throughout the Mid-Atlantic region loves beaches and water and is mediums, enhancing her artwork myself that I am doing people say his work is inspiring, mediums. She received her BFA in galleries including Space 1026, drawn to the endless colors in with a great deal of texture and he knows that he has managed to in 1974 and subsequently lived Fleisher/Ollman, apexart, and John nature, thinking of God as the color. Creating sea and landscapes something special.” create a synthesis between his art in New York City for 10 years. Lucas Gallery. on Cape Cod and Nantucket, Priscilla Bohlen, Floral Landscape ultimate painter. —Allison Doatch and his blindness; the two move During this time she designed along with portraits of animals Cathleen Casey Portland, OR together, working in harmony. “It patterns for sheets and towels and Giant Slalom champion, Larine Chung Bellevue, WA Cathy Cobb Shreveport, LA and people, gives her a “soulful Just before her second birthday, all comes together in the end.” for Fieldcrest Cannon as well on one ski with outriggers, in Chung is an artist living in the Cobb is an acrylic painter who uses impression” to look past the Casey contracted polio which Shawn Bittenbender as continued to study art at the 1972. “I taught skiing to Vietnam Pacific Northwest, who mainly paintbrushes and pallet knives as obvious and see beyond the Arlington, VA permanently damaged her left Philadelphia, PA Robert Bohle graduate level. Bohlen moved veterans with amputations, at works with dry media and oil. well as various paints and glazes distraction of the conspicuous; to Painting non-representationally leg. She had ten orthopedic Bittenbender suffers from back to the Philadelphia area and Lake Tahoe for nine years, then Trained in classical methods based to convey a subject from many capture its unique self, to inspire usually is an act of discovery for corrective surgeries and was advanced asthma and chronic began creating landscapes using went on to teach at the Courage on real life observation, she often different perspectives. “When folks to look more carefully at the Bohle. He uses mostly acrylics among the first group of disabled obstructive pulmonary disease, watercolor, oil, pastel, acrylic Center in Minnesota.” Casey’s blends naturalistic art techniques viewed from different angles, beautiful world and people around because he loves how the paint children to be mainstreamed which makes breathing difficult. As and mixed media. Recently, she an avid outdoors-woman; most and her vivid imagination with everyday moments of life can them. Hope Colligan sustained a looks after it is dry. The various in Southern Minnesota. Casey a result of his breathing difficulties, has focused on large abstracts of her botanical drawings are a unique Eastern point of view. become transfigured, revealing traumatic brain injury (TBI) from mediums he can use with acrylics showed an early talent for art his hand has a tendency to tremble using acrylics. She shows her en plain air. She found her Living with a severe autoimmune the depth of layers within.” Her a horseback riding accident that add another dimension, both which helped during the long or shake; however, Bittenbender work extensively throughout the favorite medium after taking a disorder, Chung’s daily art practice brushwork, paints and glazes significantly changed her life. She literally and figuratively. Bohle months spent in bed. She studied says that painting helps him region and is an active member of bookmaking class and enjoys is a big part of her healing and reveal complexity, and her colors believes that art has expanded her loves abstracts because he wants art and art history, participating in control his hand as well as his multiple professional art groups. designing and hand-making artist has become a way of navigating show the delight she takes in life and that healing is essentially a the paint itself to communicate an early graphic design program breathing. Bittenbender believes Bohlen believes in “bringing the books, often illustrating them through life. Her art explores the momentary glimpses of beauty. creative process. “Through my art I viscerally to the viewer. He at the University of Iowa. She was interesting art is all around us. He best to life and not holding back; with graphite and colored pencil notion of pain, isolation, fear, hope, Cobb takes inspiration from stained have created a new state of health wants to “say something” to the the National Women’s Slalom likes the challenge of little details. always press on to new horizons drawings. courage and strength. glass and how they transfigure for myself, pursuing an artist’s life.”

20 21 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Maureen Collins Wilmington, DE Collins is so grateful for the arts, that attract her. Her imagination Nicole Cote Saskatoon, Canada newfound confidence. Dacota school at the age of fifteen, Collins received her first camera their healing qualities and for the has always been the most Cote is a painter and embroiderer says she is in love with color Davis’ practice has been shaped as a gift when she was eight creative process. It allows her powerful medicine possible. As who focuses on mental health and the relationships between by his attention to textile-based years old. This began a lifelong to express the individuality of a result of a forty-five minute themes. She started doing art colors. Just “as in people, when art, folk art and the African passion for the visual arts and each day, to share its beauty and seizure, Core’s temporal lobe as therapy and has continued its the relationships work, they Diaspora. The tight line-work changed the way she saw the unique imprint, and to appreciate was damaged, and her art is practice as a type of advocacy. are fantastic.” She believes that characterizes his body world. Collins’ journey is woven its expression in others. important to her as a means the combinations one chooses of work is both the result of a through photography, painting, of creating possibilities. For Paula Crandell Sioux City, IA to place together either work condition that affects the joints collage, ceramics, mosaics, Ginny Conover Wynnewood, PA inspiration in her work, Core Crandell is an artist who has well together or they don’t. of his hands, and his unwavering silver work and fabric design. Conover is a former high remembers Albert Einstein’s enjoyed creating and teaching Dacota truly enjoys the creative commitment to creating a It’s through this journey that school English teacher, licensed words: “Imagination is more art for over 50 years. An challenges of color choices and perfect balance between formal the images in one medium couples and family therapist, a important than knowledge.” Core experimentalist who loves color, composition. Most of her work compositional elements. professional puppeteer and an believes art and imagination are she creates in a variety of media is intuitive and unplanned. She inveterate hand-knitter. Living in about hope. “They help me.” including acrylic, alcohol ink and lets it flow from her soul and it Debby Dernberger the suburbs, she loves to hop on watercolor. Crandell is known becomes a work of art over time. South San Francisco, CA the train, go to the city and walk Malcolm Corley Lancaster, PA by her students as a “treasure Experimentation plays a large Dernberger is an accomplished for miles, taking in the sights, At the age of three, Corley was hunter” who looks for interesting and professional artist with role and provides an element Gail Foley, Buckets smells and sounds of city life. The diagnosed with autism. At about shapes and textures on a canvas of surprise at times. Each piece over 30 years of fine art gallery transformation of raw material the same time, he began to draw that is covered in an explosion she begins is a challenge, from showings, along with running a over the years as she strives to museums. His subject matters to create complex and visually the sketches from the TV show, of ink and paint. Using negative beginning to end. mural and sign painting business. make her own personal statement include architecture, art history, stimulating structures informs her Blues Clues. Recreations of Dr. and reductive painting, she brings through her paintings. Dernberger ancient cultures, sacred geometry, art. Each of these interests can be Seuss’s illustrations came next, found images to representational says she uses art through painting folklore, archaeology, cinema found in one form or another in some of which he drew from life. Not sure if her hearing loss as therapy for her dual diagnosis, and mythology. Di Falco uses the Conover’s art, which she believes memory. Since then, his work was due to working in a munitions “Art has saved my life. It helps me cope with the depression and other mental individualized studio techniques attempts to use color, pattern, has been published by Hot Metal factory during college, or working symptoms of mental illness. It also gives me a sense illnesses. She finds relief from her of intaglio, aquatint, drypoint texture and mark-making to Bridge, Up the Staircase, Fusion with middle school students cares and worries by expressing and Chine collè, to create his transform the materials at hand Art, and Penn Review. He was the for over four decades, Crandell of accomplishment and a way to communicate herself through arts and crafts. narrations, which he sometimes Paula Crandell, Poppyfield to make a work of art. “I believe youngest 2019 Kennedy Center is thankful for the progress “I hope to inspire other dual enhances with gouache and —Thomas Dillon that the act of engaging in the VSA Award winner, and the only audiology has made over the what I feel and experience.” diagnosis people to express watercolor. Other media he uses often inspire and flow through creative process brings joy and one without post-secondary years, allowing her to better hear themselves and find the same are oil-based French inks and others. Guillaine-Barré syndrome healing. Constantly striving to training. He feels great pride nature, people and music. relief and inspiration.” natural printmaking papers. slowed life into a much lower create through the exploration of from creating art. He enjoys tap Milton Davis Los Angeles, CA She also teaches art to seniors His multiple zinc plate etchings Jen Dacota Conshohocken, PA speed and allowed her the new images, new media and new dancing, singing, and playing Davis lives and works in Los and developmentally disabled Gerard Di Falco Philadelphia, PA resemble windowpanes and are Art has helped Dacota fill a void grace of dimensionally changing techniques enthralls me.” the drum set; however, he Angeles. He is a painter and adults. She shares her passion for Photography is a strategic developed in several baths of in her life since she suffered a her creative perspectives and understands that art is a career illustrator who has been part of the arts with her local community. element in Di Falco’s etching. nitric acid. “I strive to pull the Elizabeth Core Sewanee, TN TBI with a hemorrhagic stroke. abilities. Hope became the path path, not a hobby. His favorite the ECF Art Centers since the Dernberger has been creating He employs his own images and viewer into scenes that evoke Core’s art is made from painting It has been a tremendous of each day through many years. medium is watercolor, and his program’s inception in 1968. arts and crafts all her life. It is true photos from digital collections dream and reality; I call this THE colors with a variety of materials therapy for her and has given her favorite subject is people. After having completed high therapy that has saved her life of universities, libraries and PHENOMENOLOGY OF SEEING.”

22 23 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Samuel Dietze Altoona, PA of his children and colleagues for her to feel well enough to Nancy Eilertsen Coatesville, PA in 2016. Eilertsen said, “When jumped into his hobbies as he Dietze is a legally blind artist as well as landscapes. His work create due to her illness and After starting a family and living watching TV is no longer possible, made his peace for the end. who paints in oils and acrylics. has been published in books disability, but she strives to on a farm for 10 years, Eilertsen and hearing aids cannot fully A new finding of muscular He works on large oil paintings and newspapers, and has been continue when she can. Edmon had a successful career as an supplement my hearing loss, to dystrophy removed the veil and at home and smaller acrylic used by for-profit and nonprofit feels that the visual artist takes artist. She developed a series have something I can return to that set him on a new course, focused paintings outside. The oil businesses including art galleries. her audience to a new and of pen and ink designs and had I totally enjoy is incredible.” on his art. Emerson started paintings are mainly abstract In 2007, Dillon was seriously exciting level of consciousness; them printed. Eilertsen would sculpting as well as daily painting. or impressionist. The acrylic injured in a motorcycle accident into her mind and soul. “When I hand-paint each design with Matt Emerson Youngstown, OH He continues to work out to keep paintings are mainly impressionist where he sustained many create a painting, I feel challenged acrylics in different color motifs. Emerson began painting when he as much mobility as possible, to or realist. Dietze likes nature injuries including head trauma. to get my audience’s attention Though she had already stopped was a young man. Marriage, work slow the downhill run. “I will go subjects such as landscapes, After multiple hospitalizations and to discover effective ways to creating her paintings due to a and life came along, pushing his down fighting.” sunsets, trees, the night sky, and corrective surgeries, Dillon share my ideas with them.” variety of circumstances, Eilersten hobby of art to a back burner. He astronomy and the ocean. He was later diagnosed with a developed macular degeneration continued to draw and paint as a Gen Farrell Burleson, TX says he’s been a serious artist mental illness. “Art has saved Herbert Eilertsen Coatesville, PA in 2000. Her disease progressed relaxing pastime. Emerson started In 2013, Farrell retired from since about 1990. Words that my life. It helps me cope with After being diagnosed with to the point where she decided to having trouble with his hands and teaching public school art motivate Dietze artistically: “As the symptoms of mental illness. Allison Doatch, Friends ankylosing spondylitus, Eilertsen live with her son. It was Eilertsen’s while walking in the late 2000s. after 27 years, due to a benign a man thinketh so shall it be.” It also gives me a sense of was no longer able to run his son who convinced her that with A trio of surgeries did nothing to essential tremor. She lives spectrum disorder. “There are he can continue to express, With limited mobility due to his accomplishment and a way to framing and art supply business. a magnifying glass and a drafting help as he sought other answers. outside of Burleson, Texas, with days when my disability can affect despite his disability. He loves the blindness, Dietz’s art allows him communicate what I feel and After many months of regaining table, she could resurrect her art, He was mistakenly diagnosed her husband, her daughter, two me, but when I draw or paint, I vibrant, rich colors of acrylic on to be doing things outside so experience.” strength and finding his new and she began painting again with ALS in 2015, retired, and horses and two Great Pyrenees. feel very confident in myself that I canvas. His style is often campy that he’s not stuck in the house rhythm of function, he was able Through the years, she competed am doing something special.” and offbeat. all the time. Dietze is involved Allison Doatch Edison, NJ to focus on his inner passion— in a wide variety of horse-related Doatch is a formally trained painting. Eilertsen feels it is not events, and this is where Farrell with other artists in groups and Bobby Edmon Oklahoma City, OK Clara Edmon Oklahoma City, OK artist who uses a variety of always strength and stamina that met many of the people and organizations allowing him to Edmon is a self-taught artist who Edmon says that art is the media, including colored pencils gives rise to a sure success in animals that are the subjects of meet new people and to find new favors peculiar, unconventional main source of her identity and and acrylics, and her favorite anything; but weakness or trial her artworks. She does oil and ways to share his art. scenes in his artwork. Disabled self-esteem. She has clinical subject matter is flowers. Doatch that births the comprehension watercolor paintings, and she by a stroke at age 58, which depression, a learning disability, Thomas Dillon Stroudsburg, PA likes to create photorealistic that life is but a short breath, applies computer techniques to affected his speech and balance, COPD and chronic pain from Dillon first learned the basics artwork. When she looks at a and every day we can celebrate some of her paintings to create preventing him from working, rheumatoid arthritis. She believes of painting from his mother. He photograph, she is able to create life through what we can create. linographic looks, which become he was able to spend more she has gained much relief by uses acrylic, pencil, pen and a composition that is very close His current focus is on river digital prints. Farrell says her time drawing and painting. expressing herself through her watercolor. Sketches, with a to the original picture. Doatch paintings, where he believes he work gives her confidence that Edmon’s motivation to create artwork. Edmon works mostly in combination of paint and colored also works at a local hospital as has developed his own unique even though she has physical is the sense of accomplishment oil and starts by sketching, then pencils, often germinate ideas for a medical information specialist, style. Eilertsen believes that challenges, she can still deliver from completing a work of drawing on canvas, followed by larger paintings. Dillon’s subject and is currently working on a painful period of his life still helps strong visual images. “I love art. Sometimes the process is painting the background, then matter varies from contemporary mural project at the facility. Art him in his painting, as he reaches painting and love my horses hard work and sometimes it is the foreground and finally the to surreal and figurative work. has played a major role in her life, out to express the beauty and and thankfully, I am still able calming. Creating art is a talent highlights. Sometimes it is hard Dillon has completed portraits especially living with an autistic wonder of this world. Debbie Huff,Hound Dog to do both.” 24 25 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Robert Flatt Houston, TX Gail Foley Royersford, PA to explore new techniques with courage to continue her interest. might be going through. Later on, what inspires her. She studied off-kilter heightened awareness Flatt started his crazy passion to Foley injured her neck while anything she can get her hands Gade creates her art from her a camera motivated her to show art at Millersville State College is an asset. “Art is a universal become a photographer in 2004, working as a radiation therapist. on. Forbes says she is influenced vivid imagination and from other people what she was seeing. and art has provided a focus that language, a way to communicate when he left a successful career in Her days became filled with by nature and modern life, color, photographs. Her work varies Photography has become Geiger’s she is proud of. In 1973, Givens at a deeper level. The sense of the oil service industry due to the excruciating neck issues, movement, hope and kindness. by medium and inspiration, creative way to capture the survived a serious automobile connection and freedom are gifts onset of Parkinson’s disease. He fibromyalgia, chronic migraines It is her goal that these themes and each piece holds different beauty of animals and nature. accident resulting in brain trauma, art gives me and which I hope to and his wife love to travel to wild and headaches. Her life took a turn come through in her finished emotions visible through the “It is a great challenge for me broken femur and jaw, temporary pass on to viewers.” and beautiful places. He uses his for the better when Foley, along works, blended-up with wonder. style and hue. Gade believes to get unique photographs that left-side paralysis, and eye camera and Photoshop to create with her husband, purchased a Art has become a huge source of painting can help people to inspire the viewer!” displacement that led to bilateral Linda Goschke Philadelphia, PA highly saturated pictures, full farm in Royersford. This allowed healing for Forbes following an overcome their difficulties and cataracts. She was treated at Goschke is interested in our of color, full of life, with vibrant her love for photography, an early accident resulting in a traumatic find peace within, which she David Gerbstadt Berwyn, PA Riddle Hospital and Bryn Mawr sensual experience of the natural and surreal backgrounds. Flatt’s passion of Foley’s, to return to brain injury. She says it helps her puts to practice every day, Creating has been a part of Rehab Hospital. Givens returned world, our expectations of the photography is in the permanent her life. She now spends time uncover emotions and be more dealing with her limited mobility. Gerbstadt’s life ever since he to painting after her accident and common and uncommon, and She has accepted her physical stood on a kitchen chair to reach now enjoys the opportunity to the nature of beauty. Common condition, and the enjoyment she the counter in order to help his exhibit her works at Bryn Mawr things have the power to evoke “When watching TV is no longer possible, receives from painting allows her mom make cakes and cookies Rehab Hospital so people can unexpected responses. Her work to continue her work. “Art is a Bunky Givens, Snow by the Water Wheel from scratch. “She would always enjoy and appreciate them. “Bryn examines our relationship to the divine gift to me.” let me lick the mixer beaters.” Mawr Rehab has provided two environment and experiments and hearing aids cannot fully supplement my to work on her art. Her favorite life His inspiration comes from his important functions in my life!” with abstract interpretations quote is: “Keep your face to the hearing loss, to have something I can return Ginger Gehres Chocowinity, NC mother, who showed him that of it. Goschke often looks for sunshine and you will not see the Art is Gehres’ passion. It was once he was able to make something Patricia Goodrich revealing, unexpected and often to that I totally enjoy is incredible.” —Nancy Eilertsen shadows” —Helen Keller her vocation in life and when her with his hands. Gerbstadt says his Richlandtown, PA challenging views. A brush with health changed dramatically, it motivation comes from knowing Goodrich says that process is key death and resulting traumatic Ann Marie Geiger Ambler, PA became her therapy. Today, it is that each moment of life is a gift to her work. Sometimes a piece brain injury from an auto Geiger believes that hobbies have Gehres’ joy to create visual stories that he is given, and that making begins with an idea, sometimes accident made her more aware Gen Farrell, Cool Front capturing and sharing the growth mindful, which has yielded some been both her salvation and great and share them with others. Her art is why he is here. Art has given with the material itself. She enjoys of our physical fragility and our of their crops, as well as the nature interesting creations and a better passion in life. She was born with a favorite medium, scratchboard Gerbstadt a means to cope with both the physical work and the individualized interpretations of collection of the Museum of and wildlife around their property, understanding of self. “Those who rare bone condition, osteogenesis art, is a reductive process where several disabilities and brings mental play. Goodrich works with reality. Her physical and mental Fine Arts Houston and in Rice with her camera. “Photography don’t believe in magic will never imperfecta, also known as brittle ink is removed from a substrate to fulfillment in his life where he a variety of mediums and creates challenges pushed her into the University. He says, “Parkinson’s has given me purpose again. It has find it.” —Roald Dahl bones. This condition caused her produce a positive image. How it never thought possible. “Making earthworks and installations. She digital realm to help her focus, disease gave me the marvelous given me strength, control, peace to rely on the use of a wheelchair Kendall Park, NJ is taken off, typically with a knife, art allows me to feel part of believes everything connects. expand creative outcomes and gift of time to master the art of and escape during my times of Vimala Gade for mobility. While growing up, Gade is a self-taught artist. As can vary and create wonderful society and that I belong.” Having lost her lower left leg in use fewer hazardous chemicals. photography. It has helped me chronic pain.” Geiger had a bird feeder outside a child she was always drawn textures and tones. She also adds a motorcycle accident, those “Art helps me to see and study ‘slow down’ to see this beauty her window. Watching the birds Hopkins, MN to the fine arts. Starting as a colored inks to her work. Gehres Bunky Givens Essington, PA few missing inches contribute the world. It allows me to and has given me the urgency Emily Forbes along with having pets to nurture, Forbes is an abstract, intuitive hobby, Gade soon realized that struggles with grand mal seizures, Givens is a watercolorist who to a sense of “off balance” and share this with others, finding to ‘hurry up’ and capture as opened Geiger’s eyes to a world of artist working in a variety of painting was her passion in chronic migraines and interstitial also enjoys calligraphy, drawing an awareness of what it means a shared common, discovering much as I can photographically, unbelievable beauty and brought mediums such as acrylic, alcohol life. She was inspired by other cystitis, but she takes advantage and painting on wood. She loves physically to connect to earth; to what may be uncommon and while I still can.” her peace, regardless of what she ink, and mixed media. She loves disabled artists, which gave her of the days she feels well enough the beauty of nature and paints be “grounded.” Goodrich says that communicating visually.”

26 27 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Linnie Greenberg Ardmore, PA favorite quotes comes from Hans world. Oil paint is her main love. began his journey to real recovery. Charles Hall Windsor Locks, CT are Black Moshannon State Park, Passle Helminski Erie, PA Greenberg took her first art Christian Andersen: “Life itself is The visceral texture and colors While looking for the best angle Hall is a Vietnam veteran. Ricketts Glen State Park, and the Helminski finds great meaning in workshop in 2011, a short time the most wonderful fairy tale.” make what she is trying to convey for photographs and enjoying his Photography is therapeutic for Cape May and Avalon beaches. her sculptures and textile works. A after developing tinnitus—which so much easier. She likes to say fellow veterans, he slowly grew him, helping him to cope with When multiple sclerosis impaired visually impaired artist, Helminski resulted in 80% hearing loss—and Ina Greenstein Philadelphia, PA that animals paint themselves. “I not only as a person, but also PTSD. He has been creating his vision, Harvey realized that capitalized on textiles because it is long after her children were grown It wasn’t until her children were just hold the brush as they come as a fair amateur photographer. photographic art for five years. if he were to continue in the a medium that depends heavily on and had children of their own. It grown and she didn’t have to to life. Their emotion is there on When he is feeling stressed, he Hall uses photography as his visual arts, he needed to find sense of touch. She uses tubular opened up a wondrous world of work full time, that Greenstein the surface and their story is all either takes out his camera or sits outlet to get out of the house workarounds in many aspects knitting to create energetic sparkle, spin and creativity that was able to rekindle her passion in their eyes.” Griesser believes at the computer, improving his and to enjoy himself, forgetting of his representational painting. forms and says of her work, brings her great joy and makes her for art. Originally focused on oils, that en plein air painting is both work. While many of his pictures his issues for the time he is away. Fortunately Harvey has been able “Whether my art is free-standing, forget the constant high-pitched she took a course in watercolor a challenge and the best teacher are fairly normal nature images, His work has been exhibited in to find these and continues to wall-hanging or suspended, it ringing in her ears. Greenberg is painting and was smitten instantly. ever. Competing in plein air events Grimes also explores the odd and over 30 galleries in Connecticut, paint. “Having visual impairment is the combination of my deep Greenstein says, “Capturing the has taught her so much about unconventional, such as a hornet’s Massachusetts, New Hampshire, has helped me to appreciate love of art history with my deep light captivates me—this ability patience, values, color mixing and nest he found in his yard. New Jersey and New York. how fragile the mechanism of musical, spiritual side.” Helminski “Photography has given to have the light shine through capturing the moment. discerning reality is through graduated from Edinboro the painting. It has been a Dick Grodt Cedar Rapids, IA Carrie Hanna Spring, TX the eyes.” University with a master’s degree me purpose again. It rewarding and engrossing pursuit Harold Grimes Windsor, CT Grodt believes that the objective Hanna has always felt called to in Weaving and Textiles and has Michael Heitler, Dutch Jar with Flowers of self-expression.” She gains Grimes is a disabled Navy veteran of his art is to go beyond recording create work that shares a larger Michael Heitler Melville, NY has given me strength, since exhibited nationally and inspiration from Albert Einstein: who has struggled with daily just what he sees, into what he message. It’s not only been a Dr. Heitler works in gouache, internationally. She has taught is on enameling and making control, peace and “The most beautiful thing we can life since 1988. In 2015 he was imagines. To create paintings means to communicate with the pastel, oil pastel, acrylic and at the Neighborhood Art House, pieces from fine or sterling experience is the mysterious. It is encouraged to use a camera to that are not just pleasing visually, world at large, but a constant mixed media at his studio in been an adjunct professor at silver. Henriques’ specialty in escape during my times the source of all true art and all help express himself. Taking trips but that are also richly evocative. source of comfort when illness Melville, New York. He has studied Mercyhurst College and Gannon enameling is cloisonné. Stones science.” Greenstein’s eye disease with like-minded veterans, Grimes As he describes it, he dances takes hold and she is coping at the Brooklyn Museum School of chronic pain.” University, and has been Artist in are used in her work as well. necessitates some brief artistic with a brush instead of his feet. with chronic pain. Hanna’s of Art, Colgate University and Residence at the Cathedral Center “Nature inspires me and I am —Gail Foley downtime to allow her vision to Confined to a wheelchair due to disability has helped her to the New School. Dr. Heitler’s in Erie, Pennsylvania. Helminski amazed by the designs and hues come back into focus. During this a hereditary spinal cord disorder, develop resilience, which has also work has been widely exhibited has received multiple artist that are found in various stones interval, she is forced to stop all Dick finds that the gracefulness helped her stick to her personal in the New York metropolitan residencies and grants, and her and flowers.” Henriques has 11 mainly self-taught and says she is activity that requires sharp vision. of watercolor has transformed his goals for her art. She has been area. A pediatrician, Dr. Heitler work has been published many herniated disks in her spine, still exploring and learning about life; both painting and teaching recently focused on honoring recently retired from working at times. Helminski says, “Please take causing sciatica. Fabricating Liz Griesser Elverson, PA art. Greenberg cuts imaginary watercolor classes cocoons him the memory of women from the Child Neurology Service at the time to be still with my art and jewelry has helped her realize Griesser says that painting has creatures and organic shapes from his disability and enables historical moments, incorporating Winthrop University Hospital. maybe you will lucky enough to that you can overcome obstacles. saved her life. When it had seemed from hand-painted paper, along him to pursue a rewarding and traditionally female materials like Diagnosed with primary hear the beat of my art.” Henriques says when she is in most bleak, painting gave her with images from vintage books, successful life. Dick is a signature embroidery and gold leaf. progressive aphasia, it is difficult pain, she tends to choose darker hope and purpose for another magazine advertisements and member of the Iowa Watercolor for him to communicate, but he Pat Henriques Key West, FL or more heightened colors in day. Using the familiar landscapes, Gregory Harvey Philadelphia, PA other ephemera. She then creates Society and has had many solo expresses himself by writing, Henriques became an artist later her work. Her personal quote is: animals and surrounding life, Harvey has been painting a story while making a picture with shows. His work has received drawing and painting. Dr. Heitler in life, moving from a corporate “Experiment. You won’t know if Griesser creates an earthy and professionally since 1969. His her cutouts. One of Greenberg’s recognition in both national as enjoys spending time in his sun- office position to fabricating you can accomplish something if emotive interpretation of her favorite representational subjects Ina Greenstein, Dreadfully Beautiful well as international exhibitions. drenched Long Island studio. jewelry. Her primary focus you don’t try.” 28 29 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Katelynn Herty Baltimore, MD as an adult. Several years ago, Jennifer Ingalls Clarksville, TN she would never paint en plein Kate Johnston Bellevue, WA Mark Kaufman Wilmington, DE Her disability, which is largely Herty recalls that her interest in after an ankle injury, she started Ingalls has been designing and air again or even stand at an Johnston says her work will expose Some say art is an illusion—a manifested as fatigue, some art started in elementary school. to paint and draw again. Now art creating jewelry professionally easel. Painting was and still is you to ears. She uses ears to virtual lie. Some say reality is difficulty walking and occasional After a hiatus in her secondary is a regular hobby of hers along for over 25 years. She graduated a struggle for her, but once she express her life and feelings as a an illusion, merely perceptual blurred vision, played a role in school years, she jumped back with cycling and volunteering from the Massachusetts College learned to paint again from the person with a lifetime of hearing experience. Kaufman says both her decision to paint full-time. into her art practice fairly recently with her pet therapy dog. Born of Art in 1997 with a degree in different perspective of sitting, loss. Along with other topics, are wrong. He believes art Keeling finds great pleasure in the by focusing on acrylic landscape legally blind in one eye with metalsmithing, working mainly in she began painting from memory. she also likes to communicate and experience are each ways way her watercolors allow her to and seascape paintings. She also reduced vision in the other, art silver. A customer was the first to “In my mind I can still see the the importance and her lifelong that meaning and truth can be connect with other people. She enjoys embroidery and knitting helps Huff “see” details she describe her work as Steampunk. incredible colors of shadows, see belief of having color in her life. revealed. Much of Kaufman’s is grateful for clients who do not and is exploring oil pastels and normally wouldn’t in real life. “I had to look it up.” A whole new the light dancing on distant water, truth emerges from being bipolar. impose strict deadlines, but who watercolor. Herty has been an Kong Ho, Forever the Fifth Season Using a computer, she is able to world of artists and community and see the movement of joyful What makes his work unique is say, “Take as long as you need to artist at Make Studio in Baltimore, enlarge photographs to the point welcomed her. A steampunk people. That is what I paint now— that the figures are explorations make it wonderful.” Maryland, since 2017. She is usually of interpreted interactions of where she can see the fine details aesthetic and a love for texture memories.” of mood and emotion rather seen with headphones at the studio patterns found in nature. These in animals and bring them to life now inform her production work than landscapes. Often they Linda Killingsworth Elverson, PA because she fuels her art-making patterns include repetitive in her art. as well as her work in precious Morgan Johnson Gold Beach, OR have an element of the odd After earning an associate with true-crime podcasts—“I find clusters of meandering lines metals. Officially diagnosed with Johnson is an artist working in oil or troubling. The figures are degree in art, Killingsworth listening to murder mysteries and portioned color-filled areas Han Huisman Saint Croix Falls, WI multiple sclerosis in 2003, Ingalls on canvas. His styles range from exposed and self-contained chose to explore the little-known makes me more focused on my that suggest ambiguous space. Huisman is a neuroscientist and is thankful that the scale of her realism to abstraction. Currently and unavailable all at the same medium of colored pencils. art”—and is often found working in Rhythmic movement is created an abstract material artist. He work does not require good he is working in his own style, time. Kaufman is a signature Pencils allow the fine detail for unusual studio spots such as on the from a simultaneous growth and loves working with what he finds balance or brute strength. As long which he calls fractionalism. This member of the Philadelphia, out-of-the-ordinary subjects she floor or on a couch. “I just go with dissolution of both shell and flora at garage sales and thrift stores. as her vision and her hands hold is a melding of all recognized Pennsylvania, Baltimore and enjoys creating. She is a member the flow. I ride the boat of life.” with the background. A sense Huisman believes that in science out, she plans to keep making “isms,” with a heavy emphasis on Delaware Watercolor Societies of the Colored Pencil Society of of fundamental transformation today there is no longer much to jewelry and art. color theory and cubism. Johnson and just recently, the New America and an award winner in Kong Ho Bradford, PA evolves from Ho’s work. actually see. It takes place on a attempts to capture beauty, by Orleans Art Association. He lives their international competition. Sumptuously painted in Contrasting colors add to the subatomic level and the outcomes Mimi Barclay Johnson reproducing what he sees as Mark Kaufman, Silk Dancer in Wilmington, Delaware, with Killingsworth’s work can be seen a technique consisting of feeling of engagement with, are expressed in numbers. Haverford, PA awe-inspiring. Johnson has been his wife of 50 years and his cat in local shows and colored pencil meandering patterns held rather than separation from, his Huisman says that in his head he After a successful career as a disabled officially since 1994 Inspiration for Johnston’s art comes named Cat. publications. She is part of two in check by subtle glaze and disability experience. follows the reaction steps and stage/scenery/lighting designer with AIDS. He contracted HIV in from family, friends and living juried, local art groups: Flying exacting trompe l’oeil floras and visualizes them into images. This is for opera companies, and 1985. While Johnson has survived in the unique area of the Pacific Jan Alice Keeling Nashville, TN Colors Fine Artists and The Debbie Huff Landenberg, PA shells, Ho’s floral-spiral paintings the same process he follows in his finally for the Orpheus Revels in long-term using the available Northwest. She uses printmaking, Keeling’s passion is painting Artists Circle. Huff finds inspiration in the rolling exemplify the theme indicative artwork. Huisman works primarily Philadelphia, Johnson began to medications as they came on the colored pencils, watercolors and portraits in watercolor. She paints hills of Southeast Pennsylvania Cheryl Kinderknecht of his recent “Luminosity Series.” with objects, with the paint being paint fine art. Oils at first, then market, both the virus and the mixed media to communicate with very slowly, using abundant water for her alcohol ink and colored Bradenton, FL He has created an asymmetrical secondary but still very important. the more difficult transparent powerful drugs have limited his the world. When you see her art, and many washes of color. Most pencil paintings and drawings. Kinderknecht is a mixed media composition by offsetting the Huisman says he is, but does watercolor. When she became eyesight, stamina, mental faculties Johnston hopes you will see life a of her subjects are human faces Her favorite subjects are animals artist and former gallery owner. spiral of the nautilus shell and not feel, disabled. He very much disabled after two devastating and perception/understanding. little differently and understand and beloved animals, because and flowers. In her youth, Huff Regardless of the medium or floral image, against the squared believes that even with his physical car accidents, Johnson had to Johnson is motivated by the her more than you might have that’s what she loves. Keeling did a lot of painting and drawing subject matter, her work is off canvas. His composition challenges he is still able to overcome frustration and anger statement: “Art is long, follow otherwise. was diagnosed with multiple is supported by a spatial field in school, but got away from art concentrate on his goals. before accepting the reality that your awe.” sclerosis almost forty years ago. influenced by the colors, patterns

30 31 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

and textures of the Kansas High when he paints or draws; it is the successive color ink is applied. in both eyes. She has had several Alexander Masyk Brooklyn, NY to continue to participate in such views with which to express Plains landscape where she grew art and himself, in his own personal Finally, with the last color, operations on both eyes and is Masyk has been exhibiting his prestigious, national, juried art her own interpretation of those up. Emotions, dreams, myths, world, enabling him to release most of the block’s surface has legally blind in her right eye. Lewis artwork since 1970 and has pieces exhibitions. viewpoints. Mavis’ preferred metaphors, memories and emotions. This is the definition of disappeared. likes impressionist and ethereal hanging in numerous museums medium is oil painting. ancestral ties from her interior expressionism, he says. “I open my art because it mirrors what she and private collections around the Rose Mavis Bethlehem, PA landscape further anchor and mind and allow my memory and Marilyn Lavins Philadelphia, PA sees visually. She remembers world. In the late 2000s, Masyk As a child born deaf, Mavis Merritt Maya Grapevine, TX inform her work. Kinderknecht imagination to cut through the Lavins specializes in painting, years ago being in an art gallery had laser treatment due to the pursued drawing and painting When Maya was about twelve says, “The creative process blindness in order to create the jewelry and scarves. She is an and learning that Monet had history of bilateral glaucoma, to express herself. She explored years old, he was diagnosed with has always energized me, and visions that I see.” alumni of Moore College of Art cataracts, too. Suddenly, his art which caused complete loss of fine arts more seriously with an ependymoma, a tumor inside continuing to work on art, despite and received her Bachelor of Fine made sense, mimicking what she vision in his left eye. He has a private lessons in her hometown, his spinal cord. After surgery, my compromised vision, helps Debrah Block Krol Millburn, NJ Arts from Tyler School of Art at was seeing with her eyes. “I grew cataract in his right eye, causing and has developed a great Maya drew mazes to help regain me to feel connected, grounded Block Krol is a diabetic, which Temple University in 1984. She to love impressionist art that way.” difficulty reading and focusing love for creating artwork. As a motor control and fight nerve pain. and relevant, both within my own over the years, has affected her has worked as a jewelry designer, for a long time. Masyk could not lifelong artist, Mavis tries to look As time passed, he developed a Jace Laakso, Under Neon Maple life and to the world.” Over the eyesight. She also has essential freelance sculptor, porcelain Rachel Malone Louisville, CO make etchings anymore and even upon our world around us with style of his own and moved from past 15 years, her artwork has tremors in both her hands and “To me, color is powerful and decorator and even a flight Malone is in her thirties and a could not find the right spot on wonderment and appreciation for pen and paper to acrylics. “When been increasingly impacted by feet. Block Krol’s work originates joyful.” Experimentation is a attendant for American Airlines. lifelong paraplegic, born and the canvas with his brush and the subtleties that can be found I paint, I try to fulfill my own big part of Block Krol’s creative Due to a tragic automobile raised in Minnesota. She obtained oil. Great love for fine art gave in many objects of our interests. aesthetic sense and challenge accident, she suffers from chronic a photographic imaging degree Ranging from landscapes to myself; precise, but just shy of “Making art allows me to feel part of society process, and she’s always learning Masyk the strength and energy through it. double vision and requires prism from Central Lakes College in to continue to paint, to become intimate settings of still lifes, she mechanical.” Maya believes that prescription eyeglasses to see. 2008. Her photo inspiration finds her muse in the beauty of art has become a more important and that I belong.” —David Gerbstadt a good artist again, and even Jace Laakso Missoula, MT Despite her disability, Lavins is landscapes, travel and still- factor in his life than he would Having contracted polio as an has garnered many awards for life imagery. Malone enjoys have ever thought possible, and he her failing eyesight. Her condition from the desire to explore the infant, Laakso spent a great her work in mixed media, oils, photography, as she can document plans to continue improving and limits and skews how objects and relationship between color, form deal of time in hospitals. He batik and silk-screening. Her special moments and places in the honing his technique. colors appear and which tools and emotion. She tries to make appreciated the moments when commissioned paintings of ways with which she views them Valerie Mayer Pt. Roberts, WA and techniques remain within her universal the feelings that art he could see more than the walls homes are located throughout from her manual wheelchair. Using Mayer began painting watercolors realm of usable vision. can evoke, through what makes of his wardroom. He began to see Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and different photo angles and lens us human, and our connections details, patterns and connections her work can be found in various filters, Malone can bring out the more than 30 years ago, not long David Kontra Hartville, MO with the larger world. Her subject in the world. “Looking at the collections worldwide. best colors and unique areas of a after she was diagnosed with Kontra is a self-taught matter is nature, whether it is landscape, there are spaces location. Rather than use a tripod, multiple sclerosis. Living with MS expressionist artist using acrylics, a traditional landscape or an between, or even under, the Amy Lewis Boston, MA she often uses her legs or her has required her to be flexible pens, ink and an assortment of abstraction. In painting, she uses dominant features that draw my Lewis’ art falls into two wheelchair to stabilize her images. and open to the unexpected unusual, useful tools. Having traditional materials to capture attention.” Laakso says he focuses categories: abstract realism and As a lifelong paraplegic, Malone is challenges her disease presents. retinitis pigmentosa makes it movement and depth, making the on seeing instead of looking. He impressionism. She has a visual very observant and aware of the She finds that the variable and difficult to create his work, for he colors dance and swirl. Everything is currently producing reduction impairment and had early-onset environment around her, which has inconstant nature of watercolor can only see a quarter inch of the is captured in the spontaneous, relief prints. This process uses cataracts, which were surgically made capturing images easier as aligns with her approach to living canvas at a time. Art has made unpredictable interaction a single linoleum block to carve addressed. She also has macular she has gotten more photographic adaptively and open to change. traction and lattice degeneration The natural wonders of the Kontra feel more independent between brush, paint and paper. away a layer at a time as each experience behind the camera. Rose Mavis, Pink Roses 32 33 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Pacific Northwest region provide challenging myself by pushing Kathleen McSherry into extraordinary beauty that His landscapes cover a variety of concentration is usually painting, Mayer with her subject matter. the artistic limits and boundaries Doylestown, PA can be cherished with each scenes from tropical beaches to sculpture and ceramics, a ceramic Her goal as a watercolor artist is while trying new techniques and McSherry used to paint and draw. brushstroke. Meyers is hearing Baltimore City to snowy mountain piece might appear to be a to create paintings inspired by finding a new normal.” She kept a drawing diary every and vision impaired, has tritanope ranges, and his portraits are often watercolor because of the method places she has visited, and the day since 1977. Since she was color-blindness, type 2 diabetes of celebrities he’s most interested he chooses. life encountered along the way. Dawn McLaughlin diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and had a stroke that paralyzed his in (country singers, U.S. presidents She considers her lifelong passion Highland Lakes, NJ in 2002, McSherry’s confidence right side, requiring rehabilitation and comedians). He often starts Nicole Miritis Montreal, Canada for creativity and art to be a key Although often mixed media waned, and she stopped drawing at Bryn Mawr Rehab. He has his work with a sketch, which he It was in 2012 that a car accident Valerie Mayer, Honu element in living with MS. She obsessed, McLaughlin has an and painting. However, once changed his style to paint more then transfers to canvas and paints left Miritis with limited physical abiding love of drawing, and it is abilities and chronic back pain. says it provides a unique way to and abroad. Her unique style of physical restrictions. Not only was she discovered assemblage loosely and rely more heavily on with acrylics. Besides painting, through drawing that her personal She was faced with finding a way transport her focus from living impasto painting was developed she dealing with severe hearing art, her confidence came back. value, the depth and darkness of Middleton has long enjoyed taking expression best reveals itself. to cope with her condition and with impairments and pain, to over time to accommodate her loss, she was also never allowed to One of McSherry’s first pieces color rather than color itself, to digital photographs and has Charcoal, pastel and graphite are lifestyle change, so she started another world. “I become myself essential tremors disability. Her swim, engage in physical activities contained used needles from her create his artwork. Meyers feels worked to advance his computer her preferred mediums. Since she painting. “My painting has been again and not my disease.” disability causes aggressive and the like. The only option in MS medication. “As an artist, I blessed to be able to continue skills by digitally manipulating is particularly captivated by the part of a therapeutic process. tremors throughout her body and McNichol’s childhood was radical must create.” McSherry no longer his pursuit of art and share the photographs and original imagery. Kris McElroy Eldersburg, MD power of the portrait to evoke Sometimes it is challenging to are active only when her muscles surgery and she remained deaf compares her technique to before complexity of nature. McElroy has a rare disease called and communicate the human Thomas Miller Whippany, NJ paint, but I continue, as it helps are active. To disguise her inability in her left ear. When a recurrent and after MS. She takes objects complex hereditary spastic condition, faces and figures Louis Middleton Baltimore, MD Miller’s interests result from his me express my emotions. I just to paint extreme detail throughout tumor robbed her of hearing in her found from the past that have paraplegia, characterized by are the primary focus of her Besides being a devotee of all combat experience in Vietnam, say that I have a conversation with the whole painting, she applies good ear a few years ago, scientific lost their usefulness, retaining muscle weakness and spasticity work. Through practice, study, things retro and 1950s, Middleton where he was disabled. His my canvas and am often inspired numerous layers of paint with advances afforded her a prosthetic only memory, then combines that impacts her whole body. experimentation, evolution and often gravitates towards epic primary subject matter is U.S. by music.” Miritis is a self-taught, large, loose brush strokes. These middle ear and a bone-anchored and alters them in such a way Other ways it impacts her are reinvention, McLaughlin strives landscape and portraiture, or a history and memorials, with series mixed media artist often working layers create a rich depth to her hearing aid for the left ear. that they rise up, like a phoenix swallowing, speech, different to develop an authentic artistic combination of the two, in his art. on 9/11, flags of our conflicts, with found paper materials as well paintings that mimic abstract from the ashes, finding a new body functions and regulation voice. “Art has offered me the gift eagles and butterflies—mainly as a variety of other mediums. Her textures seen in nature. In order Kelly McQuain Philadelphia, PA language, new meaning and a systems, nerves and cognitive to pursue my best self, despite in watercolor and ceramics. style and way of thinking, which is to create fine brush strokes, she McQuain’s folklore-inspired new form. “This has become a functioning including young my disability, or very possibly as a His pieces are done so the out of the box, is often depicted in has to hold her breath while paintings feature people and metaphor for my work. It is also a onset dementia. Creating art consequence of it.” participants’ families can find her artwork and has a portfolio of embracing her hand with the other animals in symbolic arrangements, metaphor for MS and me.” has been a way for McElroy to and are influenced by his solace and comfort in what varied accomplishments. Vickie McMillan-Hayes Katy, TX for steadiness. both cope and manage her life, childhood, growing up among the Lawrence Meyers Paoli, PA the subjects have done. In the McMillan-Hayes is a full-time Maria Morales Paoli, PA navigating and managing living Terri McNichol Cranbury, NJ mountains of West Virginia. His Meyers is an impressionistic memorial art, MIller depicts the artist who creates breathtaking Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, with multiple chronic illnesses and Born with chronic ear infection, paintings hint at stories and the watercolorist and invites you to moods of the various subjects, wildlife and nature paintings that Morales started painting at an disabilities. This creative outlet McNichol lost all her hearing fantastical world hiding behind examine each delightful ribbon of their pride, shock or whatever advance global conservation early age with her artist mother. has helped her find herself, find insidiously as a young child and the ordinary. Largely self-taught, color, value and shape. Combining their demeanor is, at the time of causes. Her award-winning She later received academic her voice and communicate, and as a result, a solitary world was McQuain has used art as a way shapes connects the viewer to the piece. He also concentrates on paintings, large public installations training. She is part Taino Indian, has been one of her greatest imposed on her. Painting turned of creating order out of chaos, his vision of God’s design and the the natural forces of the time—fire, and photography are exhibited and her art reflects her love and expressive lifelines. “As my rare that world into a retreat, enabling as a coping mechanism against excitement in our surroundings. rain, clouds, etc. Color and its in art museums and fine art respect for the heritage and disease progresses, increasing the her to create the worlds that she his battle with ADD, genetic Commonplace surroundings that intensity come into play as well as galleries throughout the country dignity of Indians of the Americas impacts on my body, I’m always was unable to access because of neuropathy and depression. are overlooked are transformed Vickie McMillan-Hayes, Pinyon Farmer the historic storytelling. While his 34 35 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

and the Caribbean. It is based travel the world like some of the with an impressionist manner both direct observation and offbeat. Due to multiple chemical her artwork. Multiple disorders, Producing a new painting gives on extensive research and visits photographers he admired at of painting. Mordasov paints a photographs he takes. Art has sensitivity, she works with walnut including tinnitus and paresthesia, her a tremendous sense of with them. Her primary medium is National Geographic, capturing wide range of subjects, including inspired and helped Neufeld see oil paint, solvent-free techniques mean that Olsen is often tired accomplishment. It reminds her gouache. Morales’ work has been exotic subjects in the wilds of landscapes, still life, portraits and things in the world creatively. Skills and eco-friendly materials. She and has trouble working with fine that there’s beauty all around us exhibited in local and national Borneo. So, he decided to search marine venues. His paintings, as that he has to this day not only loves working in thin layers of detail. However, she still draws, and that life is good. She works shows from the 1970s and she has out the extra in the ordinary well as his sculptures, display include fine art, but also playing finely blended colors without paints in a variety of media, prints mostly in acrylic and pastel, won many awards. Her work is in things in his own backyard. For a commitment to portraying sports, singing, playing the cello, brushstrokes, so the subject linocuts and works with clay. She is although she also enjoys other private collections throughout the Moran, the extra involves more not just the exterior of the cooking and making movies. matter becomes the focus. interested in people and nature as media. Retired from a full-time Americas, Puerto Rico, England than just the aesthetic value of an subjects but their characters and After the work is finished, Noska subject matter. career in science, Orth has been a and Africa. In 2015, she suffered image. It’s the story associated personality as well. Mordasov’s Thu Nguyen Kamuela, HI interprets the symbolism, which lifelong artist who can now indulge a minor stroke. Intensive therapy with an image that allows us to focus is to bring people’s Nguyen is inspired by Chinese is how she determines her titles. Diana O’Neill Haverford, PA her passion for painting nearly full- and determination has helped her connect at the emotional level. attention to the beauty of God’s ancient paintings and Eastern “Every painting is an opening into O’Neill spent 25 years as a time. Her work tends to emphasize regain her artistic abilities. Maya Angelou said, “There is no creation, which is around us all. European iconography, which my psyche and offers the viewer successful glass etching/carving how contrasting light and shadow greater agony than bearing an He has had Charcot-Marie-Tooth she has combined with her love a place to contemplate dreams, artist. Though she enjoyed define a subject and how they untold story inside you.” His aim disease since he was a young of self-portraits. “By using myself helping imagination soar in completing various commissions, can create a mood. As a longtime is to capture those untold stories. teenager, which limits his physical as the only subject, I intend to go harmony with their soul.” they lacked color and expression. resident of Chester County, Orth’s Throughout Moran’s life, his activities. It was not long after this beyond the superficial variety of So, when O’Neill was introduced to focus is often on local sites, senses, and more specifically his diagnosis that Mordasov started different models being painted in Andrew Novis Medford, MA watercolor painting, she fell in love sometimes including animals eyes, have always been attuned to draw, leading to his education the same way, and instead, look Novis believes that one should do with this exciting medium. It freed in their natural surroundings, to the natural world around him. and professional career in art. at how a variety of emotional art for art’s sake and not attempt her creative imagination and she although she’s always on the Whether he’s out on a hike or responses can be generated to make any kind of grand has become passionate about it lookout for interesting subjects taking a photo walk, little escapes Daniel Neufeld Philadelphia, PA using the same subject with statement. His style and subject ever since. Her paintings typically from other areas. As a little boy, Neufeld was different poses, lighting and matter have been influenced by are impressionistic and are inspired his purview. “And while some of Victor Mordasov, Old Tree those experiences are captured diagnosed with pervasive environments.” the fact that he is mostly self- by the incredible beauty of nature Sal Panasci Devon, PA with my camera, most are just developmental delay, a learning taught, an accomplished athlete artist, he tends to create and found in scenic landscapes, birds Panasci spent 25 years in the Kathryn Noska Phoenixville, PA memories to be savored in my disability. But it didn’t stop him and very interested in Fauvism conceive his imagery through and animals. It’s O’Neill’s hope advertising field, where he Noska paints animals and objects mind’s eye.” at all from gaining and sharing as as well as Latin American art. the left brain, focusing on detail, that the bright colors and natural received numerous awards for his many talents as possible. Neufeld that symbolize uplifting qualities Novis applies flat, unmixed color order, separation and purity of patterns in her work will inspire design work. In 1995, Panasci’s Hal Moran, Sounds of Nature #21666 Victor Mordasov West Chester, PA grew fond of art through his of human nature. Offering in his palette, framed by black color, and clearly defined lines. others to appreciate the natural life took a dramatic turn. He Mordasov, a widely recognized mother, who’s also an artist. He emotional and visual delight, outlining, which both separates environment that surrounds us. was injured in an accident as Hal Moran St. Charles, MO artist whose work has been enjoys drawing, painting, ceramics, she creates beautiful, highly and enhances the color. Color Susanne Dagmar Olsen One of her favorite quotes is: a passenger in a taxi, which Moran grew up with and still exhibited both nationally and printmaking, photography, comic detailed, accessible imagery, rich more so than texture, shading, Vordingborg, Denmark “Every day is a gift, so enjoy and resulted in him being diagnosed struggles with Tourette syndrome internationally, has spent many books and animation. Subjects in substance that encourages shadowing or composition is Though she has doubts about make it count.” with a mild traumatic brain injury and other co-occurring disorders. years exploring different mediums that he often captures with his introspection. Influenced by Novis’ core strength and he her ability to reach a professional (MTBI) and blindness in one Perhaps this, along with being and methods of painting. He pencils and paints include people, surrealism, Noska combines emphasizes color within his level due to challenges in memory, Joanne Orth Downingtown, PA eye. Panasci spent 16 months somewhat of an explorer, spurred discovered the joy of painting still lives and sites that he’s seen on images using intuition and painting or woodcarving. Novis learning and concentration, Olsen Art transcends Orth’s physical in rehabilitation and continues his interest in photography. by following the techniques of his travels; buildings, landscapes, philosophic whimsy until it “feels was diagnosed with Asperger’s in knows that she has something limitations, making her appreciate receiving treatment today. During Moran knew he would never the Old Masters in combination seascapes, and railroads from right”—even if the combination is the fall of 2012. Being an “Aspie” valuable to offer the world through how rich her life really is. his initial rehabilitation, he was

36 37 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

encouraged to try painting in Mid-Atlantic region. She works Christopher Pereto neither have I had an idea of how the process of planning and many years. After a lifelong battle her to view herself as an “abled” watercolor, a medium that was mostly in oils but has also done Weymouth, MA my condition may impact how I executing every painting. Poupard with a chronic disease, Profico felt person, not a “disabled” person. new to him. Panasci says, “I silkscreens, watercolors and Pereto has been drawing since create. Both would seem to be strives toward building a career in a way that she was beginning become emotionally attached to acrylics. Paul acknowledges before age five. He can’t imagine something beyond words, fully based on her art. life over and the world was now Tim Quinn Wynnewood, PA the color palette, the texture of that her limited vision has made art not being a part of him. When coming from intuition and the open to trying new things. It was Quinn uses markers, paint markers, the paint and the composition. it more difficult to create her Pereto first began trying to be subconscious.” Cathy Pregmon Drexel Hill, PA crucial in the process of finding her pens, ink and watercolor on paper Through this, the painting takes artwork and she’s trying to paint “serious” about art, he used Pregmon has had multiple careers new life as an amputee. She sees and wood panels. He works at on a character of its own and a more abstractly now. She feels colored pencil and aspired to be Trish Poupard Celina, TX including being a school teacher, her work as eclectic art objects a studio in Philadelphia one day specific visual interest, allowing that her passion for art helps to like illustrator Richard Scarry. It Poupard, a watercolor artist, artistic director for a touring rather than mass appeal costume a week, and at the Center for the viewer to recognize a familiar give her a positive outlook on life. wasn’t until the second half of often paints from photographs theater company that toured plays jewelry. What Profico loves about Creative Works four days a week. subject in a new fashion.” Over 100 years old, Bernice Paul his college career that Pereto got she’s taken herself. Watercolor is of empowerment for children, making handmade jewelry are “On the wall of the warehouse. In says she still gets great joy from into marker and pen, thinking difficult and gives her a sense of consultant with the Bureau of the imperfections. “Losing my leg my father’s office. Inside my house. painting and creating. more in terms of animation cells. satisfaction, which she discovered Special Education in Pennsylvania, has taught me to appreciate the I have no clue where. I start with a later in life. After the diagnosis of and now as a designer of line that goes all around.” “I’ve never had any Somewhere along the way he beauty of flaws. I feel it’s what Joy Raskin, Sunburst Victoria Pendragon Paw Paw, WV combined the media and began multiple sclerosis, Poupard had handcrafted, one-of-a-kind jewelry. makes something unique.” Joy Raskin Bedford, NH conception of what Despite Pendragon’s diagnosis of adding watercolor and even paint many problems with spasticity, Pregmon never makes the same Ginette Richard Rochester, NY Raskin says she has a restless scleroderma, which has crippled marker to the mix. Pereto says, depression, fatigue and migraine, piece of jewelry twice. She favors Meg Quinlisk West Chester, PA Richard loves to create art with role art played in my soul, a need to experiment, a her hands, she creates paintings “I’ve never had any conception and had to reset her ambitions. beads that are organic and come Quinlisk is a professional artist her hands, using many different need to keep pushing the limits. and drawings. Pendragon of what role art played in my Watercolor enables her to from nature. Many of her pieces and art instructor living in Chester mediums but mainly ceramic. She life as an autistic man, She covers a wide range in believes her art is the result of life as an autistic man; however, connect with experiences through feature semiprecious gems but County. Diagnosed with juvenile takes from the world around her however, neither have a creative resonance set off by her work also incorporates seeds, rheumatoid arthritis at 13, the metalworking, from tiny jewelry and places her own spin on things her almost constant state of horn, bone, shells and vegetable pain and deformity caused by pieces to flatware to large-scale to create something different. I had an idea of how evolution as a person. She can sources such as tagua and acai her JRA left her very depressed. welded sculpture. Raskin finds she “Art helps me to stay a little more enjoys knitting and shaping wire my condition may only ever be sure of what sort nuts. She favors fair trade beads Quinlisk taught herself to paint, grounded for when my disability of art she will be making as she such as Kazuri porcelain beads giving her life new purpose and to create unexpected metalwork tries to get the best of me.” impact how I create.” is making it. Most of 2019 was from Kenya and paper and linen meaning. She paints landscapes such as knitted wire clothing, metal purses, and knitted jewelry. Sally Richards Media, PA —Christopher Pereto spent on a series of paintings beads from Uganda. Her pieces and floral still lifes using acrylic depicting a single fish against a are chunky and funky “jewels” with paint. Mosaic art has become a Her specialty, beside wire-knitting With a lifelong desire to be patterned background. Her “Fish touches of whimsy, and creative new passion for her. She uses on a large scale, is also spoons and an artist, Richards undertook Bernice Paul Philadelphia, PA Out of Water” are a metaphor use of unusual materials. mosaic glass to capture the tableware. Raskin doesn’t limit a four-year program at the Paul has studied art at the for our being. Pendragon says, fragility and brilliance of life. The herself to one style or specific Pennsylvania Academy of the Pennsylvania Academy of the “I graduated art school in 1969 Christina Profico Ardmore, PA broken glass is a reminder that we technique but employs a wide Fine Arts following a successful Fine Arts, Fleisher Art Memorial, and it took me almost 50 years Profico began to make jewelry are all broken yet what matters range of skills to execute the ideas business career. A painter and the Barnes Foundation and the to learn to follow paint around, as a creative outlet and a way is what we do with our broken she has in her mind. “I get lost in printmaker, she has a focused Philadelphia College of Art. letting it do its thing while I do of emotional healing after the pieces. Quinlisk felt like a prisoner the pleasure of working with the daily studio practice. Richards’ Her work has received many my best to keep it on track. The amputation of her left leg in 2010. in her body, constantly held back metal, how it forms or shapes work explores the “nature of prizes and awards and has crippling of my hands was a Jewelry design was something by deformity and pain. Painting under my hands, and eventually place,” the essence and energy she had wanted to explore for becomes a functional piece of art.” we feel when we experience our been exhibited throughout the blessing in disguise.” Susanne Dagmar Olsen, Hugo helped her forget this and allowed 38 39 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

world in an intimate way. The from his own life’s trials and intuitively, of imagined in it, despite her limitations, baskets in the evening. Her work Amy Smith North Wales, PA He also works in mixed media. places in her art are imaginary, experiences. Throughout the landscapes and things unseen. brought her joy and has allowed is done from a semi-reclining In 2009, Smith was diagnosed Smith believes his role as an relational or abstract expressions years he has exhibited his work Sammartino has continued this her to reclaim her life. position wearing elbow and wrist with multiple sclerosis. The first artist is to be open, curious and derived from observation and in many local and international path and now has a collection splints. The material she works three years of her diagnosis available to experience beauty. memory. She uses color, form juried shows, and has received of work that reflects who she Rebecca Scheuer Narvon, PA with needs to be lightweight. were a whirlwind of relapses He then may be able to interpret and structure to cause elevation numerous awards. is as an abstract expressionist. Scheuer is a wife, mother and Weaving jewelry was the perfect that left her mired in fear and that beauty into his work, so and freedom in mood and Large-scale and abstract works of high school counselor. After a fit along with pine needles for uncertainty. She began to view thought. Richards has had a Rick Ruark Pittsburgh, PA art inspire her. In spite of having serious car accident in 2015, her baskets. Severson believes her life differently and decided severe hearing disability for 25 Born in Columbus, Ohio, Ruark multiple sclerosis, painting allows she started taking oil painting that creating has changed her to make some changes. It took years, which required enormous is a self-taught, Pittsburgh Sammartino time to be free of lessons as part of her vision from viewing herself as a patient several years, but she was able energy and accommodation contemporary acrylics painter. her pain. “My lifelong work is therapy. She realized early on to viewing herself as an artisan. to leave her career in health in business. “I have found new He began painting after a move one continuous body that has no that painting brought her joy. care marketing and focus on freedom, independence and to South Florida 35 years ago, bounds. I feel that I have amassed Learning about color, value and Carol Shannon Aldan, PA painting and writing. Smith artistic collaborations through art- Morgan Johnson, Moon Echo inspired by the beauty of the an ongoing cohesive collection composition has helped her to Before being diagnosed with changed her diet and lifestyle. making and a place to fully give landscapes, the cultural diversity that is ready for the world to see see the world in a different way. rheumatoid arthritis in 2007, Most surprisingly, she found my energy, spirit and heart.” come. I seem to be picking up and architecture of Miami. This and reflect upon.” Scheuer says that painting has Shannon would have never a joy in painting she never momentum. I keep on because I influence is evident in his paintings provided an opportunity for her considered herself an artist. expected. She always wanted to Lorna Ritz Amherst, MA think I am getting better!” through his use of color, subjects Carla Schaeffer to be creative and relieve stress. However, art has provided her be an artist, but never thought it Ritz sets her easel up deep in and geometrics. Ruark changed West Cape May, NJ She plans to continue learning with an activity that exercises possible. Art offers her serenity Vojko Rizvanovic a hayfield overlooking trees at how he paints in an effort to make Schaeffer’s crocheted jewelry and painting and enjoying her her hands, wrists and arms, when she needs it most. Smith West Valley City, UT their highest color peak in the certain that his disabilities did and unique found-object floral time in the studio. and provides an escape from paints using water-soluble oils “I paint because I want to exist!” autumn. She works many hours not hinder his efforts to create. bouquets are a visual illustration the physical pain and limitation on stretched canvas because she After being amazed by how Christine Severson Richmond, VA at a time, several days in a row, His paintings have become more of many of the things that make caused by arthritis. Sometimes loves to experiment with color much blind people could do Severson, a nurse, suffered a life- to complete each drawing. Ritz calculated and angular while her happiest in life. She was she needs to make a modification and texture, and enjoys painting while being trained at the Salt changing event in the late 1970s has muscle weakness from nerve he begins moving away from forced to leave her business to her process, such as using landscapes, trees, and flowers. damage related to a tumor Lake City Blind Center during the realism. The brushwork required career when chronic arm pain while transferring a quadriplegic extra-long paintbrushes, a stylus, year 2000, Rizvanovic decided to patient into a wheelchair. She removed from inside her spine, for realism has become somewhat made it too painful for her to a hand-vice to hold the brush, or Ken Smith Riverside, WA Rebbeca Scheuer, Tropical Leaf so she uses a ladder to prop pursue a career in art. Although difficult for him. “I’m working to make it through the work day. incurred significant damage to a tripod or monopod to stabilize Smith’s creative life began as a he has been diagnosed with her spinal cord, which continues her leg up while she draws. Her expand my capabilities, so as my Schaeffer found that losing her camera. She continues to work freelance writer and commercial the viewer may be moved by severe bilateral optic atrophy and to limit her mobility and left her drawings hold in them emotion, disabilities remain or progress, I her ability to be creative made and try new techniques. Shannon and editorial photographer. Since the feeling within. Smith’s work has permanently lost most of his with chronic pain. Severson still spirit, soul and memory. Colors can continue to paint.” coping with her injuries more is drawn to abstract paintings 1991, he has been concentrating reflects on his walking disability, vision, Rizvanovic earned his BFA managed to raise two daughters, relate to everything; the color difficult. A few years later when and designs with bold colors and on limited-edition fine art, encouraging patience and the in teaching art in 2005 and later Maria Sammartino Riverton, NJ and in the meantime creating finds the light and creates the she suffered a debilitating brain textures, as well as black and primarily in the still life genre. understanding of how to find his MFA, both from the University Sammartino has always been became her passion, which to shape. Ritz says her drawings injury, Schaeffer knew she must white and landscape photography. Smith prints his work in black and beauty in the commonplace. become windows peering of Utah. His work first portrayed drawn to abstract expressionism. find a way to bring creativity this day provides her with a She mixes photography and white and color, using traditional images of people like himself into space beyond their four While her Italian grandfather back into her life. Rediscovering sense of pride and purpose. digital painting as well. Her artistry photographic processes and Nancy Smith Santa Monica, CA edges. “Every painting and with canes and guide dogs. painted scenes of a Florence her love of the artistic process Severson works on her jewelry provides a space for spiritual archival pigment ink printed on Smith started sewing when drawing begets the ones yet to Rizvanovic draws inspiration cathedral, she painted scenes, while finding a way to participate during the day and on her renewal and peace. fine cotton printmaking papers. she was 10 years old. She

40 41 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

didn’t have the same means of in turn approaches disability distance runs brought her clarity, or delicate and fragile—mirroring the other senses, the viewer can due to severe septic shock and communication as the other identity, health care and and in the late ‘80s she returned characteristics of subjects from experience my work rather than the amputations of parts of nine kids, so through the creation of medicine from a humanitarian to school to study painting. both nature and the artist’s just see it.” fingers, all she wanted to do something physical, the visual perspective with her art. Her She fell in love with the 1950s imagination. He loves the process during recovery was get strong became her voice. She had an goal is to advocate disability Bay Area figurative painters, of conceiving, designing, forging, Chelsea Steinberg-Gay enough to create once again. innate affinity for the tactile pride and awareness, to expressionistic and anonymous. cutting, shaping, fusing and New York, NY She knew her body, mind and nature of things and a great facilitate society to imbue health Her figures come from memory. finishing subjects in steel, often Steinberg-Gay is a fine artist spirit would be renewed when sense of color. Smith wants conditions with humanity and She loves the serendipitous integrating found objects of iron whose works look at how she could sit down and resume materials to be appreciated, empowerment. displaced and marginalized her artwork. Straub-Martin’s as they come with a history communities create, alter or creativity soared, and new and traits of their own. She will Oranit Solomonov “Art has offered me the gift to pursue my best mobilize folklore, legends and the collections started to flourish. combine anything that works. Philadelphia, PA occult as a means of protection Straub-Martin lives in the Pacific Materials that Smith uses are Solomonov is a self-taught self, despite my disability, or very possibly as a and perseverance. Steinberg- Northwest with wonderful artist from Tel Aviv, Israel. She Gay’s works involve drawing, alley findings and fabrics that consequence of it.” —Dawn McLaughlin flowers, animals and things that she has been collecting for years. immigrated to Philadelphia photography, video, sound inspire her daily. “Joy is at the These reused materials are cut with her family when she was and performance, fabricated heart of everything I do. My art is up and composed, like an on- a teenager. Her work depicts discovery that comes from and steel or wood. Found objects in a wide range of materials. a CELEBRATION of gratitude.” the-spot puzzle. Some quilters vibrant, playful scenes that painting with oils. In 1998, Spiker of cast iron or steel can be the Diagnosed with ADHD in her have done this. But Smith says express a variety of interests was thrown into a creek when foundation of the design process, teens, Steinberg-Gay struggled Siddhartha Sankar Sukla she is not a quilter. She is more including animals and airplanes, her car was hit on I-95. She and wood often provides a warm to tune in, stay motivated and Cuttack, India a seamstress giving attitude and as well as elements of her strong realized immediately that she contrast to cold steel. “My work avoid slipping into hyper-focus. Sukla is a formally trained Indian body to the cloth in front of her. Jewish identity. Because English is was paralyzed. “Thank God, I can be humorous, solemn, ironic Susan Straub-Martin, American Life, Grizzly Art provided a way to harness artist who resides in Orissa, India. “Brave enough to follow what not her first language, Solomonov have my hands. Art had become and narrative.” her creativity, spatial thinking and Born with hearing impairment, environment. He likes taking the tool that he used to give I see, the subjects are ideas on uses her artwork to make a driving force in my life before curiosity, helping her embrace he recalls enjoying painting as a pictures of trees and clouds definition to and make real those order and freedom.” connections and communicate the accident but the accident Harry Spilker Camp Hill, PA her neurodiversity and learn to young boy. He chooses to think and the Susquehanna River in images. It wasn’t about trying with a larger audience. Her work sharpened this focus and has Spilker is a self-motivated artist, recognize the benefits that offset of himself as not disabled at all different light. He also takes to capture a pretty sunset, it Rosary Solimanto Kingston, NY has been featured in exhibitions been a guiding force ever since.” using his digital camera or the executive dysfunction. but rather, as he describes it, Solimanto exposes social, both regionally and nationally, iPhone to capture images, and lots of pictures of his dad. “My was alone in a studio learning to “differently abled.” His work has political and medical conflicts of and is held in private collections William Spiker Wilmington, DE different apps to manipulate photographs make a statement trust and ultimately reproduce Susan Straub-Martin been recognized both nationally ableism and disability through around the world. She is also an Spiker says that the process the colors and other aspects about how I see the world.” the images he saw. It was there, Bellevue, WA and internationally and he very interdisciplinary activist art forms uncertified pilot and loves to fly. of creating welded art is often of the pictures, creating an while learning his craft, Stampfli After a long career working in much sees this recognition as a Eric Stampfli Danville, CA of writing, performance, video, serendipitous as the intense artistic effect. He especially discovered how to tell stories with the graphic design industry blessing to be cherished. Sukla As long as Stampfli can sculpture and wearable works. Carol Spiker Wilmington, DE heat of the torch can morph likes to photograph everyday his photographs and discovered and most recently, creating a is skilled in computer graphics remember, he has always seen Her personal is political, having Spiker’s early career began the metal in unexpected and objects and scenes and then that this medium is far from just series of children’s books and and has also worked in both oil pictures in his head. At first experienced and transcended in graphic arts. While raising wonderful ways. The materials create boldly colored abstract a visual one. “Like memory itself, toys, Straub-Martin knew it was and watercolors. His focus now is ill-formed like the fragments multiple sclerosis, 10 surgeries, her two boys, she dove into and process of fabricating and pieces that evoke an emotional a good photograph is so very time to do something more, producing collage works and he of a dream that one is trying to a bone marrow transplant and volunteer projects and started welding steel as a sculptural response. Spilker enjoys much more than just the picture; and creating art filled that void. hopes the people who view his remember, this medium became hypothyroidism. Solimanto running. Those lonely long- medium can be rough and raw— photographing nature and the if I am successful in incorporating After a near-death experience artwork find it engaging.

42 43 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

able to make a living doing what Leo Tujak Floral Park, NY thinking about my losses.” Veros This led to an emotional and Evelyn Weissman Berwyn, PA restrictions for her life or her art. Don Whittecar Stevensville, MT she loves. Sullivan’s art is inspired Tujak thinks that photography is is inspired most by nature and her spiritual breakdown/awakening Weissman is in her seventies and “I thought the future stretched Whittecar’s passion lies in by life around her. She is fascinated a great thing. It allows him to see goal is to get more comfortable which led him to seek therapy for has been a serious artist for more unimpeded before me. The stroke documenting the beauty of by cave paintings and Asian brush something and transfer it to a painting larger and looser. anxiety and PTSD, among other than 60 years. Her artwork has convinced me that I needed to his subject matter, primarily paintings and ancient art. She says photograph, but with some input mental health conditions. As a included charcoal, acrylic and examine my life and do those threatened and endangered you may see these inspirations from him as he takes the picture. Anna Wagner Cabot, AR child, artistic expression was not watercolors. She taught art in the things I valued. In my painting, this species of wildlife. His medium, reflected in some of her work. By controlling the composition, Wagner’s work interprets the encouraged and painting finally Philadelphia public schools for 22 meant painting birds.” copperplate engraving, is also Sullivan lives in Elgin, Texas, with lighting and angle at which the effects of taking Adderall and allowed Weber to express himself. years, and has also provided art disappearing. While most people a tiny dog, 12 cats and 11 chickens. photo is taken, one can alter stems from the perspective of With now 550+ canvases and instruction on a volunteer basis for Kurt Theodore Weston are aware of conservation efforts She also has three grandsons many things. But the outcome all someone dealing with ADD/ 6,000 textile designs created the past 20 years. Weissman has Mission Viejo, CA for wildlife and their habitats, few nearby and Sullivan says she photographers are looking for is a ADHD. The objects are referential from his art, Weber’s dream is to been painting birds since she had Weston, world-class are aware of the need to preserve William Spiker, Ferrous Filet shamelessly and repeatedly paints “good” photo. Due to a retinal eye of utilitarian functional forms bring people together through a stroke and was a patient at Bryn photographer turned blind vanishing art forms. Whittecar to imply her personal struggles visionary, is a resident of Mission Sriharsha Sukla Cuttack, India their portraits. problem, Tujak could no longer use his art, share his experiences and Mawr Rehab two years ago. Birds strives to preserve both. Wildlife Sukla was born with hearing his right eye when taking pictures. with medications that restrained knowledge with people and help represent complete freedom to Viejo, California. Once a glamour Art News, an international impairment. He says he has not let David Terrar Gaithersburg, MD This required him to retrain her appetite. The loose and them be who they were meant her and it gives her great pleasure photographer he would jet to publication with circulation to 110 his disability dampen his desire for Terrar survived a major heart himself to use his left eye to look colorful shapes contrast against to be—not who someone else to paint them. Prior to her stroke, Europe with top makeup artists countries, has cited him as one a full life. Sukla credits his mother attack. His life changed suddenly through the camera’s viewfinder. the monochrome realism of the wanted them to be. Weissman thought she had no and hair stylists, transforming of only seven or eight wildlife art for her encouragement and and a long depressing struggle Tujak hopes that everyone enjoys portraits. Inspired by comic books models to create the ultimate in engravers currently practicing inspiration to pursue his artwork. followed. Terrar needed stability looking at the photos as much as and cartoons, the translation style and beauty. His life changed worldwide (Wildlife Art News, He also feels he has received a and hope to get through it. On a he did while taking them. results in bright colorful objects in 1996, when Weston became Artists Edition, 2004.) Whittecar’s tremendous amount of support wintry walk through the woods, that seem to vibrate and hum legally blind from uveitis, an disabilities, Stills disease and from his community and patrons, he saw his struggle played out Diane Veros Clifton Park, NY with potential energy. Much of the inflammatory eye condition tardive dyskinesia, enable him both nationally and internationally. in nature. The struggle to get Veros became disabled about two forms are from pieced together which left him totally blind in to devote the focused attention Sukla works in both oil and through the winter was the years ago due to an exceedingly shapes, sometimes making no his left eye and with limited needed to cut each individual line watercolors but his specialty is in snow. The sun struggled in the rare disease called amyloidosis. sense as separate parts, but peripheral vision—no central into a copper sheet to produce a collage work. A recent 1st Prize Art last half hour of the day. All the She underwent a grueling stem- finding their place as supports, vision in his right eye. Weston’s printing plate. Ability winner and 2020 Featured colors changed, yet the golden cell transplant to hopefully stop feet, lids or additions. current artwork offerings are Artist, he hopes his work creates sun coming through the trees the progression of the disease. his Neo Glam series, which Mark Wittig Little Rock, AR Joseph Weber Berwyn, PA enjoyment for all who view it. was a sign of hope. The struggle While she was recovering, Veros are re-contextualized fashion As a youth, Wittig attended the inspired his work using acrylic tried colored pencils, pastels and Weber is a former banking portraits utilizing the technique Child Study Center for three years, professional and now self-taught Elizabeth Sullivan Elgin, TX and 23K gold leaf. Gold has been acrylics, as those were all new of photomontage—combining his a school in a teaching hospital, Sullivan has been a professional an artistic symbol for hope and mediums for her. In the end, she artist who began painting highly stylized, color-saturated where he became intrigued with watercolor artist and mural painter heaven for thousands of years, went back to watercolor after a acrylic on canvas in 2016, when portraits with graphic designs disabilities research. He is inspired for the past 20 years. Painting and the trees in his paintings are 35-year hiatus. Amazingly, the he realized he no longer had and paintings. Inspired by such by the larger learning-disabled is her happy place. “The joy of a symbol of strength and stability. dried-up paints were still good. control over his life. He was illustrative artists as Erté, Serge community to create artworks that creating supersedes all else.” “When my mind is not fixed on She has been painting almost so overworked that he missed Lutens and Patrick Nagel, Weston comment on the learning disabled Being disabled limits her career worry and anxiety, I know my every day. “My artwork helps get half of his three daughters’ transforms his portraits into experience, and question the childhoods; he had lost himself. options, but fortunately she’s been healing is happening.” me through each day without Anna Wagner, Pause unique contemporary artworks. prevailing systems of education 44 45 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

hearing loss caused employment the things he loves in life: people, “Art helps me to stay a little more grounded for problems and made it difficult music, sports and dance. Living to promote her art. Recently with multiple sclerosis for more when my disability tries to get the best of me.” Wood received cochlear implants than 30 years, Zaremba has —Ginette Richard that enabled her to resume a constantly learned to adapt to productive lifestyle. change. Naturally right-handed, he was able to train his left hand Richard Wynne Lake Elsinore, CA to take over the primary duties Wynne is an artist who has when his multiple sclerosis lived and painted in many progression significantly limited countries for more than 30 his right hand’s functionality. years. He returned to the U.S. Zaremba says, “What makes so his autistic son could receive me come alive and forget my special education that was not disability is challenging my available in his homeland of creative ability, and thanks to art, I Thailand. Wynne lectured and really like who I am today.” taught art in Thailand. He has had Richard Wynne, Cross the Road #1 exhibitions in the USA, Middle Leslie A. Zukor Mercer Island, WA and Far East, and collections of Zukor has been a photographer and culture which devalue fluencies and digital painting to explore his work reside in many countries. since 2005, when she received her and skills outside prevailing the aesthetics of the natural He is a recipient of the “Golden first digital camera for the winter norms. Wittig has embarked on a landscape. Colors are intensified; Bear Award” from the State of holidays. Since then, she has long-term project that focuses on forms are abstracted to express Ina Greenstein, Hustle and Bustle Jan Alice Keeling, Mother and Baby Reading California. Wynne uses colors, become an avowed photography providing a platform for students, the mystical qualities one textures and different mediums addict, someone who is attracted teachers, educational researchers experiences while absorbed in “I believe that the act “What makes me come alive and forget my to convey moods. Old age, to fast motion, street photography and community members to the beauty of nature. Scientific arthritis and an ongoing battle and animal and human portraiture. consider the challenges and goals studies show the healing effects of engaging in the disability is challenging my creative ability, with cancer have forced Wynne Zukor pursues these passions of education and how educational of being in wild and natural to reduce production and spend through the medium of her lens, creative process brings and thanks to art, I really like who I am today.” structures influence the learning areas include stress reduction, most of his time preparing his son and the creative process helps process. He hopes this typological increase in immune systems, joy and healing.” —Anthony Zaremba for the future. form her identity as a disabled study of education in the United mental performance, creativity person, someone who sees the —Ginny Conover States allows for historical and and better mood. Office workers Anthony Zaremba Whiting, NJ world in her own unique way. contemporary thinking about display happier moods when Zaremba’s art and finished Zukor was born without depth education, and reaches a wider surrounded by visuals of watercolors appear not as finely perception and with multiple visual public audience. beautiful flowers. Wood hopes detailed, but loose and free. He disabilities. Her depth perception her art highlighting the beauty of feels he has created a new style inability is referred to as a spatial Nancy Wood San Antonio, TX nature will have similar effects on of painting that has an abstract processing disorder. She continues Wood is a classically-trained artist viewers. In the past, her severe Charles Hall, Old Timer look. His subject matter reflects Alexander Masyk, currently using photography to seek treatment. Autumn in Central Park 46 47 ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

“ Through my art “My painting has been part of a therapeutic I have created a process. Sometimes it is challenging to paint, new state of health but I continue.” —Nicole Miritis for myself.” —Debra Hope Colligan Debrah Block Krol, When Life Gives You Lemons

Merritt Maya, C-IV

“I’m working to expand my capabilities, so as my disabilities remain or progress,

I can continue to paint.” —Rick Ruark Kathryn Noska, Halfway There “As I travel into my images of art, my

Thu Nguyen, Girl from Sapa limitations disappear... letting me feel “My arthritis may limit the duration of time “My art is a free and safe.” I paint but it does not compromise the beauty CELEBRATION —Constance Avery of gratitude.” and joy of what I create.” —Meg Quinlisk Charles Blackwell, The Band —Susan Straub-Martin

MaryGrace Bernard, Passle Helminski, Texas Windmill Turquoise 48 49 SUPPORTING BRYN MAWR REHAB HOSPITAL

CHARITABLE GIFTS PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THE LIFE Matching Gifts OF BRYN MAWR REHAB HOSPITAL, MAKING POSSIBLE You may be able to double or even triple your gift SPECIALIZED THERAPY EQUIPMENT FOR THE BEST QUALITY if you, or your spouse, works for an employer that PATIENT CARE, ADVANCED TRAINING FOR OUR STAFF OF offers a matching gift program. If your company has a DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS, AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS paper form, complete your portion, and mail it to the LIKE ART ABILITY. Development Office. If your company uses an automated system, simply follow those instructions. The many ways to make a gift to Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital include: Make a Pledge Pledges provide flexibility for those interested in making Online a multi-year commitment. Call to learn more. The online giving form at mainlinehealth.org/bmrhgiving is quick, easy and secure. Gifts of Stock You can receive significant tax savings by giving Phone appreciated securities. Notify your broker to transfer Call us at 484.596.6071 and speak to a member of the stock to: Development team to make a gift. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney | DTC #0015 Mail FBO: Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Foundation Send your check payable to “Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Account: 474-175041-238 Foundation” to: Please contact the Development Office to indicate the Development Office name of the stock, the expected date of the transfer, the Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital number of shares and the gift designation. 414 Paoli Pike Malvern, PA 19355 Planned Giving Consider a charitable gift annuity or charitable trust, both of which will result in a stream of income and significant tax savings for you, or naming the hospital as a beneficiary in your will or living trust. Call to learn more.

50 51 53 The Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Volunteer Association is pleased to support the 25th Annual Art Ability Exhibition We are honored to be part of this wonderful program. Mahew Sheehan mainlinehealth.org/bmrhvolunteers VP, Commercial Relationship Manager 909 SE 5th Avenue Delray Beach, FL 33483 P: 561.373.0529

CenterStateBank.com Lankenau Medical Center | Bryn Mawr Hospital | Paoli Hospital | Riddle Hospital South State Bank and CenterState Bank, N.A Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital | Mirmont Treatment Center | HomeCare & Hospice | Lankenau Institute for Medical Research have merged to become South State Bank, N.A. Please visit BankingForward.com to learn more. 56 57 58 59 60 60 61 Success is measured by lives changed.

And we’re honored to support Bryn Mawr Rehab’s mission of healing through art.

@hellotierney hellotierney.com 62 63

772-20-1195186_tierney_BMRH_Art_Ability_8x8_bw_r2.indd2-20-1195186_tierney_BMRH_Art_Ability_8x8_bw_r2.indd 1 99/4/20/4/20 99:36:36 AAMM 64 65 In honor and celebration of the 25th anniversary of Art Ability

DONNA M. PHILLIPS President of Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Senior Executive, Ambulatory and Professional Services

Congratulates and thanks all of our amazing artists for sharing their talents and artistry and extends sincerest thanks to the Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Foundation Board and Art Ability Committee for their exemplary leadership.

Lankenau Medical Center | Bryn Mawr Hospital | Paoli Hospital | Riddle Hospital Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital | Mirmont Treatment Center | HomeCare & Hospice | Lankenau Institute for Medical Research

66 67 Meridian Bank is proud to A higher commitment support Art Ability at to client care. Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital!

Troutman Pepper is proud to sponsor Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s Art Ability program and we applaud your mission to celebrate and showcase artists with disabilities.

troutman.com Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP

AS THE WORLD CHANGES, SO DO YOUR FINANCIAL NEEDS.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can help you achieve your financial goals.

We proudly support the 25TH Annual Art Ability Exhibition.

Gabrielle Bailey Chief Fiduciary Officer [email protected] 302-478-4050

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This ad is not to be construed as an offer to buy or sell any financial instruments.

68 69 70 71 Anytime. Anywhere. Any day...

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73 We’re right around the corner. And always in yours. For nearly 200 years, WSFS Bank has stood for one thing: Service. We’re committed to doing what’s right and helping the communities where we live, work and play. That’s why we’re honored to support Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s 25th Annual Art Ability Exhibition.

Member FDIC | wsfsbank.com

74 75 Let us help you achieve your goals.

proudly supports the Bryn Mawr Rehab It’s not just banking, it’s service Hospital’s Art Ability Exhibition. Beyond your Expectations.™ Recognizing artists who bring their environments to life. At Malvern Bank, we pride ourselves on working hard to understand your goals. Not just your nancial goals, but what they really At LandCare we are born landscapers, represent. Whether it’s building wealth as you embark on your career, turning a business idea into the next commercial success, putting a and creating beautiful environments is Your land. Our care. child through school and ensuring their future, or leaving a nancial our true passion. LandCare.com | 267-432-7589 legacy for generations to come. MyMalvernBank.com

National Association

Sponsorship Ad_081319.indd 2 8/15/2019 3:14:16 PM

76 77 MAIN LINE HEALTH IS PROUD TO SUPPORT The 25th Annual Art Ability Exhibition Ready to at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital

celebrate Thank you for your commitment to the work of artists with disabilities. Art Ability’s 25th Anniversary Be seen.

78 79 80 We treat the patient and see the person.

PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION

At Bryn Mawr Rehab, part of Main Line Health, you receive acclaimed evidence-based treatments that prepare you for your unique challenges. It’s what we call human care.

OUR OUTPATIENT NETWORK PROVIDES: Experts in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy Interdisciplinary approach to care Latest technology Evidence based treatment Convenient locations throughout the region

mainlinehealth.org/rehabnetwork