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THE RIGHT TO BE AN ARTIST: OPERATIONALIZING STUDIO ART PRACTICES FOR PEOPLE WITH COGNITIVE AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES CHRISTINA YARMOL A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CRITICAL DISABILITY STUDIES YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO October 2020 © Christina Yarmol, 2020 Abstract This dissertation, The Right to be an Artist: Operationalizing Studio Art Practices for People with Cognitive and Intellectual Disabilities examines the practical, philosophical, fiscal and social policy realities of people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities (CIDs) who want to live as artists in the community. It investigates the art practices of 16 local artists working in an urban studio endeavouring to realize their dreams against the barriers mounted by existing disability policies and the art world. Due to the nature of the participants’ disabilities, the research also looks to eight individuals who support these artists’ journeys, deepening the reader’s understanding of studio processes and supports. This multi-methods study weaves narrative inquiry and arts-informed methodologies into an intricate tapestry employing methods such as review of literature, face-to-face interviews, participant observation, collaborative artwork, art creation, art analysis and the researcher’s journaled personal experiences as an artist, an art educator, and a researcher. Since art making is central to knowledge-building in this dissertation, each chapter begins with an artwork and an artist’s statement by the artist-teacher-researcher to orient the reader toward the author’s thinking. The chapter outlining the narrative data of the participants also highlights a collaborative drawing project between the researcher and an artist at the studio. A series of seven handmade books entitled Coffee Talk hold graphically designed artists’ statements written in conjunction with the study’s artist-participants accompanied by a selection of artworks commending and crediting their knowledge. All pages can be inserted into the books’ concertina bindings and viewed privately or withdrawn and mounted alongside artists’ physical artworks in a formal, public-exhibition setting. Although society often labels their work under many banners such as Art Brut, Outsider Art, Naïve Art, it is the researcher’s belief that this work should be labelled simply as Art whose unique style and rationale stem directly from each of the artists who created it. ii Dedication Firstly, this dissertation is dedicated to the first two philosophers I knew, my dearly departed parents, Elsie Yarmol (née Lesia Stoyko) and Paul Yarmol. Their sage advice taught me to see the good in everyone and helped me become the person I am today. Secondly, to all of artists at Creative Village Studio who have taught me more than they will ever know. They have deepened my scope of knowledge about what it means to be an artist. iii Acknowledgements Thank you to my supervisor, Doctor nancy viva davis halifax, who encouraged me to be a more critical thinker and more attentive to language. She provided a firm direction and a grounding for my whirlwind of thoughts and runaway rhizomatic thinking. As an artist, she readily and intimately communed with my creative process and its results. I thank my committee Doctors Elizabeth Dauphinee and Marina Morrow who asked me pertinent questions, advised me on how to tweak my arguments to better the communication of my project. I also thank the members of the examination committee, Doctors Rachel da Silveira Gorman (chair), Cheryl van Daalen-Smith (internal member), and Maureen Connolly (external examiner), for their curiosity and inquisitiveness about how this research can impact its artist-participants to achieve cultural citizenship. It was invigorating to learn that there are many others in the world working to create praxis for people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities. To Harold Tomlinson, who with his magnanimous spirit openly welcomed me into the Creative Village Studio community. I respect Harold’s knowledge of the visual arts, disability, and social policy as it applies to social services. He has woven these strands together in his practice to create more than just an activity centre. His sense of judgement and keen instinct for people’s needs, coupled with his compassionate nature makes everyone in the shared studio comfortable to be themselves. His positive, outgoing attitude and his boundless sense of adventure expand the possibilities for the artists at Creative Village Studio. His regard, respect and compassion for people make him an indispensable asset to any community in which he works. Without Harold’s unwavering support, this study would not have been possible. I thank the study participants including the artists, parents, volunteers, instructors, and gallery owner for sharing their personal stories and their wisdom. The artists were so generous in sharing their art making stories and their artwork with me. It was a pleasure to work along side them. Thank you to Community Living Toronto whose members continuously advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. Lastly, I thank my husband, Eric Matusiak who supported me socially, emotionally and physically through the lengthy duration of research and writing of this dissertation. Thank you to my children Erica (three cheers for her technical support), Michaela and Nathaniel Yarmol- iv Matusiak who grew to value how important art and working with people with CIDs is to their mother. Their patience, understanding and support assisted me to see this work to its fruition. v Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iv Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... vi Frequently Used Acronyms ........................................................................................................... xi List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... xii List of Illustrations ...................................................................................................................... xvii Note to the Reader .......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter One: Preparing the Canvas ................................................................................................ 3 What is this Dissertation About? .............................................................................................. 4 What Contribution Will This Study Make to The Field? ......................................................... 4 Organization .............................................................................................................................. 9 Language & Terminology ....................................................................................................... 12 Chapter Two: Weaving a Tapestry: Methodology and the Methods ............................................ 16 Multiple-Methods: A Bricolage .............................................................................................. 18 Art-informed methodologies ................................................................................................... 19 A/r/tography. ........................................................................................................... 21 The sketchbook as data. .......................................................................................... 25 Artwork. .................................................................................................................. 27 Narrative Methodology ........................................................................................................... 27 Narrative framework of Gabriela Spector-Mersel. ................................................. 28 Model for interpreting narrative data. ..................................................................... 31 Positionality of the researcher. ................................................................................ 35 The researcher’s story. ........................................................................................ 36 Paolo Freire: Transformation as an inspiration ....................................................... 39 Crip Theory ............................................................................................................................. 44 Methods................................................................................................................................... 47 Limitations of study. ............................................................................................... 51 Chapter Three: Flexible Embodiment in Social Policy for People with Cognitive and Intellectual Disabilities ...................................................................................................................................

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