"I Am a Part of Art! The Artists of Community Access to the Arts"
STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. - Making art can be a challenge, yet a determined group of individuals are proving that with a little creativity anything is possible. Community Access to the Arts (CATA), a local non-profit organization, has been nurturing and celebrating the creativity of people with disabilities through shared experiences in the visual and performing arts since 1993. This October Norman Rockwell Museum will exhibit an inspired collection of work from these creators; "I Am a Part of Art! The Artists of Community Access to the Arts" will be on view at the Museum from October 4 through 25.A special opening event celebration will be held on Sunday, October 4, from 2 to 4 p.m., and is free to the public.
"We are so pleased to have the opportunity to share the work of the talented artists of CATA with our visitors, and to collaborate with this outstanding Berkshire organization," says Stephanie Plunkett, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of Norman Rockwell Museum. "The communicative power of art is truly evident in their vibrant images."
"I Am a Part of Art" features paintings created in the past year by members of CATA using the Artistic Realization Technologies (A.R.T.) adaptive painting system. A.R.T. is an innovative technique that allows individuals with severe physical disabilities to precisely execute their creative vision with the help of specially trained trackers, which act as the hands of the artist. Featuring a variety of creative styles and themes, the exhibition will be on tour around Berkshire Country through the end of the year.
About Community Access to the Arts
Founded in 1993, Community Access to the Arts provides over 1,000 visual and performing arts workshops for 600 individuals with developmental, physical, emotional and/or mental disabilities throughout Berkshire County. With programs taking place in healthcare, therapeutic, eldercare, educational, community, and cultural settings, the organization serves individuals through a variety of human service and educational organizations, as well as home residences. For more information, visit: http://www.communityaccesstothearts.org.
About Norman Rockwell Museum
Norman Rockwell Museum is the preeminent museum of American illustration art. Dedicated to art education and art appreciation inspired by the enduring legacy of Norman Rockwell, the Museum stewards the world's largest and most significant collection of Rockwell art, and presents the works of contemporary and past masters of illustration. The Museum's holdings include Rockwell's last studio, moved from its original location to the Museum grounds, and the Norman Rockwell Archives, a 200,000-object collection undergoing digital preservation. The Museum is also home to the new Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies, the nation's first research institute devoted to the art of illustration. In 2008, Norman Rockwell Museum became the first-ever museum recipient of the National Humanities Medal, America's highest honor in the field. Visit the Museum online at http://www.nrm.org.
