Kids Rise to the Challenge

Some kids are special. That’s because they have special challenges. Recently artist Diane Cherr wrote me about some special kids she worked with to create a mural at the headquarters of The ARC Westchester. "The mural is a surprise being dedicated to Ric Swierat, the Executive Director who is retiring in June after many years of service." Made up of twelve 30"x 40" canvases, it was created by youngsters who drew their inspiration from modern arts icons such as Jackson Pollack, Matisse and Franz Kline. Said Ms. Cherr: "We looked at Matisse paper cutouts for the more colorful sides of the paintings and noted how he made shapes using scissors instead of paintbrushes, and also that he was in a wheelchair, like some members of the ARC community. Some people are creating stencils, some are printing objects and some are using interesting textures and shapes to get unique effects. The participants are enthusiastic and enjoy trying new techniques and media. I am loving working with this community." The mural was funded through an ArtsWestchester Special Needs grant, which was matched by The Arc. This is one of those occasions in which a picture is worth a thousand words.

Janet Langsam is the CEO of ArtsWestchester, an organization that supports all of the arts in Westchester County. To learn more about ArtsWestchester, visit artsw.org.