Ideal Way art Contest
'Art is beyond disability'
Non-profit holds art contest for people who have an intellectual disability
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 -- Natalie Miller
Each day after school, a teenage boy who has autism rushes up to his room seeking seclusion to create his art.
He hasn't shared his work with his family yet but is planning to enter his creations in an upcoming art contest.
This is one story IDEAL-WAY's executive director has heard since the non-profit organization that supports people who have an intellectual disability launched the contest. Ontario residents can project their artistic voice by submitting works by Dec. 31.
The motivation for the art contest is to showcase ability and break down stereotypes about intellectual disability, IDEAL-WAY says.
"It's another way to promote awareness and education," says executive director Addie Daabous. "Seeing it is believing it."
Residents of this province of any age who have an intellectual disability can enter up to two original art pieces created in 2008, including paintings, sketches, drawings, photography, sculpture and pottery.
Andrew Hamilton, Canadian landscape painter, fine arts professor and former gallery curator, will chair the judging panel. Hamilton says he got involved in the contest because children who have an intellectual disability made an impression on him when he was a teen-aged camp counsellor and sees this as a chance to give something back.
"I don't see there being a barrier or line between ability and disability, especially in the arts," says Hamilton. "In my experience, everybody is an artist and they just need an opportunity to have that brought out."
The judging will take place in January and five grand-prize winners will be announced, while there will be several other give-a-ways as well. The work will be judged on artistic merit alone without the juror knowing the names, ages or communities of residence of the participants until after the pieces have been chosen.
IDEAL-WAY has already received several submissions and the response from this community "has been fantastic," Daabous notes. The association's CEO, Donald Yeo, expects the artwork to be of high calibre. IDEAL-WAY earlier held a poetry contest and Toronto's current Poet Laureate and contest judge Pier Giorgio Di Cicco said one of the entries would be “competitive” in a mainstream contest, Yeo notes.
"We have every reason to believe this will exceed (expectations)" as well, Yeo says.
IDEAL-WAY's founding director, Robert Hajjar, who has Down syndrome, would like to see an art show in the spring to showcase the body of work submitted. While art isn't his niche, he has friends who create "beautiful artwork," he says.
"I'm really excited about the art contest," Hajjar says. "I hope some of my friends enter because they are good artists."
IDEAL-WAY's purpose is to provide better lives for people who have an intellectual disability through community education, relief of poverty and literacy and recreational programs.
To learn more about the IDEAL-WAY's art contest, visit IDEAL-Way's website and click on IDEAL Art Contest 2008 contest for rules, regulations and submission information.
If you have feedback on this article, e-mail natalie(at)axiomnews.ca or call the newsroom at 800-294-0051.
This article may be reproduced without seeking further permission if used in proper context and with the following credit line: "Reprinted from Community Living Leaders, an online news news service of Community Living Ontario. www.communitylivingontario.ca."
Non-profit holds art contest for people who have an intellectual disability
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 -- Natalie Miller
Each day after school, a teenage boy who has autism rushes up to his room seeking seclusion to create his art.
He hasn't shared his work with his family yet but is planning to enter his creations in an upcoming art contest.
This is one story IDEAL-WAY's executive director has heard since the non-profit organization that supports people who have an intellectual disability launched the contest. Ontario residents can project their artistic voice by submitting works by Dec. 31.
The motivation for the art contest is to showcase ability and break down stereotypes about intellectual disability, IDEAL-WAY says.
"It's another way to promote awareness and education," says executive director Addie Daabous. "Seeing it is believing it."
Residents of this province of any age who have an intellectual disability can enter up to two original art pieces created in 2008, including paintings, sketches, drawings, photography, sculpture and pottery.
Andrew Hamilton, Canadian landscape painter, fine arts professor and former gallery curator, will chair the judging panel. Hamilton says he got involved in the contest because children who have an intellectual disability made an impression on him when he was a teen-aged camp counsellor and sees this as a chance to give something back.
"I don't see there being a barrier or line between ability and disability, especially in the arts," says Hamilton. "In my experience, everybody is an artist and they just need an opportunity to have that brought out."
The judging will take place in January and five grand-prize winners will be announced, while there will be several other give-a-ways as well. The work will be judged on artistic merit alone without the juror knowing the names, ages or communities of residence of the participants until after the pieces have been chosen.
IDEAL-WAY has already received several submissions and the response from this community "has been fantastic," Daabous notes. The association's CEO, Donald Yeo, expects the artwork to be of high calibre. IDEAL-WAY earlier held a poetry contest and Toronto's current Poet Laureate and contest judge Pier Giorgio Di Cicco said one of the entries would be “competitive” in a mainstream contest, Yeo notes.
"We have every reason to believe this will exceed (expectations)" as well, Yeo says.
IDEAL-WAY's founding director, Robert Hajjar, who has Down syndrome, would like to see an art show in the spring to showcase the body of work submitted. While art isn't his niche, he has friends who create "beautiful artwork," he says.
"I'm really excited about the art contest," Hajjar says. "I hope some of my friends enter because they are good artists."
IDEAL-WAY's purpose is to provide better lives for people who have an intellectual disability through community education, relief of poverty and literacy and recreational programs.
To learn more about the IDEAL-WAY's art contest, visit IDEAL-Way's website and click on IDEAL Art Contest 2008 contest for rules, regulations and submission information.
If you have feedback on this article, e-mail natalie(at)axiomnews.ca or call the newsroom at 800-294-0051.
This article may be reproduced without seeking further permission if used in proper context and with the following credit line: "Reprinted from Community Living Leaders, an online news news service of Community Living Ontario. www.communitylivingontario.ca."
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