Uncovering drama

Mike Christie waits for instructions from Natalia Manning, who uses an augmentative communications device.

During the summer between his junior and senior year at Gill St. Bernard’s School in Gladstone, NJ, Mike Christie spotted an online ad about volunteering in the drama segment of Matheny’s Arts Access Program. “I was doing acting in high school,” he recalls, “and I thought this would be a new opportunity.” Looking back on the experience, he says, “It gave me a greater understanding and appreciation of how art can affect people.” Arts Access gives people with disabilities the freedom to create in the visual, leterary and performing arts.

Christie, who lives in Tewksbury, NJ, appeared in a GSB production of The Secret Garden that won the Paper Mill Playhouse’s “Rising Star” award for best New Jersey high school musical production in 2008. He went on to earn his BFA in dramaturgy and MA in arts management at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He was looking for employment opportunities at theatrical organizations and other nonprofits when he received a phone call from Eileen Murray, director of Arts Access, and Burt Brooks, performing arts coordinator. After volunteering in Arts Access, Christie was hooked. So, when Murray and Brooks asked if he would be interested in facilitating drama, it was a natural fit.

“Mike was a dedicated volunteer,” says Brooks, “and now he’s a dedicated employee. He has developed strong one-on-one relationships with our clients, and they are all glad to see him and happy to work with him.”

Many of the adults for whom Christie facilitates are nonverbal. Some use augmentative communications devices, but many only have a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ method of answering questions. In working with them to create either a play or a story that can be turned into a play, Christie has to offer as many options as possible. “I ask a lot of questions,” he says, “to eliminate possibilities in order to get exactly what they want. As they’re telling me what they want, I’m typing it into script format.”

On November 2, Arts Access will celebrate its 20th anniversary at Full Circle 2013: Reflections, an event that will include a visual arts exhibit and a multi-media fine arts showcase featuring dance, drama, poetry and prose. Two plays, “Princess Amanda 2” by Luis Rodriguez and “Brother Play” by Missy Cutler, were facilitated by Christie who says he just wants to “make sure people here have the right to express themselves. Art shouldn’t exist just for able-bodied artists.”

For more information about Full Circle, or to order tickets, call (908) 234-0011, ext. 260, or email pcats@matheny.org.

Scott Beil facilitating for James Lane, an artist who has been with the program from the beginning.

While studying arts education at The College of New Jersey, Scott Beil, who grew up in Chester, NJ, volunteered in Matheny’s Arts Access Program during the summer. He was so taken by the Arts Access concept that he trained to become a facilitator, eventually becoming studio manager. Arts Access enables people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artist-facilitators.

Beil left Matheny in 2007 to join the Willow School in Gladstone, NJ, where he is art teacher, co-director of the middle school and an advisor. However, when Arts Access celebrates its 20th anniversary at Full Circle 2013: Reflections on Saturday, November 2, Beil will be returning as curator of the visual arts exhibit.

A working artist whose paintings and drawings have been shown at galleries in New Jersey and New York City, Beil received the Somerset Cultural and Heritage Commission’s “Excellence in the Arts” award in 2007. He was recently accepted into the “Connecting Collections Program,” a prestigious summer institute for teachers from around the world, hosted by New York City’s top museums including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim and the Whitney.

As he prepares for Full Circle, Beil says he is “deeply honored for the opportunity to put this show together, and it is my deepest intention to respectfully highlight the strong caliber of work that our artists have quietly been creating upon this little hill in Peapack over the past 20 years.”

Full Circle 2013: Reflections will be held from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, in the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center at Matheny. For more information or to order tickets ($30), call (908) 234-0011, ext. 260, or email pcats@matheny.org.

Wharton library director Kassundra Miller with artists Josh Handler, left, and Alex Martinez.

Digital art and paintings by 11 Arts Access artists have been on display during July and August at the Wharton Library in  Wharton, NJ.  On Friday, August 16, the artists were recognized with a special reception at which some of their writing talent was also celebrated.

Sonya Kimble-Ellis, Arts Access writing facilitator, and Peter Giessner, Arts Access transporter, took turns reading short pieces of prose that had been written by the artists.

Arts Access makes it possible for people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artist-facilitators. The art covers a wide range of disciplines, not only painting, digital art and prose, but also dance, drama, poetry and sculpture.

Arts Access writing facilitator Sonya Kimble-Ellis reads “After the Movie” as the author Karen Frascella looks on.

Dancer/choreographer Dion Alston, performing “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” with dance facilitator Elizabeth Zelesny.

For the 18th consecutive year, Matheny’s Arts Access Program has received a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The grant, in the amount of $34,267, is for the first year of a three-year grant cycle beginning in fiscal year 2014.

Along with the grant, Arts Access received a Citation of Excellence, honoring “New Jersey arts organizations, programs and projects that receive the highest possible assessment of their Council grant applications by esteemed, independent panels of their peers.” The program once again was also named a Designation of Major Impact.

According to the NJSCA, “Arts organizations are designated by the Council as Majors in recognition of their long history of artistic excellence, substantial programming, broad public benefit and a superior review through the panel process.”

Arts Access empowers individuals with disabilities to create art without boundaries. Through the use of innovative systems and techniques, participants can take part in the visual, performing and literary arts. Regardless of their disability, the artists are provided with the tools and materials needed to produce complete pieces of work.

Earlier this year, Arts Access received a $10,000 Challenge America Fast-Track grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support the Full Circle 2013: Reflections, the program’s annual event, which will celebrate Arts Access’ 20th anniversary on November 2. Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) will be honorary chair of Full Circle.

Arts Access artist Ellen Kane in front of her painting, “Half Circle.”

Marilyn Lukach, left, and library assistant Darlene Darling admire “Butterfly” by Tammy Heppner.

Marilyn Lukach, a resident of Wharton, NJ, is past president of the Wharton Public Library. She and her husband, Robert, have attended Full Circle, the annual celebration of Matheny’s Arts Access Program, several times, and she wanted to share some of the visual art with her fellow residents.

As a result, “Unexpected Art,” the creative works of 11 Arts Access artists, can be viewed at the Wharton Public Library in July and August during library hours. The mission of the Arts Access Program is to provide individuals with disabilities the freedom to create in the visual, literary and performing arts.

Raven Bennett at the Scholarship Gala, with social worker Valerie Marcketta, center, and speech-language pathologist Brynna Cunningham.

Two Arts Access artists—student Raven Bennett and adult patient Bozena Geraghty—were among the 15 recipients of scholarships presented this past spring by the Dance Innovations Performance Foundation (DIPF ) at its annual Kids for Kids Scholarship Gala held at the Primavera Regency in Stirling, NJ. The Chatham, NJ-based DIPF was established in 1999 to give back to the community and to those less fortunate.

The scholarships were awarded to 14 special needs artists and to one organization serving children from domestic violence homes. DIPF raised funds through benefit performances, fundraising and private donations. Its student dancers also often perform at Matheny for students and patients.

Both Bennett and Geraghty are active in Matheny’s Arts Access Program, which enables people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artist-facilitators.

Congressman Leonard Lance, visiting with Arts Access artist Luis Rodriguez.

U.S. Congressman Leonard Lance, whose district includes Peapack-Gladstone, will be the Honorary Chair for Full Circle 2013: Reflections, the 20th anniversary celebration of Matheny’s Arts Access Program, to be held November 2 in the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center. Lance, who visited Matheny this past January, is co-chairman of the Congressional Arts Caucus. He has been a member of the New Jersey Council on the Humanities and a trustee of the Newark Museum and McCarter Theatre in Princeton.

Arts Access enables people with disabilities to create fine art assisted by professional artist-facilitators. Many of the Arts Access artists cannot speak and do not have control of their hands and arms. But their minds are intact, and they use unique methods that allow them to overcome their disabilities and express themselves in multiple artistic disciplines. The program was created in 1993 by the late Robert Schonhorn, former president of Matheny, and Dr. Gabor Barabas, former medical director.

Recently, Arts Access received a $10,000 Challenge America Fast-Track grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the 20th anniversary Full Circle celebratory event. It will include an exhibition displaying original artwork created by artists with disabilities and will feature guest artists who will help participants with disabilities create a culminating multimedia performance piece.

From left, Arts Access director Eileen Murray, artist Cindy Shanks and Matheny president Steve Proctor.

Three artists from Matheny’s Arts Access Program attended the opening reception on May 19 for “New Jersey Medical School – ARTS,” an exhibit on display in the Medical Science Building of UMDNJ in Newark from May through August. The artists – Jessica Evans, Luis Rodriguez and Cindy Shanks – had paintings in the exhibit, along with nine other Arts Access artists. Arts Access enables people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artist-facilitators.

Art from three Arts Access satellite programs – the WAE Center of JSDD (Jewish Services for the Developmentally Disabled of Metrowest, Inc.) in West Orange, NJ; the Arc of Mercer County in Ewing, NJ; and Hattie Larlham in Twinsburg, Ohio – are part of the ARTS exhibit as well. In fact, staff members from Hattie Larlham, a facility for children and adults with developmental disabilities, visited Matheny on May 20 to spend the day with Arts Access staff members and artists.

Jessica Evans in front of her painting, “Trapped and I Can’t Get Out.”

Untitled, by Chet Cheesman.

Paintings and digital art by artists in Matheny’s Arts Access Program will again be part of a special exhibit, “New Jersey Medical School – ARTS,” to be held from May through August in the Medical Science Building of UMDNJ in Newark. An opening reception will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, May 19.

This marks the third year that Arts Access will be part of the ARTS exhibit and the second year that three Arts Access satellite programs – the WAE Center of JSDD (Jewish Services for the Developmentally Disabled of Metrowest, Inc.) in West Orange, NJ; the Arc of Mercer County in Ewing, NJ; and Hattie Larlham in Twinsburg, Ohio – will be exhibiting as well.

Arts Access enables people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artist-facilitators. All artwork is for sale, and proceeds are split 50/50, with half the funds going directly to the artist and half going back to Matheny to cover cost of art materials, stretching and framing of the work. Twelve Arts Access artists will have work on display at the UMDNJ exhibit.

"Baby," by Annie Paloff.

A painting by Chris Saglimbene, one of the artists profiled in Into the Light.

Into the Light, a documentary about Matheny’s Arts Access Program, has been accepted into the Montclair Film Festival and will be screened at  2 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, at the Clairidge Cinema in Montclair, NJ. In the short film, director Paul Pawlowski profiles the lives and work of three artists as they prepare for Arts Access’ 15th anniversary five years ago. The film presents a brief history of Matheny and the creation and development of Arts Access, which enables people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artist-facilitators.

The three artists featured are Chris Saglimbene, a painter; Natalia Manning, a choreographer; and Jenny Durr, a writer. They are profiled and followed in and out of the studio. The film culminates with Full Circle, the annual celebration of Arts Access. This year, Arts Access will celebrate its 20th anniversary on November 2 and has received a Challenge America Fast-Track grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the 20th anniversary Full Circle celebration.

Tickets to the May 5th screening can be purchased by logging onto www.montclairfilmfest.org.

Betty and Joe Christie of Keyport, NJ, parents of late artist Jason Christie, next to his painting “Wolverine.” At right is their niece Leslie Bergman of New York City.

The mission of Matheny’s Arts Access Program is to provide individuals with disabilities the freedom to create in the visual, literary and performing arts. Along with that freedom comes the opportunity for the artists to have their art displayed in the community. A recent example of such community exposure and support was an exhibit of visual art and written works by Arts Access artists at the MONDO Summit building in Summit, NJ.

From left, George Vanderslays and Kate Jackette of Watchung, NJ; Arts Access director Eileen Murray of Morris Plains, NJ; and Diane Revel of Bernardsville, NJ.

The exhibit was held from February 25-March 29, and a special reception to celebrate it took place from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, at the 94-year-old reconstructed brick building, which is dedicated to all kinds of art. In addition to viewing the visual art at the reception, visitors were treated to a reading of some of the literary art.

Untitled by Ellen Kane will be one of the paintings on display at MONDO.

Matheny’s Arts Access Program will be participating in two important arts events in March in New Jersey. Arts Access is joining several other organizations to be part of the ReelAbilities New Jersey Disabilities Film Festival, and Arts Access artists will have their work shown and heard at a special presentation at the MONDO Summit building in Summit, NJ.

The ReelAbilities Film Festival is the largest festival in the country dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with different disabilities. At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 15, the gallery in the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center at Matheny will be open for viewing of visual art created by Arts Access artists. At 6 p.m., a New Jersey edition of the ReelAbilities Festival will open with a short film about Arts Access, followed by Wampler’s Ascent, a feature film about Steve Wampler, who has cerebral palsy and needs to do 20,000 pull-ups in order to climb the El Capitan Mountain in Yosemite National Park. In 2002, Wampler founded a camp for children with disabilities, and his climb will be dedicated to the idea that kids with disabilities can do anything they set their minds to. After the film, there will be a 30-minute discussion with the Wampler family and other panelists.

Admission is $10; all proceeds will benefit Matheny. For more information, call (908) 234-0011, ext. 765, or email haeree@artsaccessprogram.org.

On Sunday, March 17, from 2-4 p.m., Arts Access visual art and written works will be on display and presented at the MONDO Summit building, a 94-year-old reconstructed brick building which is dedicated to all kinds of art: craftsmanship, culinary arts, visual arts, performing arts and literary arts. Mondo is located at 426 Springfield Ave. in Summit, and admission is free.