Drawing on the arts

By DAVE GUNTER

Feature correspondent

SANDPOINT – This is not just another story about the arts in Sandpoint. It is, instead, a recognition of how the arts can reach out and touch lives and, in doing so, make a positive difference in the community.

Starting on June 12, Creation for Sandpoint on the Cedar Street Bridge will offer a series of classes for people with special needs and their caregivers, providing an introduction to the fundamentals of creating art – and a lot more.

“Discovery Through Art” will be presented in partnership with Team Autism 24/7 and co-sponsored by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation.

“We’re giving students a foundation in art, along with working on motor skills, building self-esteem and offering discovery and invention,” said Mary Maio, who, along with Creations founder Shery Meekings, will teach the classes through the end of July.

Although there is a heightened awareness of the needs of autistic students for the series, Maio explained that all special needs participants are invited to join the classes.

“Everyone is welcome,” she said. “You’re part of the show, part of the family at Creations.”

Maio, who has a master’s degree in education and credentials in Media and Montessori, has been teaching art to children, teens, and adults of a variety of abilities for more than 15 years. This will be the second time she has been involved with a local, special needs art series.

“I did this last year and I learned that every student is completely different,” she said. “Shery and I will adapt in the moment to the students’ needs and meet them where they are at cognitively and physically.”

The overture for a special needs art class came from Team Autism 24/7’s Lisa Barth, who has been a catalyst for awareness since her son, Jackson, was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. According to Maio, creating art is a powerful tool for autistic students, as the classes will combine fundamentals such as brush technique and different mediums with opportunities for social interaction and communication.

She was drawn to the corollaries between the two different, but nevertheless associated types of spectrums involved in the summer art series.

“There’s the autism spectrum and the artistic spectrum,” Maio said. “In our classes, we’ll be working on color schemes and the color spectrum – and there’s no ‘wrong’ in the color spectrum.”

Projects in the series will include things such as painting original designs on t-shirts, creating wearable art that each student can take home and share with the world. Maio’s hope is that one of the designs might find its way onto shirts that can then be sold to help raise money for autism awareness.

Discovery Through Art will be offered from June 12-July 31, on Tuesday mornings from 9-10:30. Children and adults are welcome to attend. The cost in advance is $5 per class with a $25 five-class punch card, or 10 classes for $4.50 each. Drop-ins are welcome at $7 per class, but only if there is room for that session.

“We’re trying to keep class sizes small, so it’s first-come, first-served,” Maio said, adding that each class will be limited to 15 special needs students and their caregivers. “It’s important for people to sign up early so we have enough supplies.”

To register for these special needs art classes, stop by Creations on the Cedar Street Bridge or e-mail: teamautism247sandpoint@gmail.com. Scholarships may be available.