Art Spaces Supporting Autistic Artists in NYC: Part I

As part of my Arts Council project, I set myself an investigation to visit art spaces around New York that support autistic artists. I’d largely made contact with them before coming to New York, so had a fair idea of what they were about. But then there’s nothing like seeing something with your own eyes and meeting the people that run the place – as well as the artists that attend the centres. So off I went, unsure of how they would match with their sparkling websites.

Firstly, I have to say that I was very much impressed with each of these spaces. They’ve all come from such spectacular and inspiring visions, and have a dedicated team of people who have worked very hard to get them up and running – as well as to make the connections that they have in the arts world. Which is the crucial part really, as we all know – it’s all very well having a lovely studio space, but if the work can’t be exhibited and sold on, then I guess it’s not really fulfilling its purpose in supporting these artists. The talent at each of the places I visited was very high. There was real commitment and the artists were of a high calibre, who were focused on refining their process and style of work.

A lot of these centres supported disabled artists as a whole – so those with physical and mental disabilities, of which included autism, depression, learning difficulties – and many more. Many artists had multiple and quite complex needs. Though what every person had in common was the fact that they’re an artist; it’s what they have a passion for and how they wish to spend their time. And that commitment to the arts was clear. Below is the first part of my visits, with two of the centres I visited, while the remaining two can be read in the second part of this blog, here.

Fountain House Gallery - www.fountainhousegallery.org

Fountain House Gallery provide an environment for artists living with mental illness to pursue their creative visions and to challenge the stigma that surrounds mental illness. They had their first exhibition in 2000, featuring a small group of artists and have gone from strength to strength ever since. They have studio spaces across the New York boroughs where their artists can work from, while the Fountain House Gallery itself sits in a prominent position in central Manhattan.

‘Domicile’ exhibition

What I really liked about them was the fact that they have six different exhibitions a year, of which every artist that is part of their roster, can apply and submit at least one piece of work to – within a given theme. The curator for each show is different, and will blind-pick the works that they like – dependent on their vision - and create a show accordingly.

The gallery based in central Manhattan

The centre has incredible links with professional artists, run a very successful annual auction, as well as taking part in external shows including the distinguished Outsider Art Fair. Artists are involved in educational talks and help invigilate the gallery space via short four-hour shifts. This helps them stay connected and involved with the exhibitions, as well as enabling them to speak with the public directly about their work.

‘Domicile’ exhibition

Pure Vision Arts (PVA) - www.shield.org/activities

Also based in the centre of Manhattan, Pure Vision Arts have a spacious studio area where their artists can work, and this space can be turned into a gallery for when they host private views and other events. It’s the first specialised art studio and exhibition space for artists on the autistic spectrum and intellectual/developmental disabilities. As well as the studio space, they provide art materials, exhibition opportunities, and career development for beginning, emerging and established artists. They seem to limit the number of artists to around 20, simply because of the number of workstations available, and I guess this is something that Fountain House had greater flexibility with (they have around 40 artists). They’re also part of the Shield Institute which means that they’re under an umbrella body of whom run various other art programmes and unique services for clients across New York.

I attended the private view of one of their shows in December and was really impressed! It was very well attended, and the studio also appears to have incredible links with professionals and galleries around the world.

Incredible work by one of the PVA artist's: Barry Kahn

Read on to the second part of my blog for the rest of my round-up!

Actionplay: Striving to Build a More Inclusive World!

I had the joy of being invited to see Actionplay - in Action - quite literally recently. It was for one of their AIMS workshops, which consists of around twenty teens and young adults (13-22 years), on the autistic spectrum (and related conditions), to come along and be part of a 90-minute drama-impro workshop in central Manhattan. The goal of the workshop programme? To encourage greater confidence and increase communication and social skills among attendees.

Based in New York City, Actionplay is a non-profit dedicated to providing children, teens, and adults on the autism spectrum and related conditions equal access to education, arts and culture. Their programmes are open to the general public, and involve creative learning environments, professional development, and training modules to those on the spectrum to experience the arts.

I’d been in touch with Aaron Feinstein, their Executive Director and Founder, a few times and he suggested that the best way to see what they get up to is to come along to one of their sessions. I couldn’t agree more! So there I was, Sunday morning, getting off at Penn Street station and strolling down to the mid-town rehearsal space, not quite knowing what to expect… But intrigued and excited all the same.

Initially, I thought I’d be the ‘quiet observer’ on the periphery - but could not have been more wrong. From the outset I was involved in the warm-up tasks; completely out of my depth as I couldn’t remember the last time I’d even expressed myself in terms of shapes, sounds and movement via my body. It really took me away from my mind though; a place that I’m sure many adults can relate living their lives from. The respite was astonishing. But more so was what was going on around me: the teens and young adults’ enthusiasm and appetite for getting involved. And then there was the talent! These kids were really good. I also found them to be very respectful towards one another – listening well to each other, being quiet when someone else was performing.

The tasks built up in momentum slowly, as the participants got more into them. Music aided these exercises, with Gabriel Lit on the piano entwining apt melodies with the movements. The activities were varied and involved anything from passing a sound around the room in a circle, and adding your own - to giving a 30-second pitch of their ideas for the future Actionplay concert. This latter task was then followed up with the group being split into two, and one idea being picked by each group – creating a five-minute rendition of what the show could look like. Ideas were formulated and explored, people were free to express themselves within the context of the exercises – and most importantly; fun was had and there was a great sense of buoyancy.

And I know that this was all a direct reflection from Aaron and his incredible team of staff and volunteers. There was approximately one staff member to every two/three participants. What I noticed was how dedicated, enthusiastic and compassionate they all were. They would turn up half an hour before the session to ensure careful planning and addressing any updates, while another half hour was given after the session to discuss any issues within the session and to then wrap up and look forward to future sessions. The volunteers came from all backgrounds including teaching and the arts, but the real thing that stood them apart was their passion for accessibility to the arts and their genuine desire to be helping these individuals in obtaining this.

What struck me the most was having this space and programme available, full stop. These teens and young adults have a place to go where they channel themselves, develop themselves and be with others on the spectrum – and to ultimately do something that they enjoy.

It was wonderful and a true eye-opener to attend the workshop. The most surreal thing was that I could tell that each and every person wanted to be there, and there was this real tangible buzz of energy – a great force of positivity, power and intent of creative endeavours. Amazing…

How did I feel after? Well I was quite exhausted and exhilarated – and both in equal measures. Shattered because it was such an intense period of high-intense activity, with different things happening all around – but exhilarated because it was all so thrilling to witness. Exciting in that there was this amazing opportunity for those on the spectrum to come and be a part of – that they could be alongside staff and volunteers who are tremendous, inclusive-centric and truly able to support them. How incredible 😊

A big thanks to Aaron and the team for letting me take part in one of Actionplay’s workshops! Find out more about them on their website: http://actionplay.org/

Con Artist Collective: A Beating Hub of Creativity in the Heart of the Lower East Side

After spending two months at the Con Artist Collective space, I know it’s a place that I’m going to miss. You have artists and creatives from all walks of life coming in, at all times of the day (the studio is open 24/7) to work, play, explore and create. It’s a thriving place that’s perfect for emerging artists looking for affordable studio space in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. I’ve enjoyed painting there on my latest series of paintings ‘Transitions’, while also working on the business side to my art in the laptop work space on the ground level.

The Con Artist Collective space

Me working away on the ‘Transitions’ series in the studio

The outside area, where you can do spray-painting and work with other adhesive materials

How does it work? Well, it’s a shared studio space that works through a monthly membership where everyone pays the basic of $20. This enables members to have access to submitting work for the regular group shows that take place, attend classes and other events run by the collective.

Here’s a typical month’s schedule of the different events taking place

The ‘Unauthorised Mickey Mouse’ show that took place to commemorate Mickey’s 90^th Birthday!

You then have workspace memberships for whether you wish to use the studio on a 24/7 basis, or in the daytime from 11am to 7pm, during the gallery’s opening hours. The prices are currently in the process of changing, but for instance I was able to pay $405 for one-month of 24/7 access to the studio, including storage space. Amazing!

This is the main man - Brandon - who you see as you come into the studio

The best part for me has definitely been having a community of artists. Being an artist can often be lonely work, and it’s nice to have people around you that are coming from the same place, with similar ambitions – all of whom simply ‘get you’ for being the crazy-creative-being that you are! Everyone at the space is very friendly, and I’ve been able to have discussions with artists from all disciplines and artistic backgrounds. Bliss 😊

Sound perfect? Well, nowhere is perfect, let’s be fair. And with so many artists coming in at all times of the day and night, it can get a little messy (artists leaving their work out or not packing away properly), cleaning supplies can get low and the temperature in the workspace can also be a bit iffy at times. But on the whole, these feel like minor prices to pay for the overall ambience and the running of the space. Plus, it’s important to keep in mind that it often just takes one or two artists to create a mess – so most artists are actually being clean, tidy and respectful – and that’s the main thing to take away.

In terms of the *many* awesome artists I’ve met, here’s the lowdown on two of them:

Jeanne at work on her latest piece in the studio

Jeanne Jalandoni is an incredibly talented artist who lives and works in Uptown Manhattan. Her work is deeply fascinating, as she explores defining her Filipino-American identity through her experiences of growing up as a 2nd generation American. Her work entwines both oils and textiles, as her quest continues into deepening her understanding on how Filipinos/Filipino-Americans are perceived both socially and historically.

https://cargocollective.com/jeannefjalandoni

Secondly, is Bonesy, a passionate and dynamic force of an artist with an appetite for yoga. Yoga saved her life, quite literally, and she’s currently working on an ambitious series of work on the 196 yoga sutras that exist. The sutras are the authoritative text on yoga and each sutra is complex and conveys guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life. Bonesy is looking to create a painting that represents each of the 196 sutras. Interestingly, Bonesy completes all her paintings using palette knives - no brushes, and uses layered images to create depth and interest.

https://www.artbybonesy.com/

3 of Bonesy’s watercolour pieces created at the studio

And that’s just two of the many talented and amazing artists that make the studio their workspace!

Having not had the concentrated period of time to paint and think since my last artist residency at Hannacc in Barcelona, it’s been amazing to be around other artists and to be in a space with such dynamic and positive artistic vibes. And I know I’ll miss that. That hub and community. There’s something about the energy of others and being on a journey alongside them.

And finally, a big thanks to Con Artist Collective for being such a wonderful and welcoming space to be a part of! You guys rock and will certainly not be forgotten 😊

Felicity House: A Sanctuary for Autistic Women in the Heart of NYC

In my quest to visit autistic charities and spaces in New York, particularly those with an emphasis on art and creativity, I came to view Felicity House after corresponding with the team via email. As I made my way there, through the chaotic and bustling streets of the ever-hustling Manhattan – and truly, I cannot emphasise enough how loud, often smelly, haphazard and all-consuming NYC can be at times. I describe these feelings and experiences in my blog ‘NYC: A Neurodiverse Perspective' – take a read if you’d like to learn more. But here I was. In front of this grand door, on yet another busy street, about to go inside…

The beautiful space inside Felicity House

I could not have more pleasantly surprised with the other side of this door! A beautiful space that instantly felt like home. It had this aura of calm, ease and genuine friendliness - a place of real serenity. Comfortable, clean and quiet - it couldn’t contrast more from the outside world. I was invited in and learnt more about Felicity House. How it’s a non-clinical program for autistic women, living in and around New York. The women travel in from all over: New Jersey, Connecticut and all five boroughs of NYC. There are no geographical restrictions. The space gives women the opportunity to be part of a community and to do and try new things. The only criteria are that attendees need to be female, over the age of eighteen and to have had an official diagnosis for autism. There are no wait times either. Amazing, right..?

The aim of the place is that it acts as an adjunct to the person’s life – so they can fit coming to Felicity House around their life; be it their studies, home or work commitments. Women can come to as many or as few sessions as they like, of which there are normally 10-15 people in attendance. And that’s what I really liked about the place – there are no real obligations or pressure in any way.

What can women do at Felicity House?

They have a calendar of events which they announce in advance and send via email and have on their noticeboard. The events and activities are incredibly varied, intriguing and accessible. They can be anything from movie nights, meditation to paint evenings. Trips outside the house are also organised, for instance there’s a visit to New-York’s Historical Society Museum where members will receive a guided tour of the new exhibit, ‘Harry Potter: A History of Magic’. Another of its aims is to act as a ‘halfway house’ in helping women to try something new and different. It can often be tricky, and hence overwhelming when considering the prospect of trying something new, let alone actually doing it. But by trying it in a safe space, with others in your community that you know, and having it catered towards an autistic audience, helps make things that bit easier. For instance, the house has a Zumba class, and this involves having no mirrors in the room (mirrors are not good for autistic people, who are more inclined to struggle with bilateral movements!), the music is at a much lower volume, and no-one is shouted at or singled out if they don’t get the moves right! Shouldn’t all Zumba classes be like this..?

November 2018's schedule

The art room

How much does it cost to attend a session?

Want to hear the best part about the programme? It’s free. Yes, truly it is. And that’s simply because Felicity House is privately funded. The story of the house itself and how it came to be can be read here: https://felicity-house.org/our-house/house-story/ and is very interesting. The fact that it’s free to attend makes a huge difference. There’s not this infinite number of paperwork, progress reports, goals and all the rest of it that staff have to complete (America is pretty bureaucratic, I’ve found out). And obviously it’s hugely beneficial for the women too. You don’t have to worry about the costs. There’s no elitism. No stress in terms of worrying about the money and having to ration yourself to the number of sessions you can afford. Women can just come and be. There’s no asking for anything more. We need more of these places!

Photo of me: “we need more places like Felicity House where autistic women can simply BE!” I remember saying to myself. It was simply perfect.

What were my overall impressions?

I was very much impressed! I remember walking around and growing quite emotional the more I saw and heard about the space. It’s such a well-thought out concept with rooms that people can go to in and sit in by themselves - to a more sociable lounge - and soft lighting all around. I’m not saying that they don’t have challenges and that it doesn’t always work out, but I felt that what they had was actually pretty damn good. Lesley, the program manager said as we went around “we have this beautiful space because this is what the women here deserve”. And she is so right. We do deserve this. And I really hope that someday I’ll see more spaces like this supporting autistic women; a group that’s very often overlooked.

Has anyone else seen or heard of a similar place in another part of the world? Do drop me a note if you have.