|
Upcoming Events
If you know of any events related to the topic of this website (art shows, upcoming lectures/workshops, opening of new programs, new jobs accepted, new books/articles published, etc.) nationally or internationally, please email me with information at arttherapyandautism@yahoo.com
March 2010
Click on http://www.javamo.com/autism_foundation.shtml to learn more about the Art for Autism Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Javamo Coffees of Tampa, Florida.
Arttherapyandautism.com webmaster Nicole Martin has two new publications, an article in Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association (winter 2009) titled Art Therapy and Autism: Overview and Recommendations and a co-authored chapter with Dr. Donna Betts titled Art Therapy Approaches to Treating Autism in Cutting-Edge Therapies for Autism 2010-2011, which will be in bookstores next month for Autism Awareness Month.
Donna Betts, assistant professor of art therapy at George Washington University (Alexandria, VA), recently began serving on GW's Autism Initiative Committee, which is working toward the establishment of the GW Autism Research, Treatment & Policy Institute.
Touching Humanity, Inc. has put out a Call for Papers and Presentations for their Creative, Expressive and Performing Arts and Autism Spectrum Disorder Annual Conference, to be held in New York City June 18-19, 2010. Contact Michael Pizzi PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA at TouchHumanity@aol.com for more information.
Art therapists presenting this spring in the Midwest on autism include Holly DeRosa, presenting on artmaking in the autism school community at Mount Mary College (Milwaukee, WI), and Jessie Stallings, presenting on teaching social skills using art with individuals with high-functioning autism at the Kansas Art Therapy Association's annual conference.
Click here http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Books-Autism-Aspergers-Temple-Grandin-Thinking-in-Pictures/379002056/" to download a free coloring book about Temple Grandin, created by the talented artists at Project Onward of Chicago in honor of the recently released HBO movie starring Claire Danes as Temple!
November 2009
More great news and websites!
Dubai, UAE: Zabel Investments helps Dubai Autism Centre raise record funds (June 5, 2007) at http://www.ameinfo.com/122577.html. Mentions the DAC's art therapy program as well as a silent auction of artwork made by the children.
Lexington, Kentucky: Special needs program could reach state at http://www.kentucky.com/lexgo/arts/story/836682.html. Describes a new arts in healthcare program at a Lexington area hospital which will serve children with disabilities including autism.
http://www.powerlight-studios.com/
Anime and manga-inspired characters, cartoons, and animation series created by Dani, a 14-year old girl with ASD. “One of Powerlight Studios missions is to provide a positive message about the contribution that Autistics can make based upon their unique set of skills. It is a very sad fact that 87% of autistic adults are unemployed despite them excelling in specific areas, especially the visual arts.”
http://heartfeltpieces.com/
Artwork for sale by Rachel Meek, an artist inspired by her nephew with autism.
Dallas, TX: Presentations scheduled for later this month at the 40th Anniversary American Art Therapy Association Conference (Nov. 18-22):
- The Papageno Foundation for Children and Families with Autism; Aaltje Zweden-van Buren, MEA and Marijke Foudraine-Kranenburg; Thursday, November 19 (video).
- How Art Therapy Supports Access to Higher Education for Students with Autism; Holly Feen-Calligan, PhD, ATR-BC, Jennifer Elliott, and Rebecca Kontny, BFA; Thursday, November 19 (paper).
- Your Talking Hurts My Ears!: Addressing Sensory and Social Challenges in Autism; Kate Allen, BA; Friday, November, 20 (workshop).
- Celebrating Autism and the Individual: Self-acceptance and Community Membership Through Creative Expression; Jill Scheibler, MA, ATR-BC and Catherine Goucher, ATR-BC, LCPC; Friday, November 20 (paper).
- Art Education+ for Pupils with Autism; Aaltje Zweden-van Buren, MEA; Saturday, November 21 (paper).
August 2009
Lots of good stuff this month...
http://www.artrabbit.com/all/events/event/10180/the_national_autistic_society
An exhibition of artwork and prose by adults with autism will take place every day at La Galleria on Royal Opera Arcade, London, from 24-28 February 2009. Sponsored by The National Autistic Society. Featuring artists Stephen Wiltshire, David Downes, Rozagy, Charles Burns, Fiona Channon, and Clive Morton.
I may have found this too late, but the venue is so swanky I had to post it!
A book review by Carin Yavorcik for The Autism Society of America about the webmaster's recently released book:
http://www.autism-society.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=14163&news_iv_ctrl=1882
Autistic man uses art walls as means of self-expression by Gary Walker for The Argonaut:
http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2009/05/28/news_-_features/top_stories/1a.txt. (This website is quoted in the article!)
YouTube video of the webmaster being interviewed by Craig Evans of Autism Hangout dotcom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbrvF7zUk8M
July 2009
We've Got Mail: The Mail-Art Connection
An exhibit by the students at Easter Seals Therapeutic Autism School, Tinley Park, IL and Easter Seals Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research, Chicago, IL.
Exhibit Opening: Friday, July 10th at Kristoffer's Cafe
1733 S Halsted Street, Chicago
4PM - 9PM
A note from the two collaborating art therapists:
Mail is a tangible form of communication. Drawing an image, writing a message, and putting it in an envelope to be mailed, transforms a solitary experience into an interactive one. Someone in a different place, and later time, will be able to experience the marks created by another. This experience inherently requires an interaction between two people.
Collaborating our two schools was an obvious choice as we worked on We've Got Mail: The Mail-Art Connection. It would provide all of the participating students at Easter Seals an important opportunity of communicating in a very different way. Together our schools could exchange works of art, letters and items of personal importance. After this project, hopefully students can start to think outside of themselves and start to think of the larger community.
Holly DeRosa, one of the Easter Seals art therapists participating in the show, will be working with Adam's Camp this summer, an intensive and progressive summer camp for children with autism in Nantucket that integrates the skills of both art and music therapists. Click on the link to learn more!
Lawrence, KS: March 30, 2009
A recent article about the webmaster in the Lawrence Journal-World: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/mar/30/skys-limit-therapist-uses-art-reach-out-autistic-c/
Chicago: Spring 2009
Inquire Within: Soul Searching and Truth Seeking by Artists with Disabilities
Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Rooms
March 21 - May 17, 2009
Project Onward, the Chicago Cultural Center's studio program for artists with special needs, presents an exhibition of paintings, drawings, photography, and mixed media created by visual artists living with mental and developmental disabilities. Inquire Within seeks to break down barriers between mainstream culture and people with disabilities by focusing on the inner life and everyday experiences of people with special needs from their own perspective, in their own words, and on their own terms. Project Onward, Esperanza Community Services, El Valor, and The Nathan and Kiyoko Lerner Foundation Art Studio at Thresholds South are among the innovative studio art programs whose talented artists are represented in the exhibition. The March 20 opening reception will feature live performances, including DHF Express, the high-octane rock band fronted by autistic musicians Louis DeMarco and Adam Hines.
February 2009
Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism by art therapist Nicole Martin (the webmaster) is now available through pre-order on Amazon (scheduled publication is May 15, 2009). Click here to access: www.amazon.com
Here are some wonderful resources that were recently emailed to me:
Autism Patient's Painting Makes Way to City Hall A news story about eight-year old artist Candace Waters of Park Ridge, IL.
Sidecars A short film by Ben Stamper that features a teenage illustrator (Justin Canha) with autism. Justin is also featured in an online radio show at www.theuniversityhospital.com
August 2008
I recently ran across the website of Eric Chen, a young man with Asperger's who posts his “Autistic Art” on his website iautistic.com/autism-art-00.php
Also, I have posted a new article on the Resources and Links page by Kathleen Epps, a social worker in Connecticut, titled Outcome based evaluation of a social skills program using art therapy and group therapy for children on the autism spectrum. It's wonderful! I also posted an archived article from the Kennedy Krieger Institute with a great interview by their art therapist, Jennifer Glaaser (a presenter at last year's AATA conference).
Orlando, FL: July 12, 2008
This weekend the Autism Society of America's 39th Annual Conference includes an interesting presentation titled "My Own World: Art-Based Curriculum, Fostering Resilience in Individuals with Autism" presented by Ayelet Kantor, Ph.D., Nicole Deary, CCC-SLP, Lisa Samperil-Davis, M.F.A., Lorna Grace Swanson, B.A., Debra J. Romano and June Groden, PhD. The abstract can be found at http://asa.confex.com/asa/2008/webprogram/Session3639.html No art therapists appear to be involved or referenced although it is a therapeutic art curriculum.
June 2008
I found several websites that sell artwork in order to raise funds for either autism organizations or individual families: www.arttocureautism.com, www.artforautism.net, www.artnowforautism.com. Also, search “art therapy and autism” on YouTube for a variety of great video.
The webmaster's recent research article is listed on the website Healing Thresholds at http://autism.healingthresholds.com/research/assessing-portrait-drawings-crea.
April 2008
Hurray! Arts for Healing, an integrated art therapy and music therapy program in Connecticut www.artsforhealing.org is currently accepting participants (children ages 3-12 with an ASD diagnosis) for a research study that seeks to empirically determine the effectiveness of Art for Healing's specific art/music therapy approach. This study is being conducted in conjunction with Mt. Sinai Medical School. Click on the link: http://www.acorn-online.com/news/publish/wilton/30298.shtml
Also found online: Art Therapy for High Functioning Autism- How to Get Started (no info on this person's credentials, but the article is well written)
New York City: May 9-11, 2008
The Sprout Film Festival, showcasing films related to the field of developmental disabilities, will take place at the Met from May 9-11. Visit www.gosprout.org/film/ for info. There are several films on the schedule related to the topic of art and autism.
Also, here is a copy of a recent press release from the American Art Therapy Association about the webmaster for Autism Awareness Month: Art Therapy Adds to Growing Understanding of Autism
Chicago: April 8, 2008
Click on the link http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=85061 for the story Art therapy creates new hues in Autism Awareness Month by Northwestern grad student Eleanor Perry-Smith who interviewed the webmaster for the story.
April 2008
Check out Art Therapy: The Journal of the American Art Therapy Association's latest issue (Vol. 25, No. 1), which contains a research article by the webmaster (Nicole Martin) on the topic of art therapy and autism. www.arttherapyjournal.org It also contains interesting articles (see Vick and Lentz) about "outsider" community art studios, many of which promote the work of artists with ASD (links to such programs are on the Resources and Links page, and see the posting below dated October 3, 2007).
March 28, 2008
At 8 pm (CST) National Public Radio aired an hour long special on their program Studio 360 on “the interaction between art and autism”. The show featured Jonathan Mitchell, a writer with Asperger's who weaves his feelings on rejection, loneliness, and celibacy into his short stories; it mentioned the film Autism: The Musical (a recent HBO premiere www.autismthemusical.com), a documentary about a theater project which “gives these performers a comfort zone in which they can explore their creative sides” ; Blythe Corbett, researcher at the University of California-Davis MIND Institute, who discussed the MIND Institute's collection of artwork made by artists with ASD (details on the book can be found in this website's references list); and Ami Klin, researcher at Yale's Autism Program, who is working on a study that tracks what people with ASD pay attention to when watching social interaction in films.
You can listen to the show Art and Autism online at: http://www.studio360.org/episodes/2008/03/28
Also, while digging around on NPR's website, I found this:
A Mother Inspired, Not Defeated by Autism (“Acclaimed Artist Lezley Saar's latest works are inspired by her 16-year-old daughter, who has autism. Saar has transformed her family's struggle with autism into something positive; she uses it for new and innovative approaches to her art.”)
There are many more radio stories about other topics in autism in NPR's database on www.npr.org.
Emporia, KS: March 8, 2008
Art therapist Jessie Woolhiser reported on her work as art therapist at an inclusive ASD/neurotypical socialization program through the University of Nebraska at Emporia State University's 34th annual Art Therapy Discovery Day on Saturday, March 8, 2008. It was exciting to hear about the work being done in Omaha and we are looking forward to the article that Jessie and her co-workers are writing about the experience.
December 2007
Some interesting and relevant links found recently:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/ownwords/intheirownwords_sculpture.php
http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/ownwords/intheirownwords_poem.php
The recent conference in Albuquerque was a great success, with several interesting presentations on the topic of art therapy and autism (and a healthy buzz about this speciality in general). Let's stay in touch and continue to pool our knowledge!
Albuquerque, NM: November 14-18, 2007
The American Art Therapy Association's 38th annual conference features several presentations on the topic of art therapy and autism. For more information visit: www.arttherapy.org/conference
Thursday 4:45 - 5:35pm
Art Therapy and Autism: Sharing art therapy techniques and experiences
Holly A. DeRosa, MAAT, LPC; Nicole Martin, MAAT, LPC
Friday 7:00 - 7:50am
Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disabilities
Erica Curtis, LMFT, ATR-BC
Friday 10:45 - 11:35am
Autism and Affect Recognition: Connecting faces and feelings through art therapy
Holly A. DeRosa, MAAT, LPC
Saturday 1:30 - 2:20pm
Art Therapy and Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Providing creative paths to social-connectedness
Jennifer Glaaser, MAAT, ATR; Catherine K. Goucher, MA, ATR-BC, LCPC; Sandy Miller, LCSW-C, MAT; Jill E. Scheibler, MA
Chicago: October 3, 2007
To kick off Chicago Artists Month, Project Onward, the Chicago Cultural Center's studio program for artists with special needs presents an evening of art and dialogue. The exhibition “Take a Look at Yourself: Self-Portraits by the Artists of Project Onward” forms the backdrop for a panel discussion on studio programs serving artists with developmental and mental disabilities. Artists with disabilities are marginalized on many levels yet their work has gained critical and commercial acceptance within the international “Outsider” art world due in part to the success of studio programs that support them. Oakland's Creative Growth, Rotterdam's Atelier Herenplaats, Vienna's Gugging, and other agencies dedicated to disability arts have raised the profile of talented individuals worldwide. Still, myths and misconceptions about these artists continue to circulate within the art world just as they do in society at large. Can the artwork by disabled artists stand on its own or must it always be “disability art”? Is it art or therapy? Can it be both? What is the role of the studio facilitator/therapist in the making of artwork? How are issues of ownership and proceeds handled in such programs? These and other issues will be explored by the panelists.
The panelists: Rob Lentz, Project Onward Program Director (Artist-curator-arts administrator); Leslie Baum, Thresholds South Studio Director (Artist-facilitator-NKLF and Darger legacy); and Randy M. Vick, Department of Art Therapy, SAIC (studio program models; art “vs.” art therapy).
This event will take place in the Garland Room, 1st floor west corridor of the Chicago Cultural Center (Michigan and Washington). The self-portraits will be displayed in the corridor outside the Garland Room.
Artists' Opening and Reception 5-6; Panel 6-8.
www.projectonward.org
New York City: Summer, 2007
Cure Autism Now (CAN)/Autism Speaks is collaborating with Gibson Guitar, JELLYNYC, and Schatzi Marketing to raise money for autism research by auctioning a number of hand-painted Gibson guitars (painted during FREE concerts in NYC by TV on the Radio, Blonde Redhead, and more). The guitars will be auctioned online at the end of the summer (after the concert series). For a schedule of concerts and info on the auction, visit www.artagainstautism.org
|
