PURE VISIONS

Artists Show Their Work at Manhattan Gallery

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By Diane Moriarty

On June 3 the Shield Institute held a benefit art exhibition and auction at the prestigious Marlborough Gallery on West 57 St. in Manhattan.

The show featured new work by the artists of the Pure Visions Arts (PVA) studio in Chelsea, New York’s only full-time, professional studio for artists with developmental disabilities. PVA is a program of the Shield Institute, an educational organization affiliated with the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS)

Several styles and techniques were on display, such as the abstract expressionism of Alba Somoza’s bird paintings; the draftsman precision of Jessica Park’s print “Victorian House, Ithaca, N.Y.;” the loose and lyrical “West Sayville Marina” by Susan Brown; and a simple still life by William Britt made hypnotic by his intensely crisp brushwork. The image shimmers with inner life.

Britt’s work is in the collections of Mario Cuomo, Nancy Reagan, Prince Charles and the Emperor of Japan. Joe Gordon, director of Development and Community Relations for Shield, though pleased with the results of the auction, said that the effect of the economic crisis was evident in the sales and noted how much higher the work went for in better times.

Disability rights advocate Mary Somoza received the Shield’s 2009 Pure Visionary Award for her efforts in the fight to secure full inclusion for students with disabilities. A mother of four, including twin daughters with cerebral palsy, she successfully challenged the New York City public school system sixteen years ago for failing to accommodate her wheelchair-using daughters.

The matter took on a national aspect during the Presidency of Bill Clinton when Somoza’s daughter Anastasia asked the President at a town hall meeting why her sister shouldn’t be able to attend the same school she did. Clinton responded positively to the issue and in honor of the occasion sent a letter, read aloud at the ceremony, that praised her work and championed “embracing the creativity of all people.”

The award was presented to Somoza by her daughter Alba Somoza, who gave a short speech using an electronic speaking device.

Somoza accepted the award “in the name of all parents and caretakers...,” and stressed that it was “a family affair... I could not have done it alone...” and thanked her husband Gerardo and the other family members.

There was also a proclamation from Gov. David Paterson which described the event as a “compelling testament” to the work of the Shield Institute.

In her speech honoring her mother, Alba Somoza spoke of the importance of art in her life. She said, “One of the ways I get people to see beyond my disability is as an artist and painter. When I am painting I can express myself and not feel limited by my body. Through my painting, I feel like I connect directly with others on a deeper level that doesn’t leave room for judgments based on disability.” She then thanked her art teachers and her mother for getting her into school in the first place.