A special art gallery for artists with Autism
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An hour south of Chicago’s loop is a unique art gallery. Started in 2015, the Merchant Street Gallery for Artist with Autism, in Kankakee, IL is one of only four such galleries in the USA. It is the only gallery of its kind west of the Eastern Seaboard. The other galleries are in Boston, MA, New York, and Florida.
“Our mission is different from some of the other galleries,” Janice Miller, Executive Director of the Gallery told me in an interview. “We seek to develop art skills with the artists, but our central goal is to get them to a place where they can become employed.”
While each case is unique, there seems to be a common thread with art. The concentration required to create art seems to help the artists perform other tasks. An overall improvement in motor skills and communication skills seems to be two benefits of creating art for those who are on the spectrum
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
28 Oct 2017, 1:59 am
