In a quiet corner of a busy room, a young girl in a pink smock pauses to clean her brush. Before her stands a large canvas covered in bright oranges, greens and pinks. It’s a river scene, and the latest creation of Abby, My Possibilities Artist-in-Residence.
Abby first came to My Possibilities several years ago while she was still in high school. She began her journey as a participant in one of My Possibilities Summer Programs, but it soon became apparent that MP afforded her opportunities for art that high school just didn’t. At My Possibilities, Abby blossomed, and instructors began to notice not only her passion but her prodigious talent for art as well.
“When she first came to us, we noticed that she had significant skill,” says Create Program Lead Casey Parrott, “she painted with such vibrant colors and was very much drawn to Renaissance art- particularly Michelangelo and Da Vinci.”
Inspired by the Old Masters, Abby began creating work of increasing complexity and beauty. Soon, it wasn’t just instructors taking notice, but the public too. In 2014, Abby had her first solo art exhibit- selling 17 of the 22 pieces on display. Now, Abby has a loyal following and is one of My Possibilities most prolific HIPsters.
“Over the past few years, I’ve watched her develop variation, which is typically pretty hard for someone on the spectrum,” says Casey, “but she’s able to implement line variation, hue variation, saturation, she’s developing a better and richer color palette- it works and it’s INCREDIBLE.”
For Abby, art has become a way to not only express herself, but to pave the way for other HIPsters like her.
“I think that if we were to invest in this community and give more time and more ability to these individuals,” says Casey, “we would see a lot more talented artists. These guys could be designing for major studios, they could be painting for galleries, and they could be making backdrops for plays- it really could lead to job skills and work.”
For more information on our Create Program click here.
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