4 Artists You Need to Know

I’ve been meaning to share some beloved new artists I’ve discovered and thought Down Syndrome Awareness Month would be a great time to introduce a few of them. There are many young moms of children with special needs who are blogging, clubs for kids with special needs, volunteers who are happy to give time to children because children elicit all the good feels. I’ve never felt short of support in the five years we’ve had Nella. While there are still challenges and many fight for more inclusion and special needs support in educational settings for children, I think most parents of older children would admit that they felt more support and found more opportunities for their kids when they were younger. When the training wheels of the school system are removed from students with special needs who are transitioning into adulthood, that’s often the time when families feel a gaping hole of need. Like anyone else, these friends of ours want a thriving social life, fulfilling jobs, opportunities to travel, contribute to their communities and create a meaningful life. With the extra challenges they face, these things so many of us take for granted often become difficult to achieve.

This is one of the reasons why the mission of Ruby’s Rainbow has become so near and dear to my heart. If we can bridge that gap, provide more learning opportunities, facilitate in any way we can to increase the chance of employment and independent living so adults with special needs can have the most fulfilling life possible, that gaping hole of need closes a bit more.

One more way we can address this need is in shifting our consumer habits. We flip through catalogues, search websites, browse shops and scan Etsy for gifts, pretty things for home and art for our walls. If we transferred that buying over to artists with special needs who depend on selling a few pieces a month to help pay for apartment rent or groceries or dinner out with a friend–money that makes them recognize the importance of their contribution in the world? Then we’ve completed a circuit. Full circle, everybody wins.

I was texting some of these pictures of art over to my friend Liz from Ruby’s Rainbow last night, and she texted back: Maybe some of this art will be from our own kids someday. Can you imagine someone seeing a piece and saying, “Is that a Nella Hampton?”

Yes, I can imagine that. I can absolutely imagine the possibilities for my child to be a famous artist because A: Art is limitless, and B: Nella is limitless.

So please. If you have a wall space in your home you’ve been searching for art for, if you have a sister with an upcoming birthday, if you’ve started your holiday shopping early and want something beautiful and meaningful, if you love switching out art in your kids’ rooms or your bedroom or the wall above your desk, would you take a look at these beautiful artists’ work? Buy something, display it, wrap it up and bestow it upon your best friend. Tell them the story behind it. Share the artist’s name when anyone asks where you found that gorgeous piece.

I found artist Don Larison on Instagram, bought this fun print of a woman in a hammock (“Tropical Beauty“) and love the way it looks in the collage above my desk. I can’t wait to fill our home with more art from people with special needs. You can find more Don Larison art here.

 

And four more talented artists you need to know:

Christian Royal

I was in California last month when a reader sent me a link to Christian Royal’s art. I opened the link sitting at Claire Bidwell Smith’s dining room table and was so smitten with his pottery that I hollered for everyone to come look with me. Hovered around my laptop, we slowly scrolled through his gallery, gushing over each new piece that appeared. The delicate details! The soft colors! I had Brett look at his plates last night and casually mentioned that I wouldn’t mind at all if someday our Thanksgiving table featured a whole mismatched set of Christian Royal dishes.

Christian Royal struggled in many areas of school but showed incredible interest and talent in working with clay. He began making pottery in his homeschool program and over the years and with the help of generous mentors, his passion transformed into meaningful work.  From his site: “A simple beginning has developed into a vocation — one which daily animates Christian’s life with purpose, camaraderie, and identity in society.”

 

Brandon Lack

Brandon Lack’s interest in art started in preschool where he “developed a lifelong method of meditative circle drawing that he used during stressful times, which he had more than his fair share.” I love his abstract art–those meditative circle drawings reflected in them–and the one over the couch above? Swoon. I encourage you to click over to his site and read his bio and some of the stories shared. Brandon has been through a lot of heartache and yet he’s a devoted community volunteer and loves to make people happy. I loved this: “He has always been well loved and his family has always demanded extremely high expectations.”

 

Rachel Handlin

Rachel is a Ruby’s Rainbow scholarship recipient and their first recipient who is going for her bachelor of fine arts. She was accepted into 7 different bachelor programs all over the country as well as Europe and Australia. She’s attending California Institute of the Arts and is already a talented photographer. Her prints can be purchased through an incredible organization, Heart and Sold, which works to give individuals with Down syndrome a platform to educate, promote, inspire and sell their art.

 

Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson is a self-taught folk artist who comes from a long line of artists and musicians. He was introduced to art by his mother, a stained glass artist, and began playing with stained glass remnants on a light box when he was nine years old. The evolution of his technique is a fascinating read, and the description of his current work: a “fearless use of vivid color” made me pause and reread the phrase. How many of us mute our colors because of fear? I sure wouldn’t mind “fearless use of vivid color” on my tombstone someday. With seasons shifting into cozytown, I couldn’t help but be drawn to his Fun in the Snow acrylics piece. How lovely would that look hanging in a child’s bedroom or playroom? And his Central Park piece? So many feel goods!

 

I’d love to periodically share more art from people with special needs here. I chose artists with Down syndrome this month, but there are many needs and many people creating beautiful things. If you know of a talented artist with special needs, please e-mail their info and site where we can buy their art to kellehamptonblog@comcast.net with “artist with special needs” in the subject line.

Thank you!