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| Morning Tree by Jim Dillion |
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| Up in Heaven by Kenny Stischok |
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| Seeing Red by Bryan Thompson |
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| Untitled by Bob Watson |
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| Tree Line by Roy Austin |
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| Stormy Seas by Rebecca Bell |
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| Flutterby by Rebecca Bell |
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| Santa’s Workshop by Arnold J. Large |
An exhibition featuring the work of Ohio artists with disabilities, including eight from Madison County, has been on tour across the state since March. In November, the show comes to London.
“Accessible Expressions Ohio” is a program of VSA arts of Ohio, an organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities, creatively, through the arts. The show is the only statewide, adjudicated art exhibition and tour for people with disabilities.
Dozens of pieces from the show will be on display Nov. 3-29 at the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, 730 Keny Blvd., and The Gallery on High, 5 E. High St.
“As I understand it, we are the only county hosting an exhibit this month, so we will have a large portion of the artwork. There are over 70 pieces that have been divided up… and moved around the state,” said Alice Kennedy, coordinator of the Sky High Arts program at MATCO Services Inc., sponsor of the Accessible Expressions stop in London.
The Chamber will hold a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 12 at which the public can meet the artists and enjoy the artwork and refreshments. The art will be available for viewing and purchase throughout the month during regular business hours.
The exhibit at The Gallery on High will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays in November.
“The Gallery on High is honored to be selected as one of the sites for VSA arts of Ohio’s Accessible Expressions Ohio tour in Madison County,” said Alice Seyfried, a member of the London Visual Arts Guild, which manages the gallery. The guild is a non-profit organization that encourages the visual arts, promotes interest in art produced by members, students and others, and hosts art exhibitions, workshops, meetings and social activities revolving around art.
The eight Madison County individuals whose work is part of the exhibit participate in MATCO’s Sky High Arts program. They are Roy D. Austin, Rebecca Bell, Jim Dillion, Arnold J. Large, Steve Shingler, Kenny Stischok, Bryan Thomp-son and Bob Watson. MATCO serves adults with disabilities in Madison County through vocational, habilitation and day programming services.
“Some of our artists have already sold pieces through the tour,” said Kennedy.
Besides London, the exhibition schedule includes stops in Columbus, Dayton, Sandusky and Xenia. The opening ceremony was held March 8 at the Toledo Botanical Gardens.
More information on the organizations mentioned here can be found at:
• www.LondonVisualArtsGuild.org or lvag.info@gmail.com;
• www.madisoncountychamber.org or 740-852-2250;
• www.vsarts.org, www.vsao.org, 614-241-5325; and
• www.matcoserv.com.
To see the Madison County artists’ works, go to www.columbusmessenger.com.
