Arts Access Program at Matheny

Montclair, NJ: Studio Montclair presents its 20th Annual Open Juried Exhibition, “ViewPoints 2017,” to run from June 1 through June 30, 2017 at aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art, 591 Broad Street, Newark, NJ. An opening reception and announcement of cash awards will take place on Saturday, June 3 from 6 to 9pm. This year’s show features 87 works selected from more than 1,000 that were submitted by artists from every region of the US, as well as Canada, Europe, and Asia. States curator Karen Wilkin, “The submissions to ViewPoints 2017 reflected today’s multivalence of conception, approach, and medium, so the selection of work to be exhibited had to honor widely differing possibilities without compromising aesthetic values.” The result is an exhibition of work that cuts across a broad range of media and techniques, including oil painting, various forms of photography, clay, fabric, metal, wood, and mixed

The Arts Access Program at Matheny Medical & Educational Center is designed to inspire, uplift and encourage the aspirations of artists in the disabled community. In an effort to provide access to the same disciplines available to able-bodied artists, Arts Access offers courses in all of the fine, performing, and literary arts. Using systems and techniques specifically designed for each discipline, participants can create pieces of work that are distinctly their own. On a daily basis, Arts Access fosters an environment of artistic creativity among the participating clients. The program improves the quality of life of the disabled community and those around them. In addition, Arts Access programming aids in changing the perception about the capabilities and talents of those living with developmental disabilities.