Sunday, July 28, was a beautiful summer afternoon filled with even more beautiful art as the artists of the Matheny Arts Access Program and JSDD’s WAE Center celebrated their 14th year of collaboration at the JSDD’s Heidi Gallery in Livingston, NJ.
Beginning in 2011, Matheny Arts Access the WAE Center have come together annually at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark to showcase the artwork and achievements of artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New Jersey. Just as the artists have evolved over the past 14 years, this year brought an exciting change as the exhibit moved to the walls of the Heidi Gallery at JSDD.
This new era for Matheny Arts Access and the WAE Center’s collaboration, reimagined as “Summer Symbiosis,” marks a new turn in the road of a longtime partnership in bringing the work of artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities into a commercial art space.
The gallery was filled with excited chatter among artists, families, friends, and staff during last Sunday’s reception. It was a particularly special occasion, not only because of the new venue, but because it was the first in-person celebration of the collaborative exhibit since 2019. After four years of virtual receptions, the artists from both organizations were thrilled to meet each other beyond the Zoom screen.
The event kicked off with opening remarks from Monica Schneider-Brewer, Director of Marketing and Communications at the WAE Center, and Heather Williams, the Program Director of Matheny Arts Access. It was a warm welcome and reminder of the importance of partnership within the arts and disability community. After the event, Arts Access artist Isabell Villacis shared, “Our work thinks for itself wherever we go and whoever we meet we try to impact them through our work.”
“Symbiosis” is a special type of bond that helps both groups grow and thrive together, and the bond between Matheny Arts Access and the WAE Center continues to grow stronger every year. Congratulations to all of the artists, and thank you to all who came out to support. Don’t miss seeing the exhibit through Monday, August 18.
The Heidi Gallery is located at 310 Eisenhower Parkway in Livingston, NJ. The gallery is open Monday – Friday 9am-5pm.
