As you may have noticed, Iragi is Make Studio’s #1 fan of seasonal holiday festivities. Before the pandemic, that was evident on this day, also this one, and this one, among many others!
Since then, Iragi has not given up the holiday hype man role, and perhaps because he knows that our return to the physical studio is finally, thankfully, approaching, he went all out for St. Patrick’s Day 2021.
We couldn’t let the moment pass without sharing the full force of his#GoGoGreenspirit!
“I returned home from Big Lots at Columbia MD. I got a Neon Green Mini Light Set on Green Wire, 70-Count, again, because it’s just only for themed parties, mantel decoration or using as a fun alternative to a traditional lamp, even, for summer.”
Gary asked, “Would the Grinch enjoy St. Patrick’s Day or no?” Debate ensued, before everyone concluded that yes, the Grinch would probably enjoy St. Patrick’s Day. ☘️🌈💚
As well as being St. Patrick’s Day, it was also the one-year anniversary of when Make Studio officially shut down our physical studio. Thank you all for sticking with us during the past year! We’re pleased to announce that some artists will be returning to the studio on March 25th, and we couldn’t be happier about it.
We are so excited to get our holiday hype squad back together again in the studio this spring and summer! Stay tuned.
Artist remarks compiled by Erin Barach, Development Associate
After what can only be described as the strangest year in Make Studio’s history, we’re looking forward to soon easing back into in-person operations this spring. In the meantime, we’re celebrating a special time for us every year, our annual anniversary extravaganza. This year we’re turning things up to 11!
Recent times have proven more than ever that variety, in the right doses, is the spice of life, so instead of one party we’re hosting a week of festivities online, including this three-part blog series 11 Ways to Make an Art Studio! We asked our artists what were the essential, and somewhat quirky, ingredients that make a fabulous art studio, well, fabulous.
Part Three: People and Party Time
9. “Fweeends”
Laura Curtis, Two Merfairies ll
High on our artists’ list of necessary ingredients to make an art studio are the people! Fellow artists, staff members, new (at first) folks (like our interns!), guest artists, and supporters from the community who attend shows and workshops are all pieces of the art studio puzzle.
Make Studio Artists Zooming with members of Interact Center and Riera Studio, from Minneapolis and Havana, respectively.
Kareem pointed out that knowing other folks with disabilities that he could relate to was especially important. Cordially Invited, our annual invitational exhibition and showcase of artists working at progressive studios, was a big success this year. We especially loved hosting our friends from near and far in group discussions and workshops.
10. Social Gatherings
A zoom birthday celebration and hat party!
Probably one of the biggest challenges this past year was finding new ways to “get together” and be social, but Make Studio artists definitely know how to party, regardless of the circumstances! As Bess puts it, being social is about “actively participating – adding something to life.”
Julian Hinmon, A Day at the Movie Theater
Artists also took time in their studio practice this past year to reflect on what they’ve been missing the most since the pandemic began. Group activities and social gatherings have definitely been on all of our minds.
11. Holidays, Traditions, and Special Occasions (Like Our Anniversary!)
Iragi Lya Nkere, Mele Kalikimaka
Make Studio artists all agreed that celebrating special pastimes help make an art studio great. If there is one thing artist Iragi loves, it’s a photo-op. He dresses to the nines for Valentine’s Day, St. Paddy’s Day, patriotic days, Halloween, and Christmas photo shoots at the end of the day in the studio.
Jeremy during our virtual holiday “House Party”
Traditions and special occasions brighten up our lives and help us connect through special moments – from making gingerbread houses together to Monster Mash dance parties at Halloween.
Which brings us to our 11th anniversary! Make Studio’s “birthday” party has always been an important time for our artists, and the same certainly goes for this year.
Please join us for nightly “premieres” of select artist acts, which can be found on social and Youtube throughout this week. And tune in for the “main event” of the anniversary online this Saturday February 27th. Our artists’ very own virtual VARIETY SHOW opens at 4 PM, with performances beginning at 4:15. The Zoom link will be provided before the show on our social.
Artist remarks compiled by Erin Barach, Development Associate
After what can only be described as the strangest year in Make Studio’s history, we’re looking forward to soon easing back into in-person operations this spring. In the meantime, we’re celebrating a special time for us every year, our annual anniversary extravaganza. This year we’re turning things up to 11!
Recent times have proven more than ever that variety, in the right doses, is the spice of life, so instead of one party we’re hosting a week of festivities online, including this three-part blog series 11 Ways to Make an Art Studio! We asked our artists what were the essential, and somewhat quirky, ingredients that make a fabulous art studio, well, fabulous.
Part Two: Nuts & Bolts (The Necessities)
5. Art Materials
Alex Albert, Drawing Materials
Everyone knows that you can’t have a top-notch art studio without plenty of art materials. In pre-pandemic times, Make Studio artists had access to every paint, marker, pencil, and pen under the sun, as well as a variety of other media like fabrics and clay. For the time being, we’ve set up a delivery system, bringing artists the materials of their choice to their home studios.
Kareem Samuels, Bible Heroes on Planet Dreamland
Kareem says that he especially loves the wide-array of watercolors that he can choose from for his mixed-media artwork. He is an expert in doing portraits of himself, friends and family, celebrities, and superheroes, both of his own creation and otherwise.
2. Work and Exhibition Space
All of the artists agree that a physical space to make art and a gallery where their art gets sold is essential to making a great art studio. Dasha also mentioned, “good lighting, good working conditions, and a welcoming space.” Louis is a big fan of the small details. He remarked we need to have a doorbell, because “it lets us know when the people come.”
Louis Middleton, Building lll
3. Lunch (and food in general)
Tony Labate, The Fries Are Crispy
In order to be at their best, our artists need the proper fuel to make it through the day at the studio. Lunch time is a big deal, giving the artists a respite from their creative quandaries and a chance to unwind.
Dasha Kalumuk, Watching TV
Dasha was happy to mention her favorite snacks from near-by 7-11, “nachos… pizza… cheeseburger dogs…” The list goes on! In her work, Dasha has developed many original characters and the worlds they live in using a comic-inspired style, as well as expressive non-representational work.
4. Routine (But Also Lots of Random Stuff!)
In order to get focused and down to work, our artists said they need daily routines, along with lots of fun interludes to break up the day. From making a border on a new drawing, to signing your finished artwork, to daily walks to the aforementioned 7/11, routines keep artists moving and motivated.
Margie Smeller, 7-11 Cashier
The namesake of this blog is a long-standing routine at Make Studio, where artists “save their faves” for a special sharing session at the end of the studio day.
That’s it for Part Two! Stay tuned for the third installment of 11 Ways to Make an Art Studio!
Artist remarks compiled by Erin Barach, Development Associate
After what can only be described as the strangest year in Make Studio’s history, we’re looking forward to soon easing back into in-person operations this spring. In the meantime, we’re celebrating a special time for us every year, our annual anniversary extravaganza. This year we’re turning things up to 11!
Recent times have proven more than ever that variety, in the right doses, is the spice of life, so instead of one party we’re hosting a week of festivities online, including this three-part blog series 11 Ways to Make an Art Studio! We asked our artists what were the essential, and somewhat quirky, ingredients that make a fabulous art studio, well, fabulous.
Part One: Artistic Exploration & Fulfillment
1. Creative Inspiration
Many of our artists said that for an art studio to be successful, the participating artists need plenty of inspiration. As Gary puts it, “like sharing my childhood nostalgia with you.” Gary creates interesting re-imaginings of familiar animation characters. He is especially fond of Disney and “old school” Nickelodeon characters.
Gary Schmedes, Disney Characters from 2019
Inspiration can come in the form of small gestures, like sharing updates about your pets in an online studio session, or from a fellow artist. Aimee says of her studiomates, “we ricochet off one another and inspire one another. Dasha modelled for me and loved it. She’s always willing to help me out.”
2. Being Eccentric and Silly
Aimee also said how important it is to loosen up and “be all over the place to get that vibe. You wanna create more and come up with new ideas and just jump off the walls, because you’re so happy.” In response Dasha said slyly, “sure that’s not the 7/11 coffee, Aimee?”
3. Constructive Criticism
Bess astutely added that constructive criticism is essential to making a great art studio. Bess enjoys costume and set design, Japanese anime, and gothic and magical themes, which predominate in her artwork.
Bess Lumsden, Enchanted Forest
“(I like) suggestions – but being nice about it – open ended challenges that push you in a good way, not in a bad way. (These suggestions) make me feel more confidant.”
Which leads to …
4. Acceptance
Gemma told us how important it was to her that an art studio allows people to express how they feel and develop self-acceptance. She enjoys exploring how she can expand on her initial ideas for artwork, working in all sorts of media, while working in a studio setting with other artists. “Feeling welcome even if you’re different – it’s helped me a lot.”
Gemma Frost, Happy
Stay tuned for the next installment of 11 Ways to Make an Art Studio!
As our artists and staff have carried on with studio life during this most unusual Make Studio summer, our founders and Board recently finalized our phased plan for both reopening our physical studio and improving virtual services for the long haul.
To do that, we surveyed our artists and families, and completed risk-benefit determinations for all of our artists, staff, and potential visiting audiences. The result of this process is a plan we feel confident will keep the art-making going as well as help to keep our community safe. (Interested in the details? Shoot an email to Jill at jill@make-studio.org)
We’ve also been trouble-shooting getting some artists re-connected, such as Seth who just recently started virtual studio. Anticipating an art materials delivery heading his way, he said, “I wanna get back in the game!”
Although we’ve been having a great time in virtual studio, because many of our artists will be working from home for some time to come, enhancements to ward off Zoom fatigue — special guests, field trips to other artists’ studios and galleries, meet-ups with other progressive studio friends — are going to be a more regular occurrence this fall.
Kicking this off last week was a visit from long-time Make Studio friends, artist Dan Keplinger (aka King Gimp) and his partner Dena, planned in-tandem to #ADA30 celebrations.
Per our Program Associate Rosie:
“What a laughter- and passion-filled call! Thank you all and thank you Dan for sharing your stories and process, as well as Dan and Dena for your appreciation of Make Studio artists’ work! It’s always good to have another reminder that art is a way to tell stories and that artist’s stories and art are in high demand.”
Dan shared this video and description with us beforehand:
I am currently working on a portrait of Art Honeyman, I discovered him in the movie The Music Within. According to the movie he was in college and met a guy that just left the service due to hearing lost. Richard was new to the Gimp Life, so Art ‘showed’ him the ropes. Richard was a good public speaker and found a new passion for disabilities rights. According to the movie the was the start to the ADA.
During the session Dan shared some in-progress shots of his current work — a detail from his current work of Art Honeyman, and a 200% zoom-in of what it looks like when he is working.
Inspiring the mutual accolades and laughter amongst the artists in this session were conversations like this one:
Gary [on drawing Disney characters]: “I do it from my heart.”
Dan: “That’s what makes an artist.”
Dan: “Everyone needs love right now.”
Dena: “All your art, it makes people happy.”
Dan: “Every day I ask myself a question so I can try to find the answer. This morning’s question was: what is the difference between the ADA and universal design. And then that research gives me another idea and os on!”
Dena: “Your art and your story are in high demand. Art is another way to tell your story.”
Gary [about his characters]: “How lovable are they?!”
Dan: “I see my paintings more as conversations than decorations.”
Before wrapping up the visit with Dan and Dena, the group compiled a reading/watching list for themselves (and for you!):
The following are “sketches”, captured in words, of some happenings during recent virtual studio sessions, which we began offering for artists in response to COVID-19. (Find out more about Make Studio’s response to the coronavirus here.)
Wednesday, May 20
Everyone on the call had EGGS for breakfast!
While we drew our self-portraits together, the question arose:
“What about evil twins?”
We (especially, Louis) listed famous evil twins in media:
Power Puff Girls // Rowdy Ruff Boys
Darkwing Duck // Negaduck
Sonic // Scourge
Shaggy // The Mirror Monster
..and Margie Smeller // Her Evil Twin = a bunny
Many of us added our evil twins into our self-portraits, to which Gary replied:
“Diabolical!”
[Afterwards, it was just discover that it’s Gemini season !!]
Discussing our fellow studio ECF Art Center’s upcoming muppet event (find out more here to join in!) inspired many muppet drawings today.
We discussed, “How do artists shape messages through their artwork?”
Emailing pictures of art
Using characters and color to show emotion
Using figurines
Telling about what they are drawing
Using visual jokes
Drawing facial expressions that show emotions
Sharing positive messages with direct speech bubbles that talk to the viewer
Friday, May 22
We discussed, “What makes you feel relaxed?”
Watching tv shows
Reading books on Alexa
Rain (so long as you’re not in it)
Tension Tamer tea
Dark chocolate after dinner
PJs at midday
Going on a run or doing yoga – zone out, zen out
Exercising two times a day
Erika shared words of wisdom on evil twins:
“Confront it, face it, become a stronger person. Don’t reject your shadow.”
Wednesday, May 27
We practiced documentation using ECF’s tutorial, which helped us choose a good light source and avoid shadows, and everyone took photos of their work. Here’s Margie’s test shot:
Margie: “I’m a flower girl. I like flowers.” Her favorites? “Roses.”What color? “Red.”
Louis was moved to pose the intriguing question:
“What’s a self-destruct?”
He came up with a list of examples throughout the call: Sonic, Bugs Bunny and Marvin Martian, Jackie Chan, Power Rangers, and James Bond. Louis and Iragi both made some drawings on the subject.
Iragi wrote Rosie later, to fill her on other thoughts on the subject:
“I know Self-destruct is a mechanism that can cause an object to destroy itself or render itself inoperable after a predefined set of circumstances has occurred & mechanisms are typically found on devices and systems where malfunction could endanger large numbers of people… And Everybody knows that in the Superheroes films & TV Programs that everything was about to blow in minutes & seconds left & the people are running for their lives and most of all, Everyvillian was always vaporized & Every Hero will always endure. That’s all I can tell you.”
We closed by discussing, “What are your current creative projects?”
Gary: Clip art, printing, tracing, editing, and making them into a coloring-page format to color on Microsoft Paint.
Margie: Drawing flowers with gel pens. Coloring in my coloring book and sketchbook. Using stickers.
Iragi: Masterpieces of faces.
Louis: Using Microsoft Paint to “make everything I want.”
In conjunction withMake Studio’s Autism Acceptance Month online gallery, we’re highlighting some partnering entities who, if 2020 gave us a *typical* April, would have joined us for an in-person gallery event. Our last post featured theHussman Center for Adults with Autism. Today, we’re featuring Taking the Lead, an organization that also shares our goals of centering supports for people with autism and other disabilities on strengths, and providing customized training to build lasting careers.
Some of TTL’s vocational participants were planning to demonstrate their dog training skills at our event and, although we’re disappointed that couldn’t happen this spring, we’re pleased to (re)introduce you to TTL in the virtual realm.
Taking the Lead provides an array of services and experiences including therapeutic horseback riding, hippotherapy, service animal training, animal adoption, a nature and sensory trail, and the aforementioned vocational program, all on their beautiful 80 acre farm in Baltimore County.
Their inclusive vocational program provides folks aged 13 and up with the skills they need to gain meaningful employment in animal-related industries. Participants explore jobs and learn functional skills for employment on a real working farm with live animals, rather than in a classroom setting. Their program is unique in that an occupational therapist identifies the specific needs of each participant and breaks down their individual objectives into achievable short- and long-term goals, and the curriculum is customized based on the individual participant’s interests: “Levels of training range from pre-vocational life skills to an advanced program with an internship component to meet each student where they are and help them be as independent as possible on their journey to employment.”
We’re pleased to share this farm status report, about how they are faring as a nonprofit during this time of COVID-19, from TTL’s founder and COO, Chelsea:
I have had to suspend programs, but I will be doing virtual storytelling programs with the farm animals. Additionally, I am raising broad breasted and heritage breed turkeys to sell pasture raised turkeys. People can follow them on our Facebook page!
Stay tuned, as we hope to soon share a “life drawing with animals” virtual farm field trip that we’ll be offering online with TTL, that all are welcome to take part in. Perhaps you’ll see some of these animals amongst the life models!
We hope you’ve been able to join us throughout this Autism Acceptance Month as we’ve translated some of our planned events online! If you missed anything, you can easily access all our special content, as well as other information and resources, on ourMaking it Work During COVID-19 portal.
Among us, we have the King of Video Games, the Empress of Baby Goats, the Ruler of Meadows, the King of Drums, and two Rulers of Nature.
This host of royalty comprises the Art Class at theHussman Center for Adults with Autism. Each week, participants meet to explore creativity and communication by creating art together.
In conjunction withMake Studio’s Autism Acceptance Month online gallery, some Hussman art program participants opted to share their work and words here on Make Studio’s blog. In a recent art class (currently meeting virtually, similar to Make Studio’s virtual studio), we gave ourselves royal titles, made crowns, and made decrees over our domains.
E., The Ruler of Video Games, pronounced that all players should create characters and play games to 100% completion. His crown sports a game character that waves off the top of the crown like a quail feather.
J.’s crown is a celebration of Spring. “I get excited when I look at animals and my favorite bird, the bluejay.” J. was video chatting into class from a porch swing in her yard.
“I sent the crown to some of my family members and my mom too! They like the shading and the dark colors!” -J., Ruler of Nature
Another week, artists worked on collages that depicted their pet peeves and how they respond to those peeves. In her collage, G. surrounds her nightmares and uncertainties with things she loves: a gem, flowers, horse riding.
“I was having nightmares about not going to town. I can’t see my friends or ride horses or go to synagogue.” -G., Ruler of Meadows
Her visual charting of her thoughts makes physical and visible the things that bring her joy. This lets others also take part in that joy.
Make Studio and the Hussman Center have partnered together in the past because both make it their mission to support connection and empowerment through art. It’s not surprising that there have been both artists and staff, like me, who participate in programming at both places. (In addition, in 2019 and in years prior, Hussman Program Manager Zosia Zaks has presented about employment at our Autism Acceptance Month events.)
Our in-person events for April have sadly been cancelled, but stay tuned for a few more AA Month features from Make Studio, now through next week!
April is an important month at Make Studio because many of our artists identify as persons with autism/autistic persons/as being “on the spectrum”. Along with many others who celebrate autism awareness and/or acceptance, we take the month of April to focus on spreading acceptance and amplifying the voices of our impacted artists.
(You can view our online version of our annual Autism Acceptance Month exhibition here.)
Artist Zach Manuel has often created art that shares his experiences and thoughts about being an autistic artist. This year, he created this piece to mark the beginning of April.
My message is that we are not defined by culture, upbringing, race, heredity, or psychological disability. The only thing that matters is what we make of ourselves.
– Zach
(You can see an example of Zach’s creative process in his blog post here, reflecting his interest in exploring and narratively combining aspects of different cultures that he admires, while simultaneously addressing social issues he cares about.)
Artist Jules Hinmon shared similar sentiments about autism, saying:
Autism is an attribute, not a weakness. It doesn’t determine how you turn out. Only you can do that.
– Jules
Bess Lumsden, an artist and self advocate who does a lot of art and cosplay reflecting Japanese styles and culture, is always vocal on behalf of herself and others in the disability community.
You don’t need to fix us, we’re fine, you just need to talk to us and listen!
– Bess
Artist Malcolm Slade broadly concurs with his studio colleagues…
It’s a difference, not a mistake.
– Malcolm
…as does Tyrone Weedon:
Autism is just a learning process for people with disability, and it came from a different degree some times it can be slow and sometimes it can be faster, as long as you have a big support system as well as your friends and family, they can handle thing from the outside independently. Just help them.
– Tyrone
Gary Schmedes, who has often related his experience of having autism to his preference for routines and co-creating a productive and safe workplace with his fellow artists, sent us this drawing he made while working at home during this time of social distancing:
Gary reminds us that we all miss the things we are familiar with during this time of quarantine and that we will be excited to be able to meet again in person. In the meantime, we are glad that we have opportunities to continue to build digital communities and support each other.
This story is called The Shish-Kebab Kingdom, a story of my own creation based off of the “Arabian Nights” tales of yore (I had some inspiration from Disney’s adaption of “Aladdin”) and some of my own thoughts of gender equality and fair treatment of women. This story takes place in India from the 1390’s and beyond.
The third of four brothers, Ack was born a noble but mostly spends time living among peasants because he considers himself a common man. He is a jock who pilots mechanical chariots with his Bros (think medieval drag-racing) but he has great sympathy for peasants, the helpless, and children. With his royal status, he had shelters built for the poor, the sick, orphans and mistreated women so that they could live in safety and comfort. Ack was enamored with Debai Kebab, daughter of Lord Bombay Shish-Kebab, who unlike most women he met, was opinionated, loud, funny and liked playing hacky-sack in the rain and splashing in mud. Ack had always hoped to meet a strong, unconventional woman with whom he might build a life- tomboy Debai became Ack’ s soulmate.
Debai Kebab was born in March 5, 1378, (Sharing my mom’s birthday, 3/5/63)
Deb was 20 when she met Ack.
She was 21 when she tied the knot with him and at 25, she and Ack welcomed their first kid, Suri-Lanka.
“Debai’s mechanical fan”
Debai is a mischievous tomboyish 20-year-old who often plays elaborate pranks on everyone in sight. She also creates clockwork mechanical devices either to play more pranks or to cool her off or suit her needs. (Think medieval “Home Alone”) Debai is a genius of tinkering in mischief, something she inherited from her late mother, Queen Tibet, who was a tomboy prankster during a time when women weren’t expected to have opinions or all else. The people of Kebab adore and are confounded by her mostly because she has too much energy sometimes.
I changed Debai’s name from “Dubai” after learning Dubai wasn’t the name of a city in India, but “Dibai/Debai” is. I named Debai’s family after places in India. Bombay, Dehli, Ganges, Padma, et cetera. Once again, because India is still a friendly nation. Tandoori is the name of a Hindi food, as is “Shish-Kebab”
As for my creative process, I come up with stories at home, where I do preliminary drawings, some of which provide the basis for the pieces before I bring them to the light table. Sometimes I try to figure out the use of color at home as well beforehand. My great desire is that my story and message pieces will reach a much bigger audience reaching further than the studio hopefully so that more people will see and probably, if I’m lucky, enjoy them. It’s not all about making a profit for me, I just want people to be able to see these and enjoy them. Also if I can get good messages across as well, all the better. (Clickhere to see more of my work.)
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