Beyond the spotlights of galleries and art schools, the self-taught plug away for an audience of one. Like deep-sea vents, their work offers peeks into other realms, from the emotional to the spiritual.
Such “outsider art” heats up Together One Hundred and Eight, opening Saturday at Art Enables’ new location. The nonprofit’s celebrating its fifth year providing studio space and entrepreneurial guidance to area artists with developmental or mental disabilities.
“Our artists receive 60 percent of the revenue from sales of their work,” Executive Director Joyce Muis-Lowery said. That exceeds similar programs nationwide.
Guest artist Abe Graber accounts for 103 of the 108 years referred to in the exhibition theme. Born in Russia on Feb. 22, 1904, the Manhattan émigré made arthis living. After moving to Maryland, his sight seriously declined at age 96, just before he completed an outdoor mural in Northeast. Visual impairment didn’t stop this visionary. He continues to paint and sculpt.
The show’s 40 works by 25 artists include a springy mixed, media-poppy field trip by Alice Jean McGurrin of Chevy Chase, a watercolor/ink church rising heavenward like dough by John Simpson of Columbia Heights, and “In my ‘hood,” rendered in watercolor and marker by Egbert “Clem” Evans. This Ward 5 pleasure trip of intricacies careens past characters and places like a freed bird getting used to his wings.
“I was thinking about a family, a family that communicates with each other and keeps close in spite of generational differences,” Evans said. “I’ve always sketched … when I was a child my father used to bring home scraps of paper from where he worked.” After suffering a stroke, he credited Art Enables with his art skills recovery. “Coming to AE has allowed me to reconnect with my memories.”
That’s worth celebrating — and everyone’s invited.
Together One Hundred and Eight
On view through March 24
» Venue: Art Enables Gallery, 411 New York Ave. NE
» Info: 202-554-9455; www.art-enables.org
» Reception: 4 to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
