VSA artists shine in new show

If you’d like to get a closer look at VSA of Charlottesville/Albemarle’s latest art show, just drop by the Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center lobby anytime between 6:30 and 8 this evening.

But if you’re hoping to get in on the refreshments, you’d better be prompt.

The 12th annual VSA Visual Arts Show will include artworks by 165 local artists with disabilities. During tonight’s opening reception, there will be brief talks by three speakers, including Margaret Lee, a VSA artist who also is a harpist, pianist and poet.

Mildred W. Spicer, who heads up therapeutic recreation programs for Charlottesville Parks and Recreation, has pitched in for every show. So has Diana Wilson, day support manager at WorkSource Enterprises and leader of the visual arts show committee.

Together, they’ve watched the event grow from 15 entries at the inaugural 2000 outing to a record of 180 in 2008.

“After that year, we decided we only would take one piece of art per person,” Spicer said, adding that this year’s event has the second-highest number of participants. “It was just so much art, and it was so crowded.”

A quick glance at the range of techniques and media reveals a wide variety of perspectives and experiences.

Several participants, including John J. Trippel and Chris Wharam, are established artists with their own followings. Trippel has taken part in all 12 shows. Many art fans first became acquainted with the art of the late Gerald Mitchell at VSA shows over the years, and Spicer recommended keeping an eye out for striking works done by some local seniors.

Others are beginners who took a chance and signed up for a VSA workshop to see if making art might be fun. Past workshops have covered everything from flower arranging to painting to quilting.

“Some people have not had much experience at all with painting and drawing, and some have been painting all their lives,” Spicer said.

Many of the artists participate in WorkSource Enterprises, Post High, Arc of the Piedmont, Building a Bridge and Region Ten Community Service Board’s clubhouses and Meadowcreek center.

Each artist has taken a different journey to the show. Some have physical disabilities ranging from visual impairments to traumatic brain injuries. Others have intellectual or mental health difficulties. Some grew up with disabilities; others faced them in adulthood.

What they have in common are a knack for spirited self-expression and strong support for each others’ creative efforts. They also share the tenacity to make art happen.

“If you want to do it, you figure out a way to do it, even if you have a disability,” Spicer said. “They are so supportive of each other and so respectful of each other.”

During show season, the artists aren’t the only ones enjoying themselves. Wilson designs the invitations, generates the label cards for the artworks and keeps track of art sales.

“This is my baby. I’ve been with it since the get-go,” Wilson said. “I love doing this; it’s fun. It’s a lot of work, but it’s fun.”

Wilson said she’s grateful for the community’s support for VSA programs. Both Charlottesville and Albemarle County governments contribute funding, and local businesses and organizations help out.

Getting help from colleagues in the art community is pretty validating, too. Each year, artists from McGuffey Art Center volunteer to hang the art and compose a visually appealing exhibit. This year’s McGuffey team — led by Jean Sampson and including Jim Respess, Cheri Schramel, Nina Burke, Janet Nault, Priscilla Whitlock and Rebekah Wostrel — pitched in on Tuesday.

“They are definitely very helpful,” Wilson said. “They’ve got that eye to group [the artworks] together, and they know what’ll go well together.”

Wilson said that staff members in different local programs often attend the shows to buy original works by the folks they work with every day.

If you’re hoping to bring home something new for your own walls, some of the works will available for sale. But don’t expect to swipe your card; only cash and checks can be accepted at the event. Prices start at about $3, with most below $50 to $100 and a few in the low four figures.

All proceeds go to the artists. And if previous years’ trends hold steady, all the munchies go to the early birds.

“If you want to eat, get there early,” Wilson said. “We do have refreshments, but they go fast.”