If you have never heard of Project Grow in Portland, Oregon, it is definitely a place of business to check out. My college art class decided to take a trip to the project grow studio to learn more about the diversity of art. Project grow is an art studio where people with disabilities create and sell art pieces. When I first heard of Project Grow I was so excited Portland has created such a neat place. I have always loved working with people with disabilities. It’s such an amazing experience to be involved with companies like this because the amount of love and acceptance that is in the air is so comforting.
I discovered my love for special education couple years ago at a camp called, “Camp Attitude”, and once I was too old and busy to be attending anymore I thought I would never be able to experience something like this again, but little did I know I would be spending half of my freshman year of college visiting a place with talented artists that have a disability.
It was such an eye-opening experience seeing people who have never really interacted with a person with a disability before interact for the first time. People found it awkward. They didn’t want to say something wrong or do something they weren’t supposed to. Then, after countless preparation with some people, we all agreed that you must treat a person with a disability just like you would treat any other person. They are just like you and wanted to be treated how you want to be treated. Sometimes it’s hard not to notice a disability, but that disability shouldn’t be the first or only thing you notice about them. They don’t want you to pity them. They don’t want to always be looked at as the person that has a disability. They were born this way and they have become okay with it, and so should everyone else.
Anyway, this art gallery had some of the most astonishing art pieces I have ever seen. Chandeliers made out of paper and glue, clay molded into bowls, ashtrays, house decorations, hamburgers from magazines pasted in a collage, and scarves sewed on an old time machine. One girl had a painting called something like, “When my mother died”, and it was just a piece of paper painted all black. There was so much emotion in all of her pieces, as there is for everyone else’s too. If you have never met someone with a disability you might not understand how they can have so much artistic talent and can incorporate that kind of emotion in their art, but it’s important to understand that they are just like you.
It’s so interesting to see what is going on in their minds because some of it is very real and can show what they are thinking when they can’t express it any other way. My classmates also found an appreciation for these art pieces and we all fell in love with the artists and their amazing work. We also loved how they can sell their work and can make a living for themselves when they are not able to elsewhere. It inspired us to recognize differences in others and how we have to find something unique in every person, but also recognize how people with disabilities are no different than anyone else.
I mean, look at Pablo Picasso, he had dyslexia and was one of the most iconic artists of all time, and no one judged him for it or even used that to define him.I can’t wait to go back to project grow again. There are amazing people there and artwork for everyone. Because of this experience, I learned the importance of art to each individual, so if you haven't checked it out yet it is definitely a place to go on a rainy day.
