By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
The Community Art Gallery at Common Grounds in Cazenovia is currently hosting a traveling art exhibit titled “Through Our Eyes.”
On display through the end of May, the show highlights the work of photography students from The ARC of Madison Cortland — a nonprofit family-led organization that provides support and services to people with developmental and other disabilities.
Students from Adjunct Instructor Leigh Yardley’s introduction to visual arts class at SUNY Morrisville selected the 10 photographs included in the show.
The show features the work of Jessica Bero, John Gildersleeve, Michelle Galdun, Mike Abbott and Nick Ambs — students of volunteer instructor Jim Cooke. Cooke has offered photography classes at The ARC of Madison Cortland for over a decade.
According to Cooke, a large body of research suggests that engagement in the arts like music, painting, photography and literature, is therapeutic for members of every community, including those with disabilities.
Photography, in particular, allows individuals to express themselves and to show others how they personally see the world.
While The ARC of Madison Cortland has publicly shown its students’ artwork for a number of years, the relationship with SUNY Morrisville came about recently.
Cooke recalled that Shannon Enders — director of development and communications at The ARC of Madison Cortland — connected him to the college five years ago.
While he knew he wanted to partner with the school in some way, Cooke was careful to select a project that would be particularly impactful for both parties.
The pilot “Through Our Eyes” project was conducted three years ago. According to Cooke, it emerged as a way to help young adults become more accepting and understanding of people with disabilities.
The Morrisville students were informed of the artists’ disabilities only after they were asked to consider the quality of the images presented and the skill of the photographers.
“I thought it would be much more impactful for [the students] to discover it that way than [for us] to just say ‘support people with disabilities.’” Cooke explained. “It worked out to be a great idea.”
Cooke believes the project is about much more than art. Its purpose is to promote community inclusion and to foster understanding between students with developmental disabilities and those within the mainstream college community.
“As humans, we shy away from that which we don’t understand,” he said. “We needed to discover a way to show the world we are all the same . . . that individuals with disabilities have the same capabilities within them as everyone else and they have the same needs and wants . . .”
In early April, the students’ photographs were put on display in a public art show at Morrisville’s Donald G. Butcher Library.
“There’s nothing more wonderful for anyone, whether they have a disability or not, than to have their work recognized . . . and to be standing there with pride next to their [art],” Cooke said.
In addition to highlighting the artists, the show’s opening event gave the photographers and Yardley’s students the chance to finally meet and connect on a personal level.
Also in attendance were members of the college football team, who were well received.
According to Cooke, individuals with developmental disabilities are often drawn to people with great presence.
“When you put costumes or uniforms on people, they become bigger than life,” he said.
Cooke described the event as an enjoyable and wholly worthwhile experience that served to connect groups of people that might otherwise never interact.
“Through Our Eyes” is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program — a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by CNY Arts. The funds are made possible with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
For more information on The Arc of Madison Cortland, visit arcofmc.org.
