Martina Tognato Guaqueta

This week, the Smith Union Lamarche Gallery hosted an art show and sale by YES Art Works, a local studio based in Westbrook that works with artists with intellectual disabilities and autism. The studio is a community program under its parent organization Creative Works.

The event was sponsored by the Student Accessibility Office and opened December 3, celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Disability Culture Coordinator Jolie Gagnon, who spearheaded the event, focused on creating programming that would resonate with different facets of the Bowdoin community.

“The goal is to bring awareness and understanding to the community and also to celebrate a variety of disabled identities and just [create] space for those identities,” Gagnon said. “The idea was that if we did a gallery, not only would we be supporting a local organization and ideally artists who identify as disabled as well, but that we’d also be exposing lots of people who may not ordinarily be a part of accessibility groups to an accessibility initiative.”

Gagnon also wanted to ensure that the event’s proceeds would directly support the featured artists.

“We were really hoping to support a gallery that was directly making a positive difference…, and YES Art Works was the one that clicked. They’re fantastic,” Gagnon said. “[One] of the things that I like about them is that 100 percent of the proceeds go directly to supporting the artists. They’re not really taking a cut of that. It’s just going back to the artist to support their dreams of being full time living artists.”

YES Art Works’ Senior Art Specialist Ashley Winn was enthusiastic about bringing these artists and works to the College. She emphasized visual art’s ability to cultivate connection and engage people with the disabled community.

“I thought it was an amazing opportunity to display their artwork. Because what better way to get to know a new group of people than to look at their artwork? [It] really reflects their imagination, their creativity, what they take pride in [and] their preferences,” Winn said.

Winn has worked with YES Art Works for almost a decade, and throughout that time, she has felt continually inspired by the artists’ hard work.

“They just continuously amazed me with their talent, their hard work and their determination to create art and sell art.… [The] younger generations [can] maybe have a little introduction to [this] group of individuals that maybe they haven’t had that much experience with in a really fun way,” Winn said.

Gagnon explained the thought process behind the theme and title of the show, “A World of Yes.”

“‘A World of Yes’ [focuses] on what happens when, instead of saying ‘No, you can’t do this’ or ‘You’re disabled, that is a limitation for you. You don’t have access to this’—you just keep telling them yes,” Gagnon said. “That’s [what] the gallery does all the time. They constantly say yes instead of no, and they constantly help people to access their full potential and encourage them to think outside of what they’ve been told they can do.”

She emphasized visual art’s unique ability not only to connect but to make a genuine social impact in an accessible manner.

“I think art can be a fantastic form of resistance because it’s just taking up space in a world that’s not always made for disabled people, and it’s an act of resistance in the [sense] that it’s often looked over or looked past,” Gagnon said. “It’s a continual reminder of not only are we here, but we’re incredibly talented, and we’re going to be in this space whether or not you recognize us.”

At the opening, artists Nickolai Dostanko and Lori Tyler discussed their love for art and highlighted their works on sale.

“I [really shade] each print, like landscaping or even animals or famous people and all that stuff, and I have been doing very well. My whole family was proud of me the whole time, and I really hope you are proud of me,” Dostanko said.

Tyler explained the familial connections behind her piece, “Kitty Hot Air Balloon.”

“I [have loved] art since I was a five year old and even younger. I love to draw and learn how to draw.… I think of [my] grandparents every day and every Christmas and holiday, [and my art] sometimes makes me think of my family,” Tyler said.

Gagnon hopes the YES Art Works show will leave long lasting impressions on its visitors, reminding them of the possibilities of the world around them.

“I hope that [visitors] leave the gallery with a reminder to themselves that there’s so many more possibilities when you stop saying no to yourself and others and continue to say yes. [When] you look outside of what you’ve been told is traditionally possible, and you create opportunities for yourselves and others,” Gagnon said.