Upcoming

Tomorrow: Morro Bay will be trying for a Guinness Book of Records record: largest number of garage sales in a city on one day. Wheee-ha!  Here's hoping.  Our dog park, El Chorro Off Leash Dog Park, will be part of the Guinness fun since we're having our annual fund-raising garage sale Sat & Sunday at 914 Mesa St., Morro Bay.  Do do come by and pick up some treasures.  All proceeds go to support the dog park.  

Next Friday, April 12, the gallery where I work will be hosting a specially curated exhibition as part of the  "April is Autism Awareness Month."  Here's the press release:

""A Spectrum of Music-Art" an exhibition curated by author, Debra Hosseini, will open with a nod to “April, Autism Awareness Month” and a special reception at Seven Sisters Gallery on Morro Bay’s Art Walk Friday, April 12 from 5-8 pm. Many of the artists are featured in Hosseini’s impressive book, The Heart of Autism: Shifting Perceptions, of which signed copies will also be available. Autism, a developmental disability effecting 1 in 88 children, is gaining increased public attention and Hosseini’s books and exhibitions touting the tagline, “the Art of Autism is a movement!”, are designed to bring focus to some of the extraordinary artwork being done by artists challenged with autism and serve as a resource to assist them in pursuing their artistic endeavors. Artists include locals Kylie Swan, Jason Cantu and Andrew Mendoza, along with students from Hidden Wings, a unique autism school for young adults in Solvang, including Kevin Hosseini, the author’s son. Reception will feature musical artists, Mark Witt on acoustic guitar and Jesse Williams on keyboards. The show runs 4/12-5/7 at Seven Sisters Gallery, in Marina Square at 601 Embarcadero, Suite 8, Morro Bay. 772-9955."

This should be a wonderful exhibit. It's amazing how talented these kids are, plus it's wonderful how art can be used as an aid to help these kids deal with their cognitive challenges and so navigate better in the non-autistic the world.  The result is what Debra Hosseini, who's curating the exhibition, playfully calls "Artism." 

In addition, some of these same artists are part of the Adventure Club SLO, which consists of small groups of special needs individuals who do indeed engage in "adventures," including making movies, two of which, co-starring Timothy Bottoms, recently aired at the Palm.  The Adventure Club is part of Director Jon Gange's Cayucos company, "Wonderful World Adventures."  

Below are a few works that were sent out with the press packet for the exhibition.  Some of the other works in the show will likely be by students from Hidden Wings as well as other artists Ms. Hosseini is representing. (Debra's website is www.the-art-of-autism.com and further information on "Hidden Wings School," is at www.hiddenwings.org  ) I hope you'll have a chance to attend the reception on April 12th (live entertainment and munchies) and meet some of these talented artists.  Or, do stop by the gallery when you can to see what these kids are up to.

Jason Cantu

                                               

Kylie Swan