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New AAAWD Art Exhibit at UMD

We've been invited by the Access For All student organization to exhibit our artwork in the Multicultural Center at UMD. Hope you'll stop by to see our work and learn more about AAAWD. Be sure to join us at our opening reception!

Bloom Under the Snow

“In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.” ~William Blake

Come enjoy vivid expressions of the resilience that lies beneath the snow in winter – a diverse collection of work by the Arrowhead Alliance of Artists With Disabilities (AAAWD). This inaugural art exhibit is sponsored by Access for All, a student organization dedicated to promoting disability awareness on campus and around the community.

February 15 – March 15, 2010
The Multicultural Center
Kirby Student Union, University of Minnesota, Duluth
270 Kirby Student Center
1120 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN

Opening Reception:
Wednesday, February 17: 4 – 6 p.m.

For more information, contact:

Penny Cragun
Director
Office of Disability Resources
241 Kirby Student Center
1120 Kirby Drive
Duluth, MN 55812-3085
(218) 726-8727
(218) 726-6706 FAX

What’s AAAWD about…

The underlying inspiration for AAAWD (and their logo) is the stone soup fable wherein a few stones placed in a pot of boiling water become both pretext and catalyst for creating something from nothing, and revealing nothing to be something after all. Our acronym, AAAWD, sounds like “odd” and “awed” – words that echo what it’s like being an artist with a disability in America. The trajectory of our group is from odd to awed via artwork, humor, friendship and open minds.

The current core membership includes these visual artists, actors, writers, directors, musicians and filmmakers: Peter Barnett, Christina Cotruvo, Ben Giesen, David Hoffman, Ryan Iallonardo, Julie Jeatran, Cecilia Lieder, Bill Lyth, Roald Molberg (co-founder), Karl Mulligan, Justin Powers, Todd Reed, Bridget Riversmith (co-founder) Annie Roseen, Mark Schuman, and Jim VanDruten.

January 13, 2010 AAAWD Meeting Notice

When: Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 5 pm

Where: DRCC - Soft Hands is located at: 1902 East Superior St. in Duluth (1 block East of HDC's CSP offices). Look for the building resembling a convenience store on the South side of the street. If you have any questions, email Todd Reed. Soft Hands is located on busline: DTA Route 6 - 7 East Mainline UMD - Lakeside.

What: UMD Art Exhibit Discussion and Preparation. Other topics to be discussed as time allows: PACT-TV show planning, Empty Bowl participation, Strategic Planning and Fundraising, etc. Please feel free to bring a snack or beverage to share with the group.

Hope to see you there,

Bridget & Roald, AAAWD Co-leaders

October 13, 2009 AAAWD Meeting Notice

Calling All Artists With Disabilities in the Twin Ports and the Arrowhead region of Minnesota! You are cordially invited to attend the next meeting of AAAWD:

When: Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 5 pm

Where: DRCC - Soft Hands is located at: 1902 East Superior St. in Duluth (1 block East of HDC's CSP offices). Look for the building resembling a convenience store on the South side of the street. If you have any questions, email Todd Reed. Soft Hands is located on busline: DTA Route 6 - 7 East Mainline UMD - Lakeside.

What: Art Pickup - be on hand to pick up your artwork from our exhibits at the Depot and the DECC. Also, we will watch a PBS TV series called "EGG" - a TV show about people making art across America. There'll be popcorn and pop, and the opportunity to brainstorm about creating our own version of "EGG" for PACT.

AAAWD Art Exhibit Oct. 12 & 13, 2009

AAAWD has been invited by VSA arts of Minnesota to display our artwork as part of National Disability Mentoring Day 10th Anniversary Celebration and Launch:

Anniversary Celebration: October 12, 2009 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Located at Duluth’s Historical Center: The Depot
An evening reception at Duluth’s Historical Center: The Depot, welcoming national corporate sponsors, industry executives, local employers and community supporters of individuals with disabilities.
&
National Launch & Career Fair: October 13, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Located at The Duluth Convention Center (DECC)
A national career fair featuring national speakers and national employer exhibits. The event will welcome an estimated 1,000 students with disabilities, job seekers with disabilities, as well as national and local employers.

To learn more about the DMD 10th Anniversary Celebration and National Launch, contact the Disability Mentoring Day team at 1-800-840-8844 or via email at dmd@aapd.com, or visit the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) website.

October 2009 AAAWD Meeting Notice

Calling All Artists With Disabilities in the Twin Ports and the Arrowhead region of Minnesota! You are cordially invited to attend the next meeting of AAAWD:

When: Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 5 pm

Where: DRCC - Soft Hands is located at: 1902 East Superior St. in Duluth (1 block East of HDC's CSP offices). Look for the building resembling a convenience store on the South side of the street. If you have any questions, email Todd Reed. Soft Hands is located on busline: DTA Route 6 - 7 East Mainline UMD - Lakeside.

What: We will be discussing the following questions (see below). Craig Dunn from VSA arts of Minnesota will be up to facilitate and videotape our discussion of these questions. The videotape will be included as part of “Changing Landscapes: Symposium on the Arts & Disability” an engaging symposium focusing on strengthening opportunities for children, youth and adults with disabilities to participate in the arts to be held at the University of Minnesota’s Weisman Art Museum on October 30. Craig will bring light refreshments and also fill us in about an upcoming opportunity for us to exhibit our artwork at the DECC in October.

Here are the questions:

1. How did you get started in making art? (suggestions: on your own, parent or sibling got me started, took a class after school, took art class in school)

2. Has your disability shaped your art? Do you see it as separate from your art? Is it part of the art work that you create?

3. In terms of marketing your art, do you want people to know that you are an artist with a disability or doesn’t it matter? Why or why not.

4. What does success as an artist mean to you? What keeps you going?

5. When you were a child, did you get to make art or take art classes? What kinds of opportunities did you have? (suggestions: make art on own, take classes, go to galleries)

6. What role does your art have in your life? How has your life changed on account of creating art now, as opposed to before when you did not create art?

7. Think about experiences you have had. Have these experiences influenced your art?

8. Who would you like to see your art?

9. What kind of supports do you find helpful in creating and/or promoting your art? And what kinds of supports are not so helpful to you?

10. What other opportunities out in the world (to exhibit and/or sell your work, to learn new artistic techniques and/or new approaches to the creative process, etc.) would you like to see available to you to grow as an artist?

September 2009 AAAWD Meeting Notice

Calling All Artists With Disabilities in the Twin Ports and the Arrowhead region of Minnesota! You are cordially invited to attend the next meeting of AAAWD:

When: Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 6:30 pm

Where: DRCC - Soft Hands is located at: 1902 East Superior St. in Duluth (1 block East of HDC's CSP offices). Look for the building resembling a convenience store on the South side of the street. If you have any questions, email Todd Reed. Soft Hands is located on busline: DTA Route 6 - 7 East Mainline UMD - Lakeside.

What: We will be discussing some questions (see below) in preparation for our upcoming October 6 meeting when Craig Dunn from VSA arts of Minnesota will be up to facilitate and videotape our discussion of these questions. The videotape will be included as part of “Changing Landscapes: Symposium on the Arts & Disability” an engaging symposium focusing on strengthening opportunities for children, youth and adults with disabilities to participate in the arts to be held at the University of Minnesota’s Weisman Art Museum on October 30. Craig will bring light refreshments and also fill us in about an upcoming opportunity for us to exhibit our artwork at the DECC in October.

Here are the questions:

1. How did you get started in making art? (suggestions: on your own, parent or sibling got me started, took a class after school, took art class in school)

2. Has your disability shaped your art? Do you see it as separate from your art? Is it part of the art work that you create?

3. In terms of marketing your art, do you want people to know that you are an artist with a disability or doesn’t it matter? Why or why not.

4. What does success as an artist mean to you? What keeps you going?

5. When you were a child, did you get to make art or take art classes? What kinds of opportunities did you have? (suggestions: make art on own, take classes, go to galleries)

6. What role does your art have in your life? How has your life changed on account of creating art now, as opposed to before when you did not create art?

7. Think about experiences you have had. Have these experiences influenced your art?

8. Who would you like to see your art?

9. What kind of supports do you find helpful in creating and/or promoting your art? And what kinds of supports are not so helpful to you?

10. What other opportunities out in the world (to exhibit and/or sell your work, to learn new artistic techniques and/or new approaches to the creative process, etc.) would you like to see available to you to grow as an artist?