The artists with developmental disabilities are part of the non-profit Arts of Life studio. They are amazingly talented, which is why businesses owners are proud to display.”Arts of Life, I love their artwork,” said Geri Schapira, owner of a Lincoln Park coffee shop called Savor the Flavor. “I love having it here. I think it adds a lot of character to the shop. The customers love it and I’m really proud to have it here.”Over in Wicker Park at Janik Cafe, owner Felippa Janik is learned about Arts of Life artists from her regular customers.”They asked me if they could if they could hang up some posters, I mean pictures. They told me, you know, that our group of people that are from the age of twenty who do some art,” Janik said. “I didn’t know exactly know what sort of art but what really moved me was the fact their they were people with disabilities.”Both cafes have sold a number of paintings. All the profit goes to Arts of Life.”All the money goes directly back into the studio to help pay for space, materials and help us organize events, and then, the artists are paid a monthly stipend for their work here,” said Nicholas Schutzenhofer, a Studio staff member.Arts of life is a serious artist community.’All of the artists here sort of make up a board of directors, and they vote on whether or not they think a potential artist will be a good fit with the community,” Nicholas said.
Talent is not the only requirement.
“Everyone in here has been diagnosed with a mild to profound mental retardation so that is one of the stipulations then that you have to be living in sort of a community living arrangement,” said Nicholas.
Both Geri and Felippa have future plans for these artists.
‘ We’re hoping to get some sort of Art Gallery show for them one day,” Geri said.
“We’re gonna put more I mean more too bad that they ding anymore because I love their art,” said Felippa.
For more information: www.artsoflife.org
Janik’s Café
2011 W. Division Street
Chicago
773.276.7930
Savor the Flavor
2545 N. Sheffield Avenue
Chicago
773.883.5287
We had a great experience collaborating on the Brainstorm installation facilitated by Jim Elniski of the Art Institute. We put together an installation of drawings of tornados and a large tornado sculpture made of painted and collaged wooden slats. Artists from Arts of Life, Esperanza, El Valor, and Project Onward came together to create this piece!