NIAD (and the enabled)

Working at NIAD has continued to go well. To be honest, I think I learn something knew every time I go in. My pre-conceived notions about someone's particular abilities and disabilities are always changing as I become more familiar with each individual and their art. This has also allowed me to feel more connected to the artists and to feel more helpful. I've learned a lot from the staff that I work with, mainly by observing the ways they teach and interact with the clients. Because NIAD is an art center for artists rather than an art class, there is not one given lesson of the day that everyone does. The staff have to really get to know everyone so that they can offer them the appropriate materials and guidance to make their own art. I think that the better you know someone the easier it is to enable them to make something that they are really proud of. 

I only work one day a week so sometimes I find it challenging to really accomplish everything I had hoped to. Sometimes artists want to work on something that they had started the day before instead of starting something new, so each day is different. Because of this I've learned to be flexible which is helpful and probably important in most art teaching jobs.

All in all, I would say it's been a great experience and I wish I could get paid to work there when I'm out of school. 

*Also, there's a show going up next Monday in the NIAD gallery called "Re/Formations: Disability, Women, and Sculpture". It looks like it's going to be a really good show so if you're around the Richmond area you should check it out.