Teaching Art To People With Disabilities

Posted October 1, 2012 @ 1:26pm | by Danelle

Beginning an Art Experience

The desire for each person to leave their mark on this world is inherently human and universal.  Many times children and adults with disabilities are overlooked in this desire.  Whether it is a simple design celebrating line and color or an intricate landscape it is possible for all to participate in this artistic process. 

Trying to figure out a good way to bring this experience to someone with a disability can be overwhelming .  Start by keeping it simple.  Things don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to know everything about everything.  You just have to begin somewhere.  There is plenty of time for it to lead to great things.

Experiment.  A place to start is by trying different art materials and learning how to use them.  This is a good way to learn likes and dislikes.

Assess what the challenges are.  It is good to meet people where they are at.  Does an artist need help with the materials?  Do they need help with the process?  Identify the issues and obstacles. 

Problem solve and adapt.  What can you try to fix the problem?  Try things in a different way.  Keep trying.  

Build skills and independence.  Start with simple instructions when helping an artist and build on them in new ways.  Continue to introduce new steps and ideas. 

Remember facilitating an art experience is possible!

 
 
 
 
 

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