Visibility Arts is a program of Search, a community-based nonprofit serving more than 350 individuals and their families annually at locations stretching from the Lincoln Square neighborhood in Chicago to the northern suburbs of Evanston, Skokie, Morton Grove and Mount Prospect. Visibility Arts provides a space for professional and emerging adult visual artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities to explore, learn, create and show their artwork.

Visibility Arts is a combination of group learning experiences and hands-on studio time. Visibility Arts is based in Mount Prospect with a fully equipped studio and art gallery. Classes are also offered in Search’s Chicago and Evanston adult learning locations. Visibility Artists also enjoy regular opportunities to show and sell their work in a variety of galleries and public venues. Five of their artists are on exhibit at Open Studio Project’s Gallery 901 throughout the month of October:

Juan G. Artist Statement: Juan’s work is rooted in his Puerto Rican culture, based on the people, the land, the animals and the connections between them. Juan is rarely seen without his sketchbook in hand. His favorite medium is pencil and paper, and his sketchbook is a crucial part of his life. He often focuses on drawing his family or incorporating them into his imagery, creating pieces that are based on memories, connections between people, storytelling and a narrative. His greatest inspiration is his brother, with whom he is very close. Juan’s drawing additionally helps him to stay calm and express himself.

Birds are a recurring motif in Juan’s work. Sometimes, he depicts them as pigeons and chickens, simply due to his fondness for these creatures. However, they also hold a deeper meaning in his art. He will often portray birds and people together, sometimes with a person having a cage for a body and a bird inside. This imagery symbolizes the intricate relationship between humans and nature. He incorporates elements that are natural to his Puerto Rican ancestry, including words and images to tell his story.

Theo H. Artist Statement: Theo's sketchbook is not just a book, but a holder of discovery and connection. She enjoys practicing and discovering new mediums, primarily focusing on drawing, printing and painting, drawing inspiration from her sketchbook. Her focus is creating artwork of animals, buildings and homes. These subjects inspire Theo because they make her happy. She views art as a means of sharing this joy with others, always smiling with an excitement to explore. She shared that drawing makes her feel calm and happy, and her art allows her to share that feeling with people around her. Art is also a way for her to be creative, self-advocate and discover new abilities.

Abby S. Artist Statement: Abby has been at Search for over 11 years. During that time, Abby has shown her artwork throughout the Chicagoland area and at the Toad&Co. store in Portland, Maine. Abby is well-versed in a variety of mediums, including gel plate prints, watercolor painting and push-pull painting techniques. Abby has a unique and detailed drawing style, and enjoys putting her own spin on traditional drawing styles.

Lanni S. Artist Statement: Lanni has been creating art for 13 years.  She cites her variety of interests as inspiration for her pieces; some which include science, nature, current events, animals, and the work of Edvard Munch. Lanni’s color choices are frequently bold, energetic, and cheerful, with the intention of grabbing the attention of viewers, giving them an opportunity to explore her thoughts.  Lanni loves working in a variety of mediums, including mixed media on canvas, watercolor, Gelli plate printing, drypoint printing, and drawing daily in her sketchbook.

Christos S. Artist Statement: Christos’s art explores his subjects through a lens of pattern, rhythm, and playful abstraction.  He enjoys reinterpreting familiar landscapes using stylized lines, geometric patterns, and simple shapes, his preference being bright and colorful.  His favorite medium is acrylic paint on canvas, and he also likes to draw, and has been making monotype prints. He feels calm and peaceful while creating his pieces, and hopes viewers feel happy, glad and joyful when they see his work. Christos has been a Visibility Artist for over 10 years, and has shown art at gallery spaces and events in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.