CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Artbeat Studio, an inclusive and collaborative art center out of Parkersburg, hopes a recent visit to the state capitol will shed light on what those with developmental disabilities can accomplish.
Artbeat was one of several organizations who were part of Arts Day held a few days ago at the state capitol. Arts Day is a networking event for art organizations around the state to come together and showcase their work hosted by the state Division of Culture and History.
Artbeat, which is an outgrowth of Wood County Society, works primarily with people who have developmental disabilities, and they provide a space for them to find a creative outlet, according to studio coordinator Niki Ryan.
“We kind of got our inspiration from Passion Works up in Athens, they came down and kind of helped us set up our studio, it’s a pretty new studio, we’re only three years old. We also have a shop, that’s where we sell their wares,” said Ryan.
Ryan said they saw a great need for it in the Wood County community.
The artists work throughout multiple different stations set up at the art center, which includes everything from painting, beading, sewing, and working with metal scraps.
While most of the materials the studio uses comes from donations from the community, they do buy the metal, which is recycled from the printing press at a local newspaper. They then use the metal to make 3D sculptures.
The artists get paid hourly for the work that they contribute to the studio, and Ryan said that all of the ways that the studio uses the artwork is based directly off of the artist’s design.
“Everything that we do is just trying to take their artwork, their designs, and their vision and bring it to life,” Ryan said.
Working with the disabled people in such a way, Jennifer Morrison, the Civic Engagement Coordinator at Artbeat, said it’s important for many reasons.
“Meaningful work, socialization, it also puts them in the community, and so, they’re seen, they’re heard,” Morrison explained. “We have a lot of people that come in from the community and volunteer so it’s also bridging the gaps there as well.”
The studio works with schools, businesses, and organizations around the area.
Ryan said that their mission is more than just the artwork itself however, but the meaning behind it.
“We just wanted to show the impact, we wanted to show the faces behind the studio and behind the art, not just the product, because it’s not always just about that, it’s about the process and the passion behind it,” she said.
Three of the artists made their way down to the capitol for the event, along with the studio representatives. Morrison felt as though they had garnered a lot of positive attention during their first ever appearance at the event.
“I think we made a lot of new connections, a lot of fun connections. Everybody always wants to know what this is, because it’s beautiful, it’s bright, it’s happy, it’s fun, and it’s just spreading our word and our mission,” Morrison added.
The program at the studio is Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.