Disabilities Art Showcase featured in downtown Redwood City

The selected artists display an array of media in creating their work and putting their creative juices into their material form. Among the artists chosen for the exhibit is 62-year-old Larisa Vaserman from San Mateo. Her collage titled, “Black and White: Harmony and Beauty,” is a monotonous composition, which challenges basic color’s binary opposition.

Former CoD member Scott Sinor from South San Francisco is another featured artist for this exhibit. He has been a longtime exhibitor for the annual showcase and submitted a painting and a pyrography for this year.

The kickoff reception Oct. 18 also coincided with the 46th annual Palestinian Cultural Day in downtown Redwood City and the city’s No Kings Rally at the County Center. The foot traffic among these trifecta of events boosted the turnover of visitors stopping by and witnessing the special curation focused on marginalized artists.

“The whole purpose of the community wall, from its inception, is to provide a space for San Mateo County nonprofits and arts organizations to showcase their work, to give artists and organizations exposure, and a place to hold events that complement their exhibition,” Kent Manske, artist and cultural worker for CfC, said.

The commission historically presented the exhibitions inside the Hall of Justice and Records in the city, but the CfC’s physical space allowed less restrictive access. In the past, artists and visitors had to go past metal detectors to see the curated work.

“To go into the Hall of Justice, you have to go through security and the hours are very limited,” said Florence Wong, president of the county’s Commission on Disabilities. “It was very hard for the people who made the art and their family and friends to go see it.”

The showcase also highlights initiatives to cultivate a more inclusive and accessible art scene in San Mateo County.

“When you look at art in its true form, art doesn’t really say if you have a disability or not,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Lisa Gauthier, one of the sponsors who was present during the reception.

The District 4 board supervisor is among the county offices working directly with the CoD. As a board liaison, Gauthier supports projects by the commission, and she represents the needs of PWDs in county legislation and recommendations. Currently, the commission and her office plan on distributing copies of Emily Ladau’s book, “Demystifying Disability,” to various county offices to incorporate disability-informed perspectives into legislation and community work.

Wong said that the county has been receptive to recommendations for the needs of PWDs. However, she hopes that investing in the needs of individuals with disabilities should not be an “afterthought” or lumped together with the aging community, since both groups require distinct support.

“I think that other groups that advocate for marginalized groups are experiencing the same thing,” Wong said. “There are limited funds, and you’re kind of fighting each other for those same funds.”

Manske believes that “there is no shortage of ideas” in helping underserved populations, especially in bridging arts for communities such as PWDs. One idea he proposed is to receive funding for art kits they could deliver to the residences of people with limited mobility. This way, artists could work in their own spaces and eventually have their finished work displayed in CfC.

The exhibit is available at CfC until the end of the month, and an artist workshop will be Oct. 25 from 1-3 p.m. Earlier this month, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors proclaimed October as Disability Awareness Month.

Vaserman said she hopes more opportunities for people with disabilities will open up because PWDs don’t always have the capacity to go to public spaces and events.

“Spaces like here at the Center for Creativity, that help a lot,” Vaserman said. “I hope to be present even more in the future.”