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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (March 21, 2019) — Milligan’s occupational therapy program will present an art exhibit, “For the Love of Art,” at the Corner Cup in downtown Jonesborough, Tennessee. An opening reception will be held on Friday, March 22, from 4-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The art exhibit was developed and organized by students in Milligan’s OT program and features works of art from a variety of mediums. Each completed work is the outcome of two different artists working together. Artists with intellectual disabilities from either Dawn of Hope or Brother’s Keeper created a piece of art and then community artists selected and contributed to their chosen piece.
Dr. Jil Smith, associate professor of occupational therapy, originated the concept and worked with three students, Brittany Adkins, Olivia Stafford and Sunshine Taylor, to bring the project to life.
“The mission behind our project is to reduce stigma around disabilities and provide an opportunity for greater collaboration between artists in the region,” said Taylor. “We worked with one client who was particularly passionate about art. We learned that his brother is a professional artist in Asheville who agreed to collaborate with him. This project has given them a way to grow closer through a shared passion.”
Students worked directly with participants from Dawn of Hope and Brother’s Keeper by providing them with art supplies, encouragement and prompts to create a piece of art that represented their interests and feelings. These pieces were then presented to community artists to expand upon or use as inspiration for their work. Insights and comments from both artists will accompany each piece in the exhibit to provide greater insight into the artwork and the process for creating it.
Milligan’s OT program prepares therapists to address the physical, psychological and cognitive aspects of a person’s well-being through engagement in activity in all of their environments. Learn more at www.milligan.edu/msot.