DETROIT – If you take a visit to the Scarab Club in Detroit this month, there will be amazing local artwork.
It’s all for sale and while something like this would look great in any home, its purpose is much greater than decorating any wall.
“I am so amazed I have no words to explain it, it’s just super great. I’m so proud of him,” said Debra Roy, one artist’s mother.
That’s Jeremy Taylor’s mother speaking about the joy she has when seeing her son who is partially deaf create pieces of art. Taylor says color makes him happy.
He’s part of a brand new program called Progressive Art Studio Collective.
“Our goals really are to help the participants build careers as contemporary artists,” said art studio manager, Anthony Marcellini.
This month, Taylor and another artist, Jotina Ballard’s, artwork is on display at the Scarab Club.
“So you know I think folks with developmental disabilities or mental health needs are often, you could say invisible in society or sometimes hidden away really a big part of our program is giving them a platform to publicly express themselves,” said Marcellini.
All of the work is on sale and the money goes to the artists and the staff at the PASC design studios
“You’re paying him, you pay for me and I’m paying for that, and paying the art stuff, I’d be happy and stuff,” said Ballard.
Ballard and Taylor say receiving an income for their artwork makes them very happy.
“Happy! How do you say happy in sign language? Very, very happy,” said Taylor.
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