a WAE of being

Opening Celebration: Thu, Nov 19 from 6-8 PM

For nearly fifteen years, artists from the WAE Center have been regulars at the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery at SOPAC. They’ve explored exhibitions, traded ideas with curators, and made work inspired by what they’ve seen. Now, after all those years of looking at art on these walls, it’s their turn to fill them. Curated by Jeremy Moss, a WAE of being goes on view beginning THU, NOV 19, celebrating art, friendship, and a relationship that keeps growing. “What began with welcoming our members into a gallery has come full circle,” said Harry Klein, Director of the WAE Center, “with our artists now welcoming others into their worlds.”

• On View Through JAN 20: Original work by WAE Center artists fills the Iris Gallery all winter long.
• Fifteen Years in the Making: What started as monthly gallery visits grew into real friendships. The art brought everyone together, and each other kept them coming back.
• Creativity for Everyone: The WAE Center (Wellness, Arts, and Enrichment) supports creativity and connection for adults with developmental disabilities. Moss celebrates the “freedom of expression” in their work, and believes that “everyone should have the opportunity to be creative.”

It’s not just about being ourselves. It’s about the art of being with one another.

Key artwork: “Totally Tubular” by Patrick McCann

Also pictured: “Garden in Another Dimension” by Zak Zablow, “Rain Chain” by Kevin Cooke, “Friendship and Scene” by Mark Lubinsky, and “Storm Tones” by David Lakra