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EXHIBITION
Our landmark student-artist exhibition emerging out of an exchange between Deaf students in Connecticut and Kenya, looking at the power of art as our universal language.
About the Exhibition
This exhibition celebrates art as our universal language. Even though we communicate in different languages, have different abilities, and come from unique backgrounds, we can connect through art. Student-artists show us how here.
- Student-artists across Connecticut were challenged to think about how many different abilities, languages, and backgrounds people have, and yet at the same time how powerful art is at connecting us all.
- Works were submitted to complement those exchanged between students at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, CT and the Machakos School for the Deaf in Kenya, facilitated by our partner nonprofit Creative Connections.
- Students encourage the viewer to use art as their own language too.
- Close looking and discussion about the works on view supports critical and creative thinking. It also teaches empathy and understanding across differences.
Theme selected by cARTie's Student Advisory Board, comprising: Ava Basile, Arianna Martinez, Phoebe DeOreo, Nate Kolek, Casey Lerner, Claire Osiecki, Dereje Tarrant, Alejandro RamoscARTie's 2023 Jurying Committee included: Adrianne Carter-Brown, BJ Brown, Lalah Carter-Brown, Vivi Carter-Brown, Desiree Duda, Holly Hawthorn, Jennifer Hong, Nate Kolek, Carl Lewandowski, Clare Murray, Tish Murray, and Alan StecklerContent Consultancy: Madison Zalopany, Aliza Greenberg, Miranda Lee
Welcome to the Gallery:
The Power of Art as Language
The Story of My Life
Carol
2023
Colored Pencil
"This two-dimensional 11x17” vertically-oriented colored pencil drawing is a collection of twelve small scenes, arranged in a 3x4 grid. The first is a flag with three horizontal stripes in bands of yellow, blue, and red. The word Ecuador is written in the middle of the blue band. The flag is hanging on a brown flag pole and there is a blue background. The second is a girl wearing a pink dress and a ponytail, walking on a green meadow. There is a blue sky with two puffy clouds and a yellow sun. The third drawing is of a girl walking on a road with a dotted yellow line down the center. On the right, there is a building titled school. The fourth is an adult male standing next to a female child with a suitcase. The fifth depicts a girl wearing a pink dress standing next to a building labeled, “School Deaf 2015”. This building is red and yellow, with 5 blue windows. Around it is an L-shaped road with a dotted yellow line. The sixth is a girl wearing a pink dress standing next to an adult who is wearing a gray suit, labeled, “Teacher”. The seventh is divided into three sections, labeled “friends” “teacher” and “teacher speech.” In the top section labeled “friends”, there are 5 stick figures. In the section labeled “teacher” there is a girl wearing a pink dress standing with a teacher in a gray suit. In the section labeled “teacher speech”, there is an adult woman wearing a gray suit. The eighth is labeled “2021.” There are 4 stick figures standing beside a red and yellow building and a black road with a dotted yellow line. There is also one person standing in the road. The ninth is a drawing of the Mexican Flag in the sky. The flag has green, white, and red vertical stripes. Two adults and two children stand underneath the flag on sand with a yellow building to the right. The tenth has an American Flag labeled “USA” with stars and stripes. Two adults and two children stand underneath the flag on yellow ground. The adults are labeled “Mom” and “Dad” and the children are labeled “Carol” and “Son.” The eleventh is an L-shaped dark road with a dotted yellow line down the center and an orange building with two blue windows and one blue door between them. Above the windows there are two rectangles - one is gray and one is green. There is a girl standing beside the building wearing an orange dress. The final section is labeled “ASD” and has an orange building with big blue windows, and a triangle window at the apex of the structure. There is a circular driveway where a young girl in a pink dress is standing to the left of the entrance to the building. "
Hide and Seek
Hyltann
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a11x8.5 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of children playing hide and seek inside a bright yellow living room. A big brown dog sits looking at a child with curly blonde hair hiding his body under an orange rug with blue fringe.Another boy with brown skin and black curly hair peeks out from behind a couch. In the background, a mother is working in the kitchen with a big smile on her face.
A Hearing Family Deals with a Deaf Child
Annyelis
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional horizontally-oriented colored pencil triptych (three pieces). Each piece is a seven inch square. From left to right, the artist shows three different moments in her life growing up as a deaf child in a hearing family. On the left, she drew herself as a baby with brown skin being looked after by eight family members. There are two larger figures holding her, and six behind her, smiling. In the middle, she drew a big white plane soaring in the blue sky to represent a big change in her life. Then, on the right, she drew herself and three friends in school in America. She is signing “hello,” learning to count using hopscotch, learning the letters of the alphabet, and sitting in a circle with school friends.
Ecuador to America
Jack
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x 8.5 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of a large Ecuador flag centered against a blue sky background. The flag has horizontal bands of yellow, blue, and red, with an insignia centered in the middle showing the Ecuadorian coat of arms -an eagle with it’s wings spread open atop an orb. The flag is held up by a pole with palm fronds at the top. Below the flag are three people – a mom, dad, and a boy – standing on a dark ground.
Afghanistan, Kabul
Ahmadi
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 18x12 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of a mountain landscape seen from above. A river lined by red flowering trees runs from the rocky brown mountains down to a green valley. Nestled in the valley is a “L” shaped house surrounded by a stone wall and a small road where chickens wander and people bicycle.
Ice Cream
Shaneliea
2023
Colored Pencil, Beads
This is a two-dimensional 8.5x11 inch vertically-oriented colored pencil drawing of three scoops of ice cream on an orange colored cone centered on a blue background. Top scoop is brown, then pink then yellow. There are tiny plastic sprinkle beads glued on each scoop, yellow over the yellow, pink over the pink, and brown over the brown.
Cambodia
Devin
2023
Colored Pencil, Beads
This is a two-dimensional 10.5 x 8.5 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of a blue river running through a palm tree forest. The trees spring upward toward the sky and scatter across the sandy colored background. The river flows wide at the bottom of the right handside of the drawing and tapers as it recedes in space. Its shimmering waters are illustrated through the use of small blue beads that dance around rocks.
My Favorite Thing
Stanley
2023
Collage
This is a two-dimensional 18x12 inch horizontally-oriented collaged piece of art with a map of China in black marker on a bright blue background. There are various pictures from magazines collaged over the black cut-out, including from top left through right: the Chinese zodiac, a temple, a dragon, a photo of the artist wearing glasses and a gray jacket, a bowl of Chinese noodles, the Chinese flag, and a group of people.
Isola Bella Camp
Jason
2023
Colored Pencil, Marker
This is a two-dimensional 18x12 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil and marker drawing of an island camp named Isola Bella Camp. The picture is divided into three segments: a brilliant blue sky, a lighter blue ocean, and yellow sand. There are three people in this drawing. Two are swimming in the ocean with just their heads visible and one is on the sand dressed as a lifeguard. All three have short hair and two are wearing glasses. On the sand and in the water are beach toys and a lifesaver ring. There is a large domed darkly colored building on the right side of the drawing with three windows and a door.
Heart Surgery
Sarah
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 8.5x9.5 inch vertically-oriented colored pencil drawing with a black outline of a red t-shirt on a white background. The red color pencil lines are hatched and drawn with brevity and determination. In the center of the t-shirt is a solid white heart with the word “warrior” written in black all capital letters just underneath.
Joe's Crabshack
Priscilla
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing with a predominantly blue background and a busy composition. There are two brown signs in the center of the piece that say “Eat at Joe’s Crab Shack” and “Joe’s Crabshack.” There are two smaller scenes inside this piece: one in the top left and another in the bottom right. In the top left, there is a sun, boat, sailboat, fin, and seagulls. In the bottom right, there is a person standing near a red door with a sign nearby that says “Menu.”
Puerto Rico Vacation
Isaiah
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 8.5x11 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of a beach landscape that is seen from a bird’s eye view. Moving left to right are two red cars parked next to two brown houses on green grass, next an empty gray road, followed by an orange colored beach where two people play volleyball, and lastly the blue ocean where a group can be seen boating.
Vacation Puerto Rico
Nicolle
2023
Marker
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5” horizontally-oriented marker drawing of a small brown house with an orange triangle shaped roof in front of a bright blue sky. The house sits on a round mound of brown earth and is nestled between two palm trees that lean towards the house at a diagonal.The line work and colors used are lively and create a sense of movement around the small landscape.
Pizza with Dad
Raul
2023
Colored Pencil, Marker
This is a two-dimensional 15x12 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil and marker drawing of a red table, outlined in black marker, with two people. The forced perspective of the table gives us a bird’s eye view of the yellow cheesy pizza. The people stand to the left and the right of the table and are wearing purple shirts and white pants. One is taller than the other. The background is a fury of orange marks with the artist’s full name written in black letters toward the top right: Raul Garcia.
April Fool Prank
Amanda
2023
Colored Paper Collage
This is a three-dimensional 11x17” vertically-oriented colored paper collage of a vertical window with two blue panes separated by a white frame. There is a small spider web drawn using pen in the top-left of the top blue rectangle. In the bottom-right of the bottom blue rectangle, the artist has used drawing and collage with black paper cut out in the shape of two hands to sign “spider.” The sign for “spider” is made by crossing hands at the wrist with both palms facing down, fingers and thumbs bent, and wiggling fingers while the hands move forward slightly representing a spider's legs moving.
Ramadan
Hayder
2023
Mixed Media
This is a three-dimensional 8.5x8 inch horizontally-oriented mixed media work depicting a black crescent-shaped object floating on a sky blue background. The object is adorned with golden beaded circles along its middle and blue beads on the top and bottom of its curved tips. From the top of its oblong body hangs a red and yellow beaded tassel.
New York Yankees
John
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 18x12 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing. In the middle of the piece is the New York Yankees logo, outlined in marker. Just above the logo is homebase on a baseball field, with orange lines to show the direction of the field. There are ten people in U-shaped seats at the bottom of the drawing, below the logo. They are seated in an area that is colored gray. The background in the rest of the drawing is colored green.
Running
Joy
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of a girl with brown skin wearing black shorts, purple shoes, yellow socks, and a red shirt that says “Kenya 251.” Her dark hair is in a bun. She has both arms outstretched and one leg lifted. Below her is a pink track with three lanes and a green, red, and black border. A blue square is right behind her and divides the border.
DJ
Meshack
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of a three-dimensional mixing board with small rainbow buttons connected to two tall speakers on either side. The sound equipment is neatly drawn and sits on a white background.
Lion
James
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of a brown lion standing on a plateau above a vast landscape. The lion’s body is seen in profile, turned to the right, however its head is turned towards us with a stoic look. Behind the lion are two mountain peaks, gray clouds, and light blue sky, setting yellow sun, and handful of small trees, rocks, and goats.
The Ocean
Angela
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5 inch horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of an ocean where the top quarter of the paper is white. There is a large blue area with gray dotted lines on the bottom half of the paper. To the left of the blue area is a brown area. There are two green areas with gray dots bordering the brown and blue areas.
Flower
Veronica
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 8.5x11” vertically-oriented colored pencil drawing showing 4 flowers with two flying insects. In the center of the drawing is a larger flower with five pink petals with a small yellow center. It has a tall green stem with several green leaves and sits in a gray rectangular pot. Above the pink flower is the word FLOWER. The artist made choices that were tidy, pretty, and organized.
Kenyan Map
Robert
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 8.5x11” vertically-oriented colored pencil-drawn map of Kenya, colored with yellow, green, orange red, purple, gray and two different blues. The word KENYA is written in block letters across the top of the art. Each color represents a region on the map, with the blue being water. Each region is labeled in pencil. There is a blue section to the right side labeled “Indian Ocean. Additionally, the surrounding countries are labeled.
Bus
Daniel
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5 inch horizontally-oriented crayon drawing of a pink bus with decorative small pink and blue dots driving on a highway with a yellow dividing line. There is a large sports ball with yellow flames drawn on the side of the bus and four smaller versions above the windows. The bus is labeled with the word ‘BUS’ in pencil above the gray window. The background area shows a sun peeking out behind mountains with lots of green trees and black birds. In the forefront there are ‘v’ shaped marks throughout the green grass and large rocks on both sides of the road.
Safari Rally
Ayton
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5” horizontally-oriented colored pencil and “color rubber” drawing of a green dynamic bus traveling along a black diagonal road on a white background. The green bus has purple headlights and a purple bumper and black wheels. The bus is positioned at the bottom of the page with the road extending from left to right with a slight curve.
Basketball
Reagan
2023
Colored Pencil
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5 horizontally-oriented colored pencil drawing of a black, possibly Kenyan, individual playing basketball. The solid white background and page are positioned horizontally. Additionally, the athlete is in the center of the composition with a large orange jersey, red athletic shorts, yellow knee length socks, and purple cleats. The individual’s right arm is placing a basketball into the solid black hoop and there is sparse grass placed underneath him. Written to the left of the composition is the word “Basket ball”
Digital Connection
Emily
2023
Mixed Media
This is a three-dimensional 27x21 inch horizontally-oriented pencil drawing of two teenagers looking toward the viewer, both with long hair, wide eyes, and open mouths. They are subtly turned toward the composition’s center line that has been torn apart and re-stitched together using phone chargers.
Dog
Claire
2023
Graphite
This is a two-dimensional 8x10” vertically-oriented graphite portrait drawing of a labrador-like dog’s face and neck. The dog’s face and neck are very finely rendered and centered on white paper. The dog is looking straight ahead, with almond-shaped eyes and a closed mouth. Beneath the dog’s portrait is the word “Dog” repeated three times; first in handwritten text, then three hands fingerspelling D-O-G in American Sign Language, and lastly in braille.
Yin & Yang: Hand of Order & Crow of Chaos: Harmony
Ian
2023
Acrylic
This is a two-dimensional 20x24” vertically-oriented acrylic painting of a light tan hand and forearm with subtle pink and green shadows that are reaching toward the center of the composition from the bottom-right corner, set against a purple background. The purple background shows fifteen light purple feathers cascading from the center of the composition toward the edges. Behind the hand, at the center of the composition are features resembling a crow looking down, including a bright white teardrop shape above a pointy light blue triangle. The hand is overlapping part of the crow.
Different Worlds, Same Possibilities
Camille
2023
Mixed Media
This is a two-dimensional 10x4” horizontally-oriented mixed media painting created using acrylic paints, a gel pen, and a sharpie. The artist painted squiggly purple, green, and blue bands atop a dark purple background in the top half. They made red, orange, and yellow brushstrokes to resemble dashes in the bottom half. Finally, they used a white gel pen and a black sharpie to create two inverted figures emerging at the midline.
A Smile in the Ground
Hannah
2023
Mixed Media
This is a two-dimensional 11x8.5” horizontally-oriented mixed media painting created using graphite and watercolor. It features two children playing in the dirt with a gray sky background. The child on the left has short hair and is wearing a blue shirt. They are crouching and drawing on the ground using a stick between themselves and the other child. The other child has shoulder-length hair and a green shirt. They are watching what the other child is drawing to their right, from seated with knees hugged in toward their chest.
Golden Splatter
Casey
2023
Acrylic
This is a large two-dimensional 3x4’ horizontally-oriented painting created using gold acrylic paint atop a white canvas background. The artist splattered the entire canvas with gold, creating overlapping lines, dots, and other designs.
This exhibition prompts us all to take pause and really think about the power of art as language. Universal language."
Clare Murray, cARTie Co-Founder
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Every year, we rotate in a new exhibition of artwork created by a diverse range of students across Connecticut.
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The Power of Art as Language
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Introducing cARTie
Our first-ever juried student art exhibition stands as a testament to the value of picking up a pencil, a piece of paper, a stash of paints, a roll of film, a ball of clay, and so forth.
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