A World of Opportunities
We couldn’t let March go by without talking about Developmental Disability Awareness Month.
The observance was created through presidential proclamation in 1987 and every March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and its partners collaborate on an annual campaign that highlights how people with and without disabilities can come together to form strong communities.
The month raises awareness of the milestones achieved by people with developmental disabilities and also explores the work needed to remove barriers so that those with developmental disabilities are fully included as valued members of their communities and have equal opportunities to achieve their potential.
This year’s theme is A World of Opportunities and embraces that vision of how we can come together to remove barriers – but also focuses on individuals with developmental disabilities becoming advocates for their own needs.
If you’d like more information about Developmental Disability Awareness Month – including an impressive list of podcasts focusing on developmental disability issues, self-advocacy, and disability rights, check out the NACDD website here.
‘Life Itself Is a Work of Art’
Sharin Jonas says that she’s been an artist since she was 2 years old.
Born in Topeka, Kansas, Sharin was adopted and raised in Phoenix. The 45-year-old became a resident of Beacon House, one of Quality Connections group homes in Flagstaff, about six years ago.
Sharin likes life at Beacon House – “they have really good cooks there,” she says – but her true passion is her practicing her art. Three days a week, she travels to Hozhoni Foundation and puts pen, markers, and colored pencils to paper to create her fantasy-based images.
“I’m really focused and take my time,” she said. “It’s not hard at all. All the art that I make comes from inside me; it’s not based on anyone else.”
Not that she doesn’t take inspiration from the art she sees around her, she says. She’s a big fan of Picasso and Japanese anime and also draws inspiration from video games, cartoons and movies.
Sharin’s world is filled with creatures that are a mash up of two real or mythological beings, like a pixie and a frog.
For Sharin, being able to create isn’t just a way of unleashing her imagination; it also helps her express her feelings. She can represent her happiness in drawings, but also times when she is sad, angry or depressed.
“It has made me grow more as a person,” she says.
She’s also found professional success as an artist. Her pieces have been purchased by fans locally and around the world.
You can see a display of Sharin’s art at Hozhoni’s latest exhibition, “Into the Wild Nature Art Show,” from now until April 12th. The Art Gallery, which is located next to the main building at 2133 N. Walgreen Blvd. in Flagstaff, is open from 10 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday.
One thing Sharin wants people to take away from the show is the interconnectedness between nature and art.
“Everything is all a work of art; we ourselves are a work of art,” she said. “Art is life and life itself is a work of art. They work together.”