Wednesday 9 October 2013

Rainy day

It's a grey, windy, rainy day. I'm watching the Imagination Playground get a thrashing from visiting families seeking respite from the weather through one set of windows, and below the window in my office, the next exhibition (drawn from the Chartwell Collection at the Auckland Art Gallery) being installed. Bill Culbert's Light Plain is looking particularly magnificent - even without the room it's in blacked out yet, the floating lamps are magical.

When I'm not looking out the windows, I'm reading about the Queens Museum of Art's rather extraordinary ArtAccess programme. In particular, I'm looking at the work they're doing with families affected by autism, such as this six-week sensory art programme, 'Beautiful Oops!'. An open letter from one of the parents who has participated in these programmes shows what a difference they make.

From day one, AJ has been allowed to just be himself. The staff members have been accommodating to his sensory sensitivities. They have done their best to keep him focused and engaged in what works for AJ in accomplishing the project at hand with flexibility and with LOVE. As special as my son is, I will say that this treatment is not singled out just on him – this treatment is given to and shared with every child that enters the room.

All of this amid a bunch of secret-project emails and some Wordy templatey stuff. And all accompanied by this rainy day playlist.

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