Art and Abilities: Investing in Ability Week
Oct 19-31, 2009
Against a backdrop of Sadashi Inuzuka’s art objects exhibited in glass cases in the University Hospital Main Corridor, we held our week. There was also an exhibit in the Taubman Medical Library of The Road to Freedom’s photographs and write-ups of individual who have disabilities.
About 170 participants took part in the Fourth Annual Symposium on Mental Health in the Workplace—Anxiety Disorders in the Workplace by Dr. Joseph Himle.
The ever-popular dogs in the Diag were a dozen in number (7 at U Hospital, 11 at Wolverine Towers, a number at East Ann Arbor Health Center) and, of course, they attracted lots of oohing, patting and/ attention.
The Many Ways of Doing Art Collaboration for attracted 47 individuals to the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living.
The CRLT Players’ First Days: (dis)Ability in the Classroom played to a packed room.
The 5-person Panel on Deafness attracted approximately 30 viewers to the Kuenzel Room of the Michigan League.
Dr. Rick Solomon’s talk on Understanding Autism and Creative Play was another popular event, this one held at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, where the available seats were just about filled.
Afterwords: Expressive Writing for Veterans with its six panelists elicited questions and ensuing discussion at the School of Social Work among about ½ dozen audience members, including a representative from Michigan Radio.
Sadie Wilcox’s noon presentation at the Student Activities Building was attended by about fifteen viewers and her evening talk was given to two nursing classes and one social work classes as well as a number of community members.
Autism the Musical, a film shown at the Graduate Library Gallery, was appreciated by an audience of about 30, including a class of young teenagers.
Full Circle: My Journey with Art, a slide show given by Professor Sadashi Inuzuka was seen by half a dozen people and his workshop Let’s Make Animals on Saturday on making clay animals was a hit among the half a dozen children who attended. About eight art students were on hand to help the children in their creative activities.
The Adaptive Technology Open House showed off its new quarters that are now at street level and a more integral part of the Undergraduate Library set-up.
The James T. Neubacher Award Ceremony received over 100 participants, including 3 UM Vice Presidents, a Regent, and a Dean, as well as a good number of delighted family members and colleagues. Thumping Threads, a 5-member team that received a Certificate of Appreciation, was represented by one of it engineering student team members who demonstrated the “feel the music” vest they had constructed. A total of 19 Certificates of Appreciation were given out, and 15 people were there in person to receive them.
Alex and Marlene Miller were given a plaque of appreciation for all they have done for UM students.
Several students received memorial awards and special scholarships.
The recipient of the Neubacher was Professor Tobin Siebers for whom Regent Julia Darlow gave a 10 minute introduction, and Tobin responded with a talk about the relationship between disability and art, illustrated by several slides.