Artist helps disabled Pasco students express themselves

Adam Schmiz had the oil pastels, the paper and the freedom to create whatever he wanted, but the artistic muse refused to kick in.

Artist Mindy S. Egert decided to give the 12-year-old a little coaxing and a pep talk.

"You know what you can do, Adam?" she said. "You can close your eyes and draw with your eyes closed. It doesn't matter. Art is from you and it's all wonderful in my opinion."

Adam began to draw.

It was one more small victory in the autism/varying exceptionalities class at Seven Springs Middle School, where Egert is serving as an artist in residency and giving a creative boost to the nine students in teacher Kala Hamilton's classroom.

About half the students are autistic and the others have other disabilities, Hamilton said.

"It's very hard for these kids to focus five minutes," Hamilton said during a one-hour lesson with Egert this week. "It's already been 11 minutes, and they are still very involved."

The nine sat at a table putting pastel to paper. In addition to Adam, they were Michael Fontes, 13; William Mulcahy, 13; Jake Staniloiu, 12; Mariano Duarte, 12; Kevin Gray, 12; Shelby Faiella, 13; Donnell King, 13; and Duane McKinney, 13.

Artistically, they could go wherever their whims took them. They drew faces, shapes and letters, proudly displaying the results.

"My brother's Christmas present from me," Donnell said as he finished a drawing.

Egert's visits to Hamilton's classroom are made possible through the VSA Florida Artist in Residency Program, which is based at the University of South Florida's College of Education.

The program, part of an international nonprofit organization founded in the 1970s by Jean Kennedy Smith, focuses on students with disabilities and gives them a chance to learn through the arts. The aim is to provide the students with a sense of accomplishment and inspire them to become more fluent and imaginative in expressing their ideas.

Egert also spends time at Hudson Middle working with students in an emotional behavior disabilities program.

"These students do not have art in their regular school day," said Rebecca Musselman, who oversees fine arts programs for the Pasco County School District. "We wanted to enhance their opportunity to have art."

In February, the students' work will be displayed at the Progress Energy Art Gallery in New Port Richey.

The nine-week program works wonders for the students' confidence, Hamilton said. Usually, she teaches them subjects such as math, reading and science, all of which come with right and wrong answers.

Art is more subjective. A drawing or a painting isn't right or wrong, providing more opportunities for classroom victories.

"In art, you don't correct them," Hamilton said. "They are so proud of their work."

Art and the academic subjects aren't the only things happening in this classroom. Special education classrooms come with appliances so the students learn about cooking, laundry and other life skills.

Hamilton is helped by two instructional assistants - Sharon Hale and Marie Bjorbekk -- allowing the class to maintain a 3-to-1 ratio of adults to students.

The three find ways to motivate the students. When Jake showed reluctance to take on this week's art assignment, Bjorbekk gave him a nudge by asking him to draw a Christmas tree for her. He obliged. Later, Hamilton requested Jake draw a reindeer to hang in the room.

"Oh, I'm loving it, Jake," Hamilton said as the reindeer took shape. "It's awesome."

When the art lesson came to an end, some drawings hung in a window. Others lay spread colorfully across a table.

The nine artists washed up and went to lunch.

rblair@tampatrib.com

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