Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
F Barbara Tyroler, <br /> Artist Statement <br /> My latest project, Rockin the Spectrum,references the spectrum of developmental <br /> disorders associated with Autism, as well as the spectrum of colors an artist might <br /> use in rendering a portrait. I view the entire project as animating,enhancing, or <br /> embracing the inherent beauty and complexity of both of those spectrums. Through <br /> this project, I create evocative and artistically rendered portraits of students with <br /> Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Pervasive Developmental Delays as they learn <br /> confidence and independence in the water. <br /> The next step for me is to take the work through a mix of documentary and <br /> abstracted imagery that portrays beauty and depth, or as artist Alex Kanevsky states <br /> in his exhibition Beautiful and Profound Paintings, " ...by beautiful and profound I do <br /> not mean the opposite of ugly and shallow... I mean the whole spectrum that lies in <br /> between...the basic human emotions that underlie apparent narratives..." In this <br /> case,the intense struggles and joy experienced by these children with <br /> developmental disabilities, and in my current work,as they navigate the underwater <br /> environment as they learn to swim and to trust those who guide them. <br /> Partnerships with the Autism Society of North Carolina of Orange Chatham County, <br /> the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Adapted <br /> Recreation&Inclusion Program of the Town of Chapel Hill will enable the project <br /> portraits to be shown at various galleries and educational venues in collaboration <br /> with Autism Awareness initiatives.As an educator and visual artist, I am most <br /> fulfilled doing community advocacy projects that combine both disciplines. I am <br /> trusted to make photographs that are respectful and encouraging,that depict inner <br /> spirit and joy as well as challenge and frustration. I hope through my contributions <br /> of strong evocative visual imagery, I may play a role in building community <br /> connections. In making these photographs available to the public, I hope to do my <br /> part to direct additional resources towards future opportunities,using photography <br /> and the creative arts as stimulus for promoting understanding and inclusion.This <br /> body of work blends fine art and humanitarian work,which is central to my art <br /> practice. <br />