ADA Mural at NASA Glenn Research Center

Disability awareness presentation led to appearance with ADA Mural in northeast Ohio

By Shari L. Veleba Columbus, OH

I was honored to be the keynote speaker at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio for its Disability Awareness program on November 15, 2010. The center first approached me to come and speak after members of its disability awareness committee saw some of my photos of the ADA Mural project, which was sponsored by VSA Ohio.

I encouraged officials at NASA Glenn to contact VSA Ohio about hosting the mural, and they jumped at the chance to do so. While they hoped to have the mural there in October for the program, the NASA Glenn director approved the shift to November to accommodate the availability of the popular work of art. Never before had NASA Glenn had the opportunity to bring a living, breathing and vibrant advocacy tool such as the ADA Mural to its annual event. I’m told that after the event, the mural was displayed at the center’s cafeteria, which is used by many of its more than 3,000 employees.

Everyone was pleased when a WJW-TV 8 videographer attended the presentation and taped some footage of the mural for that evening’s news broadcast. Not only did the NASA Glenn audience see the mural, but so did thousands of northeast Ohio viewers.

I recruited a friend, Ann Christopher, of Columbus, to present with me.  While I spoke from the perspective of having an “invisible” disability (epilepsy), Ann spoke about living with a more “visible” disability. Ann uses a wheelchair and has dealt with all kinds of accessibility issues throughout her life.

The program took place in the auditorium of the NASA Administration Building. Even though I am one of the 13 artists who helped paint the mural, and I knew exactly how it looked, I was not prepared for how beautiful it appeared on the NASA stage.  For several moments, I was simply speechless.

Yes, I helped unveil the mural on the Statehouse grounds, and yes, I saw it displayed at the Riffe Center, a state office building in Downtown Columbus. But there was something so very different about seeing the mural displayed in an environment away from Columbus.  The mural panels stood in a semi-circle fashion due to the size of the stage. That way, it fit perfectly.  A large video screen was above and behind the mural, and two large wall-mounted televisions flanked it, for the video portion of the program. I was truly impressed.

The NASA employees who attended the presentation were very pleased, as well. During the portion of the talk in which I spoke about the making of the mural, I mentioned several of the artists I had gotten to know during the weekend painting marathon in July. I pointed out their particular artistic contributions to the overall piece. In fact, several of the artists appeared in the video and shared their personal connections to the mural. The painting spoke in a variety of ways that day.

The level of questions I fielded about the mural told me that many in the audience were impacted in some way by disability. Rather than just see paint on a canvas, one audience member looked more deeply and asked if the buildings depicted in the mural represented “institutionalization of people with disabilities.” It was a profound question which gave me the opportunity to discuss art as being very subjective. We, the viewers of art, can see many different things in any particular work, which makes the experience of art that much more valuable. And, that important question provided me the opportunity to speak to the   reality that yes, institutionalization of people with disabilities continues to be an issue of concern even     in today’s society.

I am pleased to have been a part of the ADA Mural’s travels. The presentation and appearance with        the mural is yet another way the mural has assisted me both as an artist with a disability and as an advocate for others with disabilities. I am personally energized, and I believe my art is just as invigorated, if not moreso.

The ADA Mural is making a strong impact on the people who view it and learn from it by helping them think about disability and ability in new ways. The feedback we received after the presentation tells me the mural is helping people understand how capable people with disabilities can be, when given the opportunity through organizations like VSA Ohio.

ADA Mural Experience from Shari Veleba

My ADA mural experience rich with symbolism

By Shari L. Veleba
Columbus, OH

In 1990, when President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, I watched the ceremony on television and said, “Finally.” I had grateful tears in my eyes. People with disabilities would now have civil rights protection under the law of the United States, just as every other citizen.

Over the years, the ADA has faced many court challenges and at one point even emerged from some of those fights quite bloodied as court decisions left some people with disabilities–such as myself, with epilepsy–again unprotected. Fortunately, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 wiped the face of the law and restored those protections for people with disabilities. That took some time, but again, I said, “Finally.”

Fast forward to 2010, and the 20^th anniversary of the ADA. Much of the United States has waded through a tough, bleak and depressing recession. The headlines in newspapers have been grim. The economic weather report has been cloudy and gray for so many, including people with disabilities.

And then there was a spark of an idea. VSA Ohio launched a call for entries to create a colorful mural to celebrate the ADA 20^th Anniversary. For me, it was as if the clouds were opening up a bit. The sun was beginning to shine.

The poem I submitted to the project was selected for inclusion in the mural. It pleases me to have my writing as a part of such a vibrant celebration of the ADA. I am also happy to have been one of the 13 artists with disabilities who were selected to help paint the mural…to bring it to life, to set it in motion.

The ADA law itself did not materialize overnight. It came together over many years…piece by piece, line by line, march upon protest upon discussion upon debate…as a document that has changed the lives of people with disabilities for the better. Needless to say, it was a bit of an adventure to then paint the large, ADA mural in three days’ time this past July. As I painted, I thought about the people who made the ADA possible…from everyday citizens, to federal legislators.

My mural experience has included a notable professional development step as an artist with a disability. It was a delight and honor to paint alongside Master Muralist Kong Ho, who designed the mural from our submissions.

Throughout our painting days, I got to know several of the artists from around Ohio who came together in Columbus to put paint to canvas and create the mural. We learned each others’ names, we talked, we shared ideas, we laughed, and we outlined. We blended colors, and painted. And painted. And painted.

Many of us keep in touch even now, in a variety of ways, to share professional news and information or to just say hello. It’s always good to expand one’s world with new friends and professional contacts.

Painting the mural was also my introduction to acrylic paint. I intend to more deeply explore the medium and possibly incorporate it into my artistic repertoire, albeit with much smaller works.

As the ADA mural travels throughout Ohio this year and next, I trust that the many people who experience it will also learn from it. It’s wonderful to be a part of that process with my art. The mural is an advocacy tool that reaches out, in an expressive, artistic way, to remind people about the value and importance of the ADA, and the vitality and legitimacy of art by artists with disabilities. The mural, in that way, reaches people who might not have otherwise given disability…and ability…a thought. Now, that’s something to celebrate. “Finally.”

More Pics from the Mural Opening

These are pics that were shot by my wife Bobbi during the mural opening at the Statehouse on  July 26.

Derek

More Pictures From Shari and Ricci

I recently received some more slides from Shari Veleba and Ricci Michaels chronicling the mural and their participation in it. A picture tells a thousand words.

Shari’s Slides.2

Ricci’s Slides

Derek

More Pix From the Mural Project

I recently created two other PowerPoint presentations from pictures Erin our E.D. and Shari Veleba, mural artist took during the creative process and State House event.

Erin’s Slides

Shari’s Slides

Derek

Timeline of ADA Mural Project

Mural Timeline

The above link is a PowerPoint I made from photos taken from my camera during our collaborative mural project. Enjoy!

Derek

ADA Mural on Tour

The ADA mural will tour across Ohio to raise awareness about art and disability issues.

Tour Schedule

_July 26 – August: Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, Columbus

_September: Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission, Columbus

_October: Wright State University, Dayton

_March: Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Cleveland

_April: Fairfield County

_May 11: Ohio Arts Day, Columbus

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For more information about each site visit the VSA Ohio Arts & Disability Event Calendar (http://www.vsao.org/connect/events.html)

If you would like the mural to advocate for inclusion and access in your community email info@vsao.org.