JAY'S ARTSHOW

My brother Jay was born with Down Syndrome.  He will turn 50 on February 22.  He was lucky enough to live with his parents until three years ago, when his mother died.  Now he lives happily on Bainbridge Island, with my sister Lynn. Four days a week he attends a special needs, adult activities center, called  The Stephen's House, where he participates with other people like him.  He goes swimming, sees movies, works on projects, and looks forward to it every day.  Some of the clients of Stephen's House recently, were asked to show their artwork in a gallery called Bainbridge Arts and Crafts. Jay and I often work on watercolor paintings together so he had several paintings that were ready to show. Here's a preview.

                       Here is Jay working on his painting of  an avacado.  This is in my studio.

 

You have to forgive my photography.  The pictures are a bit askew and I kept picking up my flash in the photo.
This is a  pictures of Avacados, framed.  His paintings will hang in the gallery from Feb. 2 to 28.

Jay went home after our session together and worked on this painting/collage on his own.  I love it as it is such a wonder of tiny pieces of paper and tape.  He painted some and drew on some and filled in with colored paper.
It really is a marvel up close.

He painted these ears of corn during the summer.

Bell peppers.  This reminds me of Tuscany somehow.  Maybe it's the ochre background or the red matte, but it speaks of the Mediterranean to me.

Green Onions.  He really nailed the complicated structure of the green part.

Country Mailbox.  The foliage behind the mailbox is the real story in this painting.

So there you have it.  A preview of Jay's next art show.  If you feel like a ferry ride, come to Bainbridge Island and see it during the month of February.


The opening of the show will be February 3 for a "meet the artist" event from 5 to 7 PM.
You can also check out my earlier blog about Jay here. http://www.reneestonge.blogspot.com/2011/06/jay.html