Many Happy Returns: Celebrating 35 Years of Short Center North
Curated by Liv Moe
November 6 - December 21, 2014
reception: Thursday, November 6, 6pm - 9pm
Verge Center for the Arts is pleased to present Many Happy Returns: a 35 Year Retrospective of Short Center North. Over 200 pieces by artists with developmental disabilities will be on display including work by the Center’s first client artist Liz Markham. Going all the way back to 1978, this exhibition will take the viewing public through a chronological survey of more than three decades of work in all genres and mediums including painting, sculpture, animation, assemblage, and fiber arts. Short Center North (SCN) client artist Ellen Bourdreaux will perform live at the opening reception on November 6th. This will be the first time an exhibition of this size or scope has been undertaken for the Center. In addition to the retrospective Verge will be hosting a Pop-Up Shop in our classroom exhibition space offering works for sale in time for the holiday season.
SCN was founded in 1978 by DDSO and was one of the first day centers in the Sacramento area to employ professional artists as arts mentors for adults with developmental disabilities. The Verge exhibition will include over 120 current and past client artists including Ray Franklin, Jon Espegren, William Haddad, Liz Markham, Lela Hasty, and John Ratto. Many SCN artists have shown extensively throughout the Sacramento region and at national institutions including, The National Folk Art Museum in Washington DC, The Outsider Art Fair in New York City, and Ames Gallery in Berkeley. Short Center artists have recently been featured in Raw Vision Magazine, the world’s premiere publication of Outsider Art.
Many notable artists have served as arts mentors at SCN. These artists both past and present include Rory Nakata, Craig Smith, Mark Knott, Steve Vanoni, Stephanie Skalisky, Kim Scott, Valentino Fernandez, Melanie Bown, John Stuart Berger, Skinner, Miguel Paz and Bluewater Avery. The staff’s dedication to client artists has been central to the center’s reputation as a visual arts treasure.
In conjunction with the physical exhibition, Short Center North’s parent agency the Developmental Disabled Services Organizations (DDSO), will host an on online exhibition of the retrospective on it’s Virtual Feast website, ddsoarts.org.
Two workshops led by SCN professional arts mentors will also be offered at the Verge in conjunction with the show.
Artist Information
Short Center North (SCN) was developed in 1978 as an arts-based program for adults with developmental disabilities. SCN offers several opportunities to develop life skills, form meaningful friendships, and become more involved with the community. This center is truly a treasure in the art community. SCN is more than a place to go — it is a way of life for our clients; it is where adults with developmental disabilities share a culture and a lifestyle beyond their wildest dreams.
Many have seen SCN art at such diverse venues as the Crocker Art Museum, the California State Fair, the State Capitol, public mural installations, as well as countless galleries and businesses throughout the Central Valley region. Verge Gallery recently showcased over 35 years of Short Center North artwork, which was the largest DDSO exhibition. Outside of the area, art exhibitions include the Ames Gallery in Berkeley, the Outsider Art Fair in New York City and the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.