(Malvern, PA, November 23, 2016) — More than 300 people enjoyed the creative works of over 200 artists with physical and cognitive disabilities at the opening reception for Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s 21st Annual Art Ability Exhibition and Sale on Saturday, November 5th. Guests mingled with many of the exhibiting artists and made their purchases before the exhibition opened to the public the next day. A small jazz ensemble added to the festive mood.
This year’s 12-week exhibition and sale features over 400 artworks by 202 artists from 30 states and 3 countries in such mediums as jewelry and fine crafts, sculpture, mixed media and photography as well as works on canvas and works on paper. The exhibition is free and open daily to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through January 2017. All works are for sale. A percentage of the funds raised through the sale of artwork support Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s nationally-recognized rehabilitation programs while 80 percent of the sale goes directly to the artist.
Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s Art Ability is a year-round showcase and celebration of art by artists with disabilities. As the country’s largest, international juried exhibition and sale of art and fine crafts created by artists with cognitive, physical, hearing and/or visual disabilities, Art Ability offers a unique and accessible venue for artists with disabilities to display and sell their work. In addition to supporting Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s vision and mission to advocate for those with disabilities in our community, Art Ability provides community outreach and education; a corporate art acquisition program; and a permanent collection at the hospital where art is incorporated into therapy.
“Art Ability focuses our appreciation, not on the artists’ disability, but, rather, their astounding artistic abilities,” said Sherman Fleming, Art Ability Curator. “I am humbled and inspired by the artwork.”
Art Ability has many philanthropic partners, including leadership support from The William Penn Foundation, Construction Services Group (Presenting Sponsor), Encore (Preview Reception Sponsor), Aramark, DLA Piper LLP, Pepper Hamilton LLP, United States Liability Insurance Group, all Gold Sponsors, and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance in partnership with the PA Council on the Arts. Through the generous support of The William Penn Foundation, Art Ability is now able to offer an online sales gallery that provides the opportunity to view works for sale from our consignment inventory. Connect… Shop… Support at art-ability.org. For more information about Art Ability 2016, including group tours, please contact the Art Ability Office at 484.596.5607 or visit mainlinehealth.org/ArtAbility.
Photos:
1- Art Ability artist Robert Flatt of Houston, Texas stands with his photograph, Grackle Flying Through Red Salvia, the 2016 Art Ability featured piece.
About Main Line Health
Founded in 1985, Main Line Health (MLH) is a not-for-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. At its core are four of the region’s respected acute care hospitals—Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital—as well as one of the nation’s premier facilities for rehabilitative medicine, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital; Mirmont Treatment Center for drug and alcohol recovery; and Main Line Health HomeCare & Hospice, a home health service. Main Line Health also consists of Main Line HealthCare, one of the region’s largest multi-specialty physician networks, and the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a non-profit biomedical research organization located on the campus of Lankenau Medical Center. Main Line Health is also comprised of four outpatient health centers located in Broomall, Collegeville, Exton and Newtown Square.
Main Line Health Hospitals, with more than 10,000 employees and 2,000 physicians, are the recipients of numerous awards for quality care and service, including System Magnet® designation, the nation’s highest distinction for nursing excellence, and being named among the nation’s best employers by Forbes magazine. Main Line Health is among the area’s leaders in medicine, providing advanced patient-centered care, education and research to help our community stay healthy. To learn more, visit mainlinehealth.org.
About Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital
Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, a member of Main Line Health, is a leader in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. As a 148-bed, not-for-profit hospital, Bryn Mawr Rehab offers the full continuum of rehabilitation services, including acute inpatient care, as well as outpatient services for adults and adolescents. The range of illnesses and injuries treated at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital includes traumatic, mild traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury, stroke and other neurological disorders, spinal cord injury and amputee and orthopedic injuries and illnesses. In addition, Bryn Mawr Rehab provides rehabilitation services at convenient locations in Philadelphia’s western suburbs. The Hospital has also achieved Magnet® designation, the nation’s highest distinction for excellence in nursing care. For more information about Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, visit mainlinehealth.org/rehab.
