10th Anniversary of Revolutionary Teaching Approach that Offers the Severely 'Disabled' the Gift of Self-Expression - Throug...( Students with cerebral palsy pain...),Health

Students with cerebral palsy paint masterpieces and find liberation from misconceptions, stereotypes in the process

Visionary artist-turned-activist seeks funding for national 'road show' aimed at taking breakthrough technique directly to people who need it most

PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A charitable nonprofit organization devoted to teaching physically and/or mentally challenged children and adults to find self-expression through art will celebrate its 10th Anniversary in Princeton, N.J. on October 12th. Artistic Realization Technologies, or A.R.T., will toast a decade of achievement while at the same time raise funding through a silent auction of artwork created by A.R.T. students.

The money raised by the auction will in part go toward funding a national "Road Show" that will bring paintings to metropolitan areas across the country, including New York City and Los Angeles. One difference sets this art show apart from every other -- these "Soho ready" works of art were created by people who are wheelchair-bound with the most severe disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, muscular sclerosis and certain brain injuries.

"Many of these young people have never spoken a word in their entire lives," said Tim Lefens, founder and director of A.R.T. and the brains behind a breakthrough approach that teaches the severely disabled to paint, completely of their own accord. "These individuals cannot talk or walk and have limited or no use of their hands. A question that ate at me for years was: 'What would they tell us if they had the power?' "

Through an innovative teaching approach that blends technology with creative energy, Lefens has taught his artists to paint, providing a powerful means for them to tell their stories, to regain their humanity through self-expression. He has enabled the artists to find their inner, untapped passion. Many of them have waited their entire lives for a single
'/>"/>