Ohio Landscape

From award-winning producer Sandra Sleight-Brennan.

A Passion For Art is a 1/2 hour documentary that explores art making and how it can effect individuals and a community. Passion Works is an art program for the developmentally disabled -- the adults who work in a sheltered workshop making pens and sticking mailing labels on envelopes. Useful, but repetitive, tasks that keep the developmentally disabled out of the public view. In Athens, Ohio one Sheltered Workshop has taken a different approach to assisting the developmentally disabled. Four years ago, a local artist, Patty Mitchell, did a residency in creating paper mache birds with the sheltered workshop participants. It’s never been the same since. Now the workshop participants create art that they display and sell in museums and galleries.

A winner of the 2004 National Headliner Awards for Best Feature and Human Interest Story. A Passion for Art CDs are also available for purchase by individuals.

The documentary is about a workshop, Passion Works, where colors and smiles blend together to create an atmosphere that both soothes the spirit and allows creativity to blossom.

Listen to Artist Patty Michell and Services Coordinator David Barba describe the studio.

One of the Passion Works artists is David Dewey. He has limited control of his hands. The repetitive tasks that ATCO traditionally does - stuffing envelopes and making pens, were not a match to his abilities. But, as it turns out, he could draw. Patty Mitchell gave him a black pen and white paper and he drew some refrigerators and stoves. His drawings have been translated into rubber stamps, greeting cards, ceramic sculpture, silver jewelry, quilts and one-of-a-kind artworks.

Hear about his art making

It's a special place where artists work with mentally disabled adults - and both benefit.

Listen to visiting artist Wendy Minor

Listen to workshop participant Nancy Dick talk about what painting means to her.

The art that evolves is stupendous - winning national awards, decorating restaurants, and marching down Main Street.

Listen to restaurant owner Ed Fisher. His restaurant, Purple Chopsticks, is decorated with Passion Works art.

For more information on Passion Works Studio visit their site at www.passionworks.org

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this project with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioians.