The Member Spotlight series at Newburyport Art is a new initiative, featuring a showcase of work in the newly designated Mural Gallery — the hallway and staircase bridging the downstairs Sargent Gallery and upstairs Hartson Gallery. The current spotlight is on our OpArt artists, who have offered their perspectives on Windows and the idea of ”Perspective”.
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The OpArt program, founded in 2004, is a partnership between the Newburyport Art Association and Opportunity Works, with a mission to encourage and support individuals with disabilities to fulfill their life ambitions through the creative process. OpArt provides participating artists with artistic training to professionally create, exhibit, and market their artwork. The program is managed by Jenna Signore and Michele Champion, with volunteer assistance from Michelle Gray, Christine Molitor Johnson, Susan Leck, and Tara McQuaid.
OpArt is dedicated to empowering adults with disabilities to enrich their lives through creative expression and artistic practice by providing art instruction in a variety of mediums and techniques. Open studio sessions are held weekly at the Haverhill and Newburyport Opportunity Works locations. Artists are encouraged to work freely with materials offered (paint pastels, collage, drawing, sculpture, etc.) to create artwork centered on a particular theme or work independently. All forms of expression are encouraged, and the result is artwork that is unique, vibrant, and innovative.
Local community partners include The Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, The Institution for Savings Charitable Foundation, The Provident Bank Community Foundation, and Matter Communications.
