As one passes through the central automatic sliding glass doors, veers slightly to the right and awaits the opening of the second automatic sliding glass door, the feelings of uneasiness and anxiety, characteristic to a hospital, initially drape over one’s thoughts. However, upon entering the greeting room of the Stone Belt facility, the enormous 5x6 foot vivid portrait quickly reassures those who enter that this is not a facility designed to mourn diagnoses of illness or to seek medical treatment. Rather, the meticulously rolled and woven multi-colored fabric and glittering embellishments welcome guests into the Stonebelt community, making one feel comfortable and at ease beneath the joyful portrait.
Vibrant strips of paper are tightly rolled and twisted into the faces of ten people, some of whom are clients and some of whom are staff members, however, the difference is undistinguishable as all present are merrily interacting. There are few similarities between any two people. Each person is of a different race, gender, or age. However, a blue-eyed man holding a guitar hugs a woman in a lilac cocktail dress and pearl necklace; a young man wearing an argyle sweater in a wheel chair paints accompanied by a tall, brunette, pig-tailed girl; a dark-skinned man waves as he holds a life-preserver, guardedly watching over a young girl playfully splashing in the pool. The Stone Belt facility is composed of various swatches of fabric, and the cars and buses used to transport the clients are plaid and floral patterned. The participants bask in the open sunshine outside of the center, emphasizing their active participation in the community, and disproving the notion that Stone Belt is a facility to isolate its clientele.
The portrait hangs directly in front of the glass doors, and is the first focal point upon entering the welcoming room, surrounded by twelve leather upholstered chairs and a check-in desk directly to the portrait’s right. While sitting in the welcoming room, one can see the intricate weaving of tightly wound multi-colored paper into the beaming faces of Stone Belt clientele. The blissful smiles of the patients initially astound an observer that may have misconceived Stone Belt as a support center for clients with physical and mental disabilities. However, the cheerful clientele and faculty depicted in the picture reinforce that Stonebelt is not a center designed to “cure” its clients, but to recognize and advance the unique contributions each client can make to their own personal lives and the lives of the community.
The portrait is one of many pieces of artwork displayed throughout the center that are composed and constructed by the clients themselves. The Arts Exploration program is designed to provide an outlet for self-expression through visual depictions of the individuals with disabilities at Stonebelt. The staff of Stonebelt feels all people have the ability to contribute to the beauty of our community, and this program enables individuals with disabilities to have the opportunity to share their talents and to promote messages of independence, dignity and community integration. The program also allows these individuals to have the opportunity to work as professional artists through the sale of their original art works. Many clients are now locally and regionally recognized, and their works are sought after by enthused collectors.
The mission statement of Stone Belt clearly asserts that it is “[their] mission, in partnership with the community, to prepare, empower, and support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to fully participate in the life of our community.” Therefore, Stone Belt recognizes its clients have unique capacities, gifts, and talents, and aim not to cure their disabilities, but to develop their assets by providing access and support in order to offer opportunities for choice and social integration. It is not a facility designed to isolate its clients from society, but to provide opportunities for rewarding and successful integration into the community through skill development self-advancement. The portrait in the lobby not only provides a visual depiction of the various enthusiastic clients of Stone Belt, but also serves as a testament to the unique capacities and skills of its clients, who, with the helpful hand of Stone Belt, demonstrate their own competencies and self-sufficiencies to contribute to the greater good of the community.
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