DUNEDIN, Fla. — Stirling Art Studios in Dunedin says it doesn’t matter who walks through their door. They are proud to give artists of all different backgrounds and abilities a platform to show off their talents.
“I have Ehlers-Danlos; it's a collagen disorder; it affects all the joints in the body,” said artist Loren Marie Petroccia.
“I have acquired a traumatic brain injury and Hemiparesis. I have right-sided weakness,” said artist Kristin Karcher.
“I was diagnosed with Parkinson's five and a half years ago,” said artist Woody Goodell.
“Alex has a condition called cerebral palsy. It's a neurological disorder,” said VaCelia Koumendouros, Alex’s mom.
For Alex, Loren, Kristin and Woody, painting isn’t just a hobby; it’s an escape from the challenges of everyday life.
“What I found is when I am painting, for whatever session, two or three hours, during that time period, I do not have Parkinson's; all my symptoms just seem to go away and vanish,” said Goodell.
“He loves it. It’s a way to express himself,” said Koumendouros.
“It's absolutely essential that we get up and do, that we force ourselves to do,” said Karcher.
However, these artists say finding a place to hone their skills and show off their work was often difficult until they met the people at Stirling.
“I realized that we had more people with disabilities here, and I felt they needed to be seen, and so the three of us together contacted you, and here we are,” said Louis Knight, a resident artist at Stirling.
“It’s a family. They will be supportive and on your side and there to help each other,” said Petroccia.
“It's just such a blessing to be included and not judged on physical limitations and appearances versus what his talents are,” said Koumendouros.
“They are kind, and I actually have a bumper sticker that says only kindness cures brain injuries,” said Karcher.
Knight said he enjoys being asked questions about the craft, and he’ll do whatever he can to be a voice for their community.
“The artists are very encouraging, and if I get stuck with a painting that I’m working on and it's not working out, I call Louis, one of the artists here, and he kind of helps me and says, ‘did you think about doing this color or did you think about adding this to the painting,”' said Goodell.
They’ve even invited the group to participate in competitive art shows. Alex took home an honorable mention.
“There are so many times people tell you what you can’t do, but this one, he hit a homer out of the park,” said Koumendouros.
The studio hopes more artists with varying abilities reach out to them because art should have no limits.
“Everybody here has a really big heart, and we are all here for the same reason, art, so we want everyone to be a part of it,” said Knight.
For more information on Stirling Art Studios, visit their website.
