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Visiting the art room at the Walden School is a lot like holding an Aladdin’s lamp. Wish for something, and it magically appears.
That is the way it seems to Walden and Pines Bridge students, especially those who require adaptive tools in order to create art.
Art teacher Jesse Steiner and teaching assistant Debbie Canzio make creative adaptations to artistic tools as soon as they see a need arise. Paint brushes are attached to thin rods to allow students who have difficulty unfurling their hands to paint. The thin rods can be placed in the student’s grip to enable them to hold the brush. Duct tape is used to attach sponges to longer implements so a student who has difficulty with fine motor skills can use longer, broader strokes.
“We don’t have these adaptive tools when we begin class,” said Steiner. “We make the adaptations in the moment, once we see that a student could benefit from them.”
Art takes many forms for Steiner and Canzio’s students. Painting pictures, making soft sculptures, and engaging in printmaking give way to creating set designs during events like the Holiday Variety Show and the Talent Show, which Canzio brought to life 17 years ago. “I love performative art,” Canzio said, “and even students who didn’t think they wanted to perform get up there and end up enjoying it and being amazing at it and wanting to do it again!”
Steiner said that the strength of PNW BOCES comes from the diversity of talents and resources the organization offers. “When we needed to paint something really large, Auto Body teacher Steve Simpson allowed us to use the program’s spray booth,” he said. “We have worked with art director Tricia Herbold, on things like creating greeting cards with student artwork, and videographer Ed Catapano on different types of projects as well. We have such a broad range of creativity here.”
While making art, Steiner said, students are truly present. “They are experiencing their feelings, exploring the moment, and having fun. And we have the experience and the resources to help them express themselves through art in whatever ways they are capable of doing so.”
Parents’ reaction to their children’s artwork is priceless, according to Steiner and Canzio. “Talking to parents and seeing the joy on their faces when they see their children’s artwork is incredible,” Steiner said. “Sometimes parents are seeing their child make art for the first time, thinking they couldn’t do it before, and when they see what they have created they are amazed.”
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