Art Exhibits at the ERC

The Ed Roberts Campus (ERC) in Berkeley is best known for being a hub of non-profit organizations by and for people with disabilities, but it is also a significant venue for art exhibits by accomplished artists with disabilities.

Just recently installed is a new exhibit of works by Monique Harris. Her images are rich with saturated colors and shapes that delight the senses with their beauty. Monique, who has cerebral palsy, uses a head wand and digital imaging software to create her art. She also runs her own graphic design business.   (I previously wrote a blog about Monique in 2011 which you can find here.)

Katherine Sherwood’s exhibit is fascinating.  I am endlessly intrigued by it.  Hers is a mixed media of asymmetrically-arranged canvases and paint and clothing, depicting both the inside structure and outside presentation of human forms.  A tenured art professor at UC Berkeley, Katherine had a massive stroke that paralyzed her right side, an event that she says transformed her entire artistic process–for the better.

In addition to other art displays, the ERC is also home to the Community Access Studio that offers art classes to people of all abilities.  Classes are $7 per hour (including supplies) and the first visit is free.  For more information about classes call Zach Pine at (510) 708-5528.

If you are an art lover, it’s definitely worth a stop by the ERC just to see these wonderful creations by very talented artists.