HILLSDALE—Spring is in the air, and hung with pride at the Hillsdale Train Station, in a project that’s brought out some of the finest art from across Bergen County.
At Hillsdale’s Access For All’s first annual Spring is in the Air Art Show reception, held on a gorgeous May 21, artists from 6 to 62 saw their works applauded and standing tall.
The exhibition, up all June, presents original artwork created by people with disabilities. As the Hillsdale chapter of Access For All said in the leadup to the event, “This has been a difficult year for everyone, but it’s disproportionately affected people with disabilities who are even more isolated and have had fewer opportunities to participate in community activities.”
Hillsdale AFA chair Gia Schneider, a speech therapist, told Pascack Press on May 26, “It’s incredible. We were really blown away by some of those submissions. They’re spectacular. And these kids are young, who did them.”
In perusing the images that grace the event’s banner — light and airy, grounded and blooming, in worlds of pink and purple, yellow and green, and in a variety of media — Schneider said it was a pleasure to open Hillsdale to participants countywide.
“We’re trying to build this in Hillsdale because we see the need. We have a growing population of people coming in, we have people who have lived here for a long time, and we’re trying to find ways to support people with disabilities in our community who don’t always have the opportunity to access things outside of their town — whether it be because of physical limitations or cognitive limitations or even age,” she said.
The event was as much sigh of relief as it was gasp of recognition. “Hillsdale needed this” after a difficult year, Schneider said.
“It was awesome. The participants, families that came, even people who had read about it… it was really nice. It was a beautiful night, and really a joy,” she said.
She added, “The closing of most adult day programs, many special education school programs and the risks to medically fragile children have resulted in numerous barriers and hardships for families.”
She said, “The Hillsdale AFA recognizes that persons with disabilities have many creative talents, skills and desires. It is part of our mission to include all people, not just as part a passive arts audience, but as the creators of art.”
This was the committee’s first major event following its 2019 Halloween celebration, which could not be repeated in 2020. The Halloween event is tentatively back on for this fall, she said.
Also taking shape: “a petting zoo/music night; we’re going to have another recreational activity for anybody who is interested in joining an Access For All event,” Schneider said.
Hillsdale Access For All is powered by members Elizabeth Callahan, Marguerite Deppert, Anthony DeRosa, Ruta Fiorino, Adam Hampton, Laszlo Horváth, Sara Mermel, Yana Mermel, Ronald Miller, Barry Peterson, Frank Pizzella, Gia Schneider, Debbie Szabo, and Cherry Zhu.
For more information, write accessforall@hillsdalenj.org.