Neurodiverse Artmaking Drop-In

Demo Class

Monday, December 16, 2024

6-8pm,

Top Floor, Room-B

$5 – $10 Suggested Donation (no one will be turned away)

You’re invited to join our first-ever Neurodiverse Artmaking Drop-In! Join us from 6-8pm on Monday, Dec 16 for the Holiday Survival Edition! We’ll be making self-care wheels to help apply some wisdom (and a little humor) to this sometimes stressful time of year. We’ll also relax with radial symmetry and color relationships in drawing and collage. Optional: Feel free to bring snacks to share with a labeled ingredient list. Water, juice, tea, and hot chocolate provided!

This event is a speical demo class of our upcoming monthly artmaking drop-in, specifically designed for neurodiverse teens and adults! That includes everybody: officially diagnosed and self-identified. Our facilitator, Lena, is autistic (undiagnosed), and xé has taught many neurodiverse college students (xé also has many ADHDer and autistic people in xyr life). 

We provide supplies and laid-back instruction to make art projects that can typically be completed in about 60-90 minutes, and you’re welcome to follow step-by-step, modify to your heart’s content, or totally do your own thing and just hang out in the space making your own art. 

The projects will mainly involve collage, drawing, painting, cutting paper, making zines or buttons, printmaking, and some simple weaving. Some of these will be modified from projects Lena has taught in college ART101 courses – sophisticated enough to be visually and conceptually interesting, but simple enough to not require much time or prior experience.

This is a space to make art, be around others also making art, and be ourselves. We hope you’ll join us!  

Basic Informaion

• This is a flexible drop-in: Come when you want and leave when you want.
• No such thing as arriving “late” or leaving “early” – join us when you can!
• All experience levels welcome! No prior art experience necessary.
• Supplies are provided for the planned project (plus some general art supplies).
• Our facilitator, Lena, is a neurodiverse artist and experienced art educator.
• This drop-in is for self-identified neurodiverse adults and teens age 16+.
• Participants are welcome to bring their children along, but childcare is not provided. Some drawing materials are available for kids.

What to Expect:

• Unmasking is encouraged in this space! (“Unmasking” means not pretending to be neurotypical. “Masking” means trying to fit into neurotypical expectations.)
• Eye contact is welcome, but not required.
• Nametags provided. You’re invited to include your pronouns, but it’s not required.
• Verbal participation is welcome, but not required.
• We know that some participants are very talkative, while other folx prefer not to speak much – that entire range is great and welcome.
• Feel free to move around the room, bounce in your seat, flap your hands, and otherwise stim and meet your movement needs.
• “Parallel play” (doing your own thing while others do their thing) is welcome.
• Step-by-step artmaking directions will be provided for those who like details.
• Feel free to follow the general framework and modify the project to suit you better.
• For those who prefer to totally do your own thing, the art supplies related to the planned project are also available to use for your own creations.
• Feel free to bring your own favorite art supplies to use! (No solvents or fumes, please.)
• Queer and trans folx welcome!
• If you have questions about the drop-in, please email Lena at rhizome.artstudio@gmail.com.

Space Details & Access Needs:

• Please do not wear scented products to the drop-in.
• Accessible for wheelchairs, scooters, walkers
• Adjustable lighting (including windows and non-fluorescent lights)
• Adjustable room temperature (however, we still suggest that you dress in layers, because temperature needs may vary among participants)
• Feel free to wear a mask to protect from airborne germs; however, masks are not required in this space.
• Bring your headphones, earplugs, fidgets, toys, stuffies, etc.!
• We do our best to meet participants’ access needs, but we recognize that sometimes people will have conflicting needs (e.g., music vs. quiet), so we will get creative to find workable solutions.
• There is an adjacent room you can use if the shared room becomes too much.
• You can make an appointment to visit the space ahead of time by emailing info@riversidearts.org or calling 734.480.2878 (phone is only monitored Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm).
• If you have questions about the space, please email info@riversidearts.org or call 734.480.2878 (phone is only monitored Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm)

*Sometimes people are going to have conflicting needs! We will do our best to accommodate everyone’s needs

See below for images detailing parking and facilities.

Image of central entrance of Riverside Arts Center. This is the door to enter to take the elevator up to the Top Floor for the Drop-In.

About Your Facilitator, Lena

“I am an artist and teacher. My own artwork spans a variety of media, including printmaking and fibers. I often teach college art courses, and I enjoy teaching people of all ages. Please call me Lena (LEE-na). If that feels too informal, you can call me Mx. Lena or Mx. Ellis-Boatman. My pronouns are xé/xem/xyr.

I grew up in Toledo, Ohio, and I’ve lived in Michigan since 2008. I’m kind of an outdoorsy geek: I love hiking and kayaking, and also science fiction and reading. I think of myself like this: Art is my career, teaching is my passion, and writing stories is my not-so-secret obsession. 

I love teaching. I see our studio classroom as a creative community where we all work together and support each other. It’s my job to help you succeed at learning new things about art.”