The Studio Door will celebrate National Deaf Awareness Month with its exhibition \u201cArtistry Through Deaf Eyes,\u201d an eclectic collection of iconic art created by 18 Deaf and hard-of-hearing artists from around the U.S.<\/p>\n
The mixed media art show will kick off its three-week stint with a welcome reception on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 6-9 p.m. at the gallery, located at 3750 30th St. in North Park. It will close on Sept. 24.<\/p>\n
\u201cArtistry Through Deaf Eyes\u201d will showcase photography, painting, sculptures, acrylics, oils and mixed media. Spearheaded by visual artist Jon Savage, the exhibit will underscore \u201cdiversity\u201d from Deaf and hearing-impaired artists.<\/p>\n \u201cI am Deaf,\u201d Savage said. \u201cI share my experiences through my art. \u2018Artistry Through Deaf Eyes\u2019 will celebrate the rich artistic traditions of Deaf contemporary artists.\u201d<\/p>\n The Studio Door, owned and operated by resident artist Patric Stillman, is known as an \u201carts incubator dedicated to the creative marketplace and the promotion of contemporary artists.\u201d Thrilled to \u201cexpress the experience of being Deaf through art,\u201d Stillman described the exhibit as a form of \u201cDeaf pride that deals with empowerment, American Sign Language (ASL) and perceptions based upon the Deaf experience.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited to host Deaf and hard-of-hearing artists,\u201d Stillman said. \u201cThe De\u2019VIA (Deaf View\/Image Art) movement, the pulse for this artistic community, feel compelled to speak, engage and connect people in a creative way. Their work runs the gamut, from celebrating oneself to an overview of the harsher realities faced by this community.\u201d<\/p>\n Savage, a self-taught career artist, approached Stillman to curate a show dedicated to the creativity of Deaf and hard-of-hearing artists. Stillman agreed that it was a \u201cbrilliant idea,\u201d stating that Deaf and hard-of-hearing artists share their unique experiences living in a hearing world, one \u00a0\u201cwe often take for granted,\u201d through their art. Spanning the U.S., artists were chosen from California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Stillman added that show\u2019s \u201cincredible mixed media artwork\u201d is empowering and optimistic. The work incorporates ASL with visuals, making it \u201cuniversal and easy to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSadness doesn\u2019t surround the Deaf and De\u2019VIA artists,\u201d he said. \u201cI see a proud spirit that understands their uniqueness. The Deaf and hard-of- hearing community has a voice that deserves to be heard. Jon Savage, vivacious and larger than life, is committed to creativity and slick at marketing. He makes a great gallery partner.\u201d<\/p>\n Stillman described Savage\u2019s work as playful, dramatic and extremely graphic. Getting his message across void of fanfare, Savage\u2019s photographic images placed into color fields often invites people into The Studio Door.<\/p>\n Fascinated by art since early childhood, Savage\u2019s work includes media\/visual arts, photography, video editing, cinematography, acting and painting. His work \u2014 graphic, pop-art paintings, replete with abstract bright colors and a clean-cut style \u2014 reflects his journey as a Deaf artist. Passionately devoted to educating Deaf people about the linguistic, social, political and cultural issues of the Deaf community, he defines his art as \u201cactivism\u201d that educates society on the importance of recognizing and utilizing ASL.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re looking for equity \u2014 the same as hearing artists,\u201d he said. \u201c\u2018Artistry Through Deaf Eyes\u2019 will impact and inspire Deaf people to see artwork \u2014 by Deaf artists of all ages \u2014 to understand and relate to their experiences, good, bad or ugly. I motivate Deaf children to become receptive, expressive and fluent in ASL. I encourage the support of hearing parents. I encourage Deaf people to strive to achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n Ask Savage what his goal is for the exhibit and he\u2019ll quote John F. Kennedy.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you \u2014 ask what you can do for your country,\u201d he concluded. \u201cMy goal is to let Deaf people do for our community instead of our community doing what is best for Deaf people!\u201d<\/p>\n The Deaf Community Services of San Diego will work as reception partners for \u201cArtistry Through Deaf Eyes\u201d to provide interpreters for introductions and conversations between the Deaf artists and patrons. QR codes will be staged to open YouTube videos of ASL + Closed Captions (CC) or ASL + Voice-over videos.<\/p>\n Carving a \u201cunique art-to-market perspective,\u201d The Studio Door serves as an art gallery, an artistic studio and a classroom for art instruction and art-to-market programming. Partnering with regional artists and industry organizations, the gallery hosts national exhibitions, regional invitationals, and San Diego\u2019s annual Open Studios Weekend. The Studio Door also publishes a biennial \u201c50 To Watch\u201d colored manual that highlights San Diego\u2019s newly arrived and ever-so-popular visual artists. Sidling the gallery, Stillman operates the HYPE, a co-op art haven.<\/p>\n \u201cI quickly realized the importance of community while on my creative path,\u201d he said. \u201cCommunity support propelled me to grow. I created The Studio Door to connect artists with community. Being an artist can be lonely. Work happens outside of your head. The Studio Door allows artists to network while learning the nuances of creative commerce and sharpening their skills and talents.<\/p>\n \u201cI am the impetus behind my goal of supporting studio artists who support and encourage me.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\u2018Deaf](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/web-MAIN-Deaf-eyes-mural-copy.jpg\")
![\"\u2018Deaf](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Artistry-Through-Deaf-Eyes.png\")
\u201c\u2018Artistry Through Deaf Eyes\u2019 is an artistic movement that captures the exhilaration and alienation of the Deaf community or any group not considered mainstream,\u201d Stillman continued. \u201cThere\u2019s an interesting and sensitive creativity posed by their view of living life as a Deaf person.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\u2018Deaf](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Savage-touch-sidebar.png\")
Stillman is no stranger to artistic success in painting, photography and digital media. His art has been exhibited at Mus\u00e9e du\u00a0Louvre (Paris), in Miami Beach\u2019s SCOPE, and throughout Southern California.\u00a0In 2016, Stillman was named Mentor of the Year by Professional Artist Magazine.<\/p>\n