Ep 166 | An Art Academy for Autism?

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Families with autistic individuals, they may be having issues with expressing themselves verbally. So art provides a nonverbal way for those autistic individuals to express their emotions, their thoughts, experiences, things that might be difficult for them to communicate through words. It also supports sensory regulation, the development of motor skills, social engagement in a structured yet flexible environment.

SPEAKER_01 0:32

Welcome to the Voices United in Education podcast. Each week we showcase the teachers, administrators, and community members who go the extra mile to contribute to the success of every student in Itcambi County. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support every student's success. One in 31 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum. For these families, there are extra decisions, extra doctor visits, and extra expenses. Visiting a museum is unlikely to be top of mind. My next guest is the curator of education and public programs for the Pensacola Museum of Art. Today, she's going to share how a free monthly art program at the museum made just for these special families can benefit everyone. Combining art, education, and community, Caitlin Ray. Thanks for being here. Thanks so much for having me. So you studied art history, I found out, and have a background in education at the university level. And now that you're with the Pensacola Museum of Art, it just seems like the perfect cross-section for you. This is like the dream position, it seems.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

It really is. I love what I do with a background in education and as an artist myself. You know, really sharing my love for the arts with the people that walk into the museum, our visitors, our students, faculty that bring student groups in. It's really, really a joy. Just yesterday I was giving a tour with high school students from Central School in Santa Rosa, and they were so engaged and so much fun that I really sort of hated for the tour to end.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

I love the idea that art is not fenced off, right? Because I'm from Omaha, the Joclin Museum of Art is a big, big, beautiful museum with lots of very famous Monet and Van Gogh and all this stuff. And it it was very special to visit it, but it had that feeling of like, touch it and we will kill you, right? Like it's fenced off. And so the idea that there's a version of museum life and a version of art that's touchable and relevant for all ages.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

Absolutely. Is super cool. So you know, it's important. We do play a role in conserving the art. So you're right, we don't often allow visitors to touch a lot of the objects we have in the museum for that reason. We want to keep them, you know, in great condition for future generations. But we also really make sure that we have things that are hands-on and accessible at the same time. In the museum on the first floor, there's an interactive space. It's not just for kids. I really love catching adults in there and they they always look a little embarrassed, like, oh, here you've caught me playing with the felt shapes or the light table. And there's an area where they can draw and look at art books, and it's really just a wonderful space that is welcome for all ages. So we want to make sure there's always things for visitors to physically interact with and not really give you that feeling of everything is fenced off. We like to say we're more than a museum. So we offer classes, workshops, tours, artist talks, lectures, really trying to bring the community in. And you don't have to be an artist or an art lover, even to enjoy the experience. Oh, I love that so much.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

I think a lot of people think of art as something in the hobby category. Yes. And it's something that's nice to do in your free time. Maybe you earn like a blue ribbon at the county fair with it, but why is art important? Why does it matter?

SPEAKER_00 4:05

So I've heard that from a lot of people. They say, Oh, I can't go to that show because I don't know anything about the artist. And that's really not true. I think, you know, even walking in with zero knowledge, you really get an experience. And there's often labels that will give you information about the art. So I want to make sure that visitors know that, you know, there is information available and you can really enjoy the experience of walking through the museum. Art is so important for everyone. It's really, whether you make it or just are viewing it, it fosters a sense of creativity and creative thinking. It also helps with developing imagination, emotional expression. It really offers a unique way to understand and share various perspectives, not only your own internal experience, but outwardly, like what's going on in the world. You know, artists have a really interesting viewpoint and variety of viewpoints that really should be shared with the community.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

So you're saying it has a lot of utility as far as your inside world and your outside world.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Is that, am I hearing that correctly? Yes. I mean, when you think about most people that I meet love music, maybe not all the same type, but you don't have to be a musician or have a degree in music to appreciate it, right? And I think art is really the same way. People often think that, you know, they need to have all this extra information. But really, you know, just like with music, you can exp have an experience, an aesthetic experience. We see a lot more than we kind of think we do when we look at visual advertising. You know, we're constantly bombarded through our phones and through media with visual imagery. And a lot of people don't really think about that, but you are encountering visual information all the time, constantly. Our brains are really good at seeing images and deciphering them or looking at a sculpture and, you know, really thinking about what that means personally and what the artist might be trying to say. We want to make sure that people know that there's really no barriers in place. You know, you're you're all welcome, no matter what level of experience or age you are.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

That's a really interesting point. I don't think I ever made the connection between advertising, making the viewer feel a feeling, and art. I don't know. That's just so obvious now that we are talking about it, but I never made that connection. Help me make the connection though for children with autism. Why does art matter for them?

SPEAKER_00 6:30

I would say, you know, in addition to it being helpful for everyone, families with autistic individuals, they may be having issues with expressing themselves verbally. So art provides a non-verbal way for those autistic individuals to express their emotions, their thoughts, experiences, things that might be difficult for them to communicate through words. It also supports sensory regulation, the development of motor skills, social engagement in a structured yet flexible environment.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Oh, okay. Because the Art Academy for Autism is a group activity.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

It is.

SPEAKER_01 7:08

So it's like a combination of skills layered all together.

SPEAKER_00 7:13

Right. The classes are kept small, so a maximum of eight students per group, and we do organize by age group. So there's ages five to nine that are in one class, ages 10 to 15, and then a 16 plus age group. And we keep each of those groups to no more than eight students so that they get a chance to interact with their peers, but they also aren't overwhelmed by a huge classroom with a lot of students and a lot of noise and movement. As we know as people, and not just individuals on the spectrum, all of us tend to have some amount of sensitivity to sensation, whether it's touch or sound. I personally don't like being in spaces with loud, you know, sounds happening all around me. So, you know, I think that's common to everyone. But for autistic individuals, it can be even more intense. And so we want to give them enough space where they can feel comfortable to interact, but also not overwhelmed. I love that. And parents, I'm sure, love that too. What's been their reaction to these classes? They love it. I mean, first of all, the fact that it's a free program is wonderful because, as you had mentioned, a lot of these families, you know, their healthcare costs are higher than your average family. They may be dealing with other types of therapies that cost a lot of money. And at the end of the day, they may not have much left, if anything, for extra activities and art programs. So they love the fact that they can come in, try it. Their kid may not stay the entire time, but you know, they have an experience and they get to meet other kids. It's really a safe space. I've also noticed that parents will kind of stay nearby. They they may not stay in the classroom, but they'll stay in the museum. And they end up talking with other parents that have kids with autism. And there's a community that forms there as well. So not just the kids, but the families and the parents get that interaction and that social time as well.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

And that is so valuable because we're not just talking about extra time and money, but it's just extra thought processing, you know, decision fatigue and just being mentally asked of more often and more in quantity, also. So to be able to have something that's like a built-in no-brainer, where you have peer support with other parents who have similar families, and then kids themselves can engage in ways that feel good, that support whatever their sensory needs are. I think that's that's so major. It seems so obvious now, which is so funny because it's like literally the least obvious thing. Where should I take my child with autism? Oh, I know the museum said no one ever. So I love that this is such a beautiful combination of unexpected solutions.

SPEAKER_00 9:54

Yes. And we always make sure that we have a variety of activities for each age group so that if they might not be into one experience, they might be more into another experience. So, for example, we have projects that involve chalk. Not every kid likes that texture or that sensation in their fingers. So we might offer them a tissue that they can hold the chalk with so they're not directly touching it, or they may say, nope, that's that's not what I want to use at all. And they prefer crayons or markers or colored pencils. We have all of those options available so we can customize their experience.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Tell me more about the activities, because for someone who never had the privilege of being in a similar classroom activity, they might think of it as a bunch of kids sitting in a circle and the the instructor is dumping crayons on the floor. And I get the impression that's probably not accurate.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

Well, no, but we have several tables in the classroom. So there's no more than three to four kids at a table. And each month we have a variety of projects for each age group. So for example, we might do something focused on a particular artist or art form. Like we may explore abstract art and look at Alma Thomas, for example, and her style. So we may have a painting activity and then a drawing activity, and then maybe something more 3D, some sensory foam or some clay that they can manipulate. A lot of our students love model magic, which is like a foam-based air-dry clay. So we have all different types of experiences that kids can kind of pick and choose from. And some of them end up doing all of the projects, and others, you know, may only focus on one. But that is all, you know, completely encouraged, accepted. We meet the students wherever they are when they come in the door. How do you choose the curriculum? So we do call it Art Academy for Autism. And based on that art academy concept, we focus on the elements of art and the principles of design. So things like color, shape, form, line, texture, you know, basic concepts that will then integrate around a theme. So like I said, it may be a type of art, it may be a particular artist. Sometimes it's related to the seasons. Like we recently did lessons on spring, and we were looking at insects and flowers and using that as our inspiration for projects. So it really all depends on what the instructor is interested in teaching. And we have a wonderful instructor. Her name is Alison Klingman, and she is fantastic. She's a certified teacher. She has over 14 years of experience. She's also a homeschool mom. So she offers consultations and evaluations that kind of help parents navigate Florida's homeschool laws. And she's also worked with Capstone and Autism Pensacola. So she has a lot of great experience.

SPEAKER_01 12:49

Wow. That is a wild. I mean, she sounds perfect for the role. Just like this is perfect for you.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

That seems perfect for her. She's wonderful. She's a joy to work with. She's so patient. And she really knows how important it is to be flexible and to offer a variety of options.

SPEAKER_01 13:05

I think what's so interesting about these conversations is that we end up finding the matches of need and resources in our community. And that feels like a good example of that. Have you done any work or collaboration with Westgate or the Snoozelin Center?

SPEAKER_00 13:24

We have in previous years. We haven't recently, but we've been focusing on this Art Academy program with Allison. It was previously funded by Autism Pensacola, but today the PMA is self-funding this program. So we are supporting Art Academy for Autism.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

Is that something that if a listener wanted to contribute a particular, maybe they own a business or maybe they want to pool resources within a department of a company here in town, is that something that you'd be open to?

SPEAKER_00 13:55

Yeah, absolutely. We we are, you know, a direct service organization. So donations are, you know, fully tax deductible. And sometimes for museum admission or certain programs or events, we are looking for sponsorships. So yes, we would definitely be open to discussing that.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

Yeah, because I can see how this would be such a helpful resource for the community. But I think like anything, when people are just living their daily lives going on, we forget that it takes, it takes people like the instructor, it takes people like you, and it takes monies for all the things to come together. But it makes such a big difference for the students. Which actually leads me to my next question was what has been the student reaction to this? Oh, they love the program.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

We have such a variety of students. I have a couple of stories too about some of our recent kids. So, you know, the one of the first stories I'm thinking of an older student that's been coming to our program for a while now, but when they initially came in through the door, we were told by their guardian that they do not love doing art. So we thought, okay, you know, prepared for that. So we first started working with him, and he refused every single art project the teacher offered. But she watched him, and as he sat at the table, he was playing with these certain geometric stickers that he seemed really fascinated by and was actually picking them up and peeling off the backing and sticking them to paper. So she took one of her projects and she asked him to use those stickers on it to fill it in. I think it was a fish. And he spent 30 minutes peeling the stickers and applying them to fill up the shape of the fish. And it seemed that he really enjoyed himself that he was, you know, fully absorbed in this activity for 30 minutes. So the next time he came in, the teacher had a project ready, and he told her no. But she said, if you do this project first, then we can use the stickers. Uh-huh. And so he complied and, you know, enjoyed himself. And now every time he comes back, she's able to get him to do a little bit more and a little bit more. And, you know, he was he was the type that would look at the clock and sort of know, okay, it's time to go, and he was ready to go. But now he we have to sort of tell him, okay, it's time to clean up now, class is over. And so it's really nice to see that shift from you know, sort of avoidance to just fully being absorbed in the activities.

SPEAKER_01 16:21

Wow, that's a big shift and probably a very helpful insight for his guardian, also, because you know you just need sometimes an outside person to go, hey, guess what? We have unlocked this new level of motivation here, and it could help you at home. Right. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 16:42

And you said you have another story to share? Sure, yes. This is actually a new student that just um came to their first class in this past month. This child is nonverbal, and the guardian told us that generally he doesn't tend to stay or sit for too long. It has a very short attention span. And somehow we got him to stay for the entire hour of the art program. Wow. Our teacher had several projects for his age group, and he wasn't necessarily interested in a specific project, but he was really interested in the materials. And we happened to be using chenille stems or pipe cleaners that day.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

I'm glad you said pipe cleaner. So I'm like a chenille stem. I know. I went into like couture gowns in my head, and I was like, whoa, this is a territory I didn't expect to enter. So thank you for using that layman's language for me.

SPEAKER_00 17:34

Well, that is what they are now called, chenille stems. We have grown up calling them pipe cleaners, so I still refer to them as both. Okay. But he spent his time that day just curling these pipe cleaners around his finger and was really enjoying that and looking all around the room, watching the students make the work, seeing all the art in the room, because we have a lot of sample projects in the space. And while he didn't do the art project in this first time, he was really taking in the art that was there. And I think he was also still adjusting to the new environment. Sometimes, you know, it takes a little extra time to get comfortable with the space. And this was really huge for him. According to his guardian, they were shocked that, you know, they stayed for the full hour. Not all of our kids come out with a completed art project. And for these children, I think that's perfectly okay. Many of them benefit from exposure to art, working with the different art materials and just interacting with their peers. The student also really was enjoying a sensory foam. It's kind of like styrofoam that moves like clay. It's real squishy. And he's just spent a lot of time just sort of molding and making figures out of that. So, you know, while they may not do exactly the projects we intended, we still consider that a success because the student enjoyed themselves and had an experience and got to meet a few kids that they didn't know before.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

And like you said, there's the added benefit of respite for the parent. So even though, you know, the kid didn't finish the assignment, so to speak, it it's okay because they're having a new experience and the parent gets to have a little bit of a break, it sounds like. Yes. So on that note, tell us how parents can sign up for this, how they can be sure not to miss the deadline, you know, does it fill up fast?

SPEAKER_00 19:25

All those details. That's a great question. So I would say our most popular age group is the five to nine age group that fills up the fastest every month without fail. That's the one that fills first. But if you go onto our website, which is pensacolamuseum.org, you can go to our events calendar. It's also listed under public programs. So either one of those locations, and you'll see all the list of dates. And it is a monthly program, typically on the third Saturday of the month. Sometimes that will change based on holidays or other events, but generally it's the third Saturday. And all they have to do is click the sign up button for that date and fill out some information because we do want to know a bit about the student before they arrive so we can best prepare for them and give them a successful experience. And the five to nine age group happens from 10:30 to 11:30. Ages 10 to 15 meet from 12:30 to 2, and then ages 16 plus meet from 2:30 to 4 p.m. All on that same Saturday.

SPEAKER_01 20:29

I love that. And you also offer some kind of sensory bag year-round.

SPEAKER_00 20:36

We do. Tell me about that. Yeah, so that is something anytime a visitor comes into the museum, right at the front desk, there's even a sign that talks about these sensory bags. And they are really helpful for well, really anybody can check them out. You don't have to be an individual with autism. And they have all kinds of helpful tools in them. Everything from fidget toys to headphones for reducing sound, sunglasses for reducing light. There's a card in there. It's like a laminated card with various emotions depicted, as well as various needs. So they could point to bathroom or, you know, water or whatever their needs might be at that moment or how they're feeling, so they can help express themselves if they may be nonverbal. And I think that's a really important thing to offer visitors because some people would have a better experience having that kit and may not have brought all those items with them. So they're they can check them out for free and they get sanitized with each visitor. And they're always available. So I wanted to make sure that our visitors knew that there are sensory bags at the front desk.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

That's incredible. That combined with Art Academy for Autism just really reiterates how much the museum is making sure that the door is open for everyone. And I think that's just incredible. I'm gonna link everything in the show notes for people so that they can easily access that and share it because I think we all know a family who autism is a part of their reality. And so we want to, as a community, help and support them. So thank you so much for coming today. This was fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 22:12

Thank you again. I really enjoyed it. And we hope to see you in the museum soon. Thanks for listening.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

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