Art & Poetry Side by Side by The Arc Westchester

April 19th, 2015

We hope you will enjoy this booklet that features Art & Poetry Side by Side created by people with and without disabilities. The art featured was selected from gallery265's March 2015 Artist's Choice Exhibition. The poetry shown was submitted to a committee in response to these art pieces. gallery265 is an art gallery that focuses on inclusion by providing opportunities for all artists, particularly those living with disabilities to exhibit their works along side community artists. *Artists supported by Arc of Westchester. 3

Mouse The mouse feeding on a nut. The mouse is black and brown. The floor is brown. My mouse is happy. Poem and Illustration by Judy*

Flower Tree This is a picture This is a flower. And this one is a flower. What is this? It is a tree. It is a branch. Look outside. Look there. Outside is a tree. Outside is a branch. Outside is no flowers. It is winter. Poem and Illustration By Sue* 5

Pastel Wonder by Susan Green*

Wonder Squares within squares Circles within circles Red licking orange Orange hugging red Our bodies and our hearts ever entwined. By Harriet Shenkman 6

Life Was Just A Moment Ago by Stevie Rosenfeld

A Haiku Raucous geese landing, Loud tourists out-gaggle them, Peaceful lake no more. By Anonymous

Flowers Pretty and nice to look at. They are painted. They used a paintbrush. The painter likes flowers. They are tulips, and a rose. Those I don't know. Poem and Illustration By Karen*

Baby Baby I like baby Nice. Good. The baby sleeping The baby dreaming Good dream Sally good name for baby, maybe. By Joella* 9

Wonder Woman by GG Kopliak

What Can I Be? What am I supposed to be? Mamma told me, be a lady. Daddy told me, use your manners. Sister told me, you can’t change the world but if you try you’ll be a sweet little girl. Brother told me, take off that superhero costume, there’s already enough muscle without you. Grandma told me you don’t have to be good at math, that’s for men. I shouldn’t be a hero. What do I want to be? A woman of power and grace. A woman of smarts and dignity. I want to fly and be free. I shouldn’t want to wear high heels and lipstick. I want to be strong and brave. I want to be a hero. What Can I Be? I can be good at math. Who needs boys to like me? I can like myself. I can keep my high heels. I can keep my lipstick. I can hold my head up and fly. I can save the innocent and wear a dress. I can be a hero. What am I? A rebel. But I am brave. I am my own girl. I am strong. I am a hero in high heels. By Mia Shenkman 11

Flowers Pretty and nice to look at. They are painted. They used a paintbrush. The painter likes flowers. They are tulips, and a rose. Those I don't know. Poem and Illustration By Karen*

Illustration by Ben*

Suitcase You take it to camp. Camp Ecco. Take toothbrush. Take swimming trunk. You carry it. You open it. You swim. Take my radio too. All in the suitcase. I like camp, Yeh. And a guitar too. By Leeroy*

At Night by Mount Kisco Day Habilitation*

SHADOWS Fluttering 'round, my shadows go, laloping silently, to and fro. Hoping they're friendly, tho' scared of their power to vanish sweet joys as found in each hour. Passive too long, I've allowed them to grow from little chimeras refusing to go. Now I must face them regardless of pain for brighter tomorrows and loving, again. By Jay Albrecht 14

Playtime by Wendy Coffrin* & Jessica Jankus*

A Motle When in the southern sun of boyhood I caught lightly in my fingers A butterfly black and dappled; With fascination, infatuation, I pulled Apart each velvet segment To find its mystery. Tearfully I found in the tearing The secret had fluttered And gone. I later learned to share their sun, And the mystery was mine. By Anonymous 15

Tiger A tiger. He is laying down. He is watching something, listening something. The Tiger is in a cave. He is a big tiger He has big paws He has wistkers too. I love tigers. By Danielle*

The City There are tall buildings in the city The building has apartment and stores People live in the apartment The apartments look dark It is night in the city People are sleeping The sun will come out soon By Kevin*

Illustration by Margaret C.*

Lighthouse In Maine you have them, in New Hampshire you have them, and Cape Cod has some. Plymouth I don't know. They have a place for a man. He puts on the light at night. The man is on duty. So the boats don't crash, or have an accident on the rocks In Maine you have them, and yes in New Hampshire and Cape Cod too. By Jimmy* 18

Celebrating The New Bridge A new bridge is being built to stay Rockland and Westchester will be connected in a new way A painting created I do display Water, the bridge ,apartments buildings, trees and a water fountain that sprays Colors painted Violet,blue,red,orange,brown ,yellow, green and gray Enjoy my painting every day on display Poem and Illustration By Daniel Kabakoff 19

My Cat Felicity The cat is running around the house. The cat is looking for some food to eat. The cat is looking for a mouse. The cat is looking for toys. The cat she loves. She is not a real cat. But don't tell anyone. Poem and Illustration By Patty*

Highways A lot of cars The cars are going somewhere. Friends, museum, airport, shops, family. You see palm trees, smoke, a house. Yellow, green, purple, orange. I like it. People go in the cars. People are nervous to go without gas. They need a map. Poem and Illustration By Maureen* 21

Sailboat Sailboat on the water. The ocean is green with waves. The sky is blue, pink, white and yellow. The storm is over. Poem and Illustration by Cecilio*

At Night by Mount Kisco Day Habilitation*

When We Walk at Night between Nickelodeon Days When we walk at night towards Our old countryhouse its saffron lamps Seem to inhale, exhale softly The sweet ether. Pliable leaves underfoot add A distance to the day’s Rinky dink patterns. Now, at last, we can let go! The world won’t rollaway and Run bumpity, bump, crash Into a hedgerow. Tonight… Stars in the oaks, breeze through the pines, The chiffon presence of shad bush and quince, Breathe in…slowly… Breathe out. Yes, we’ll have to put another nickel in, But that’s tomorrow. By Anonymous

I Wonder I am a girl-child. Possibilities were tucked Into the pink folds of my blanket In the hospital nursery, And woven into my lullabies. Under loving eyes, I grew. Now, I watch everything: Grandma in high heeled sandals Mother in yoga pants Auntie in business suits. But, it is the super-heroes who mesmerize me. Their costumes seem to transform them From ordinary mortals into wonderous beings Able to do incredible things. I wear WonderWoman’s color-coded outfit Hoping its lively symbols speak for me As I play at being who I’m not, In a suit that I’m outgrowing. Somehow, I know that what I now wear Does not define me. I wonder who I really am? Where I’m going? And what shall I wear? By Sarah Bracey White

Wonder Woman by GG Kopliak

Happy Poet Tree by Mount Kisco Day Habilitation* 26

Magnetic Poetry universe of lightning bloom of language happy animal remembers holiday thought winter season garden watch green summer shine picnic dream cycle beautiful promises rain hard change through flowers dance more celebrate always give soft love this year By Robert Miss

SPECIAL THANKS TO Ellen Devlin Robert Miss Harriet Shenkman Eric “Zork” Allen gallery265 committee Arc of Westchester staff and volunteers and our artists and poets for their work on this project.

Our art gallery provides opportunities for all artists, particularly those living with disabilities, to express themselves through visual and performing arts. gallery265 is a unique enhancer of the human spirit. Learn more at www.arcwestchester.org

The Gleeson-Israel Gateway Center • 265 Saw Mill River Road • Hawthorne, NY 10532