In middle school, local artist and instructor Vickie Lawrence took some of her first art classes and quickly fell in love with visual arts. It was the support of one of her art teachers that gently nudged her down the path of a career as an artist.
“I was encouraged and supported by an art teacher who believed that I could be a great artist. It was through this support that I continued my exploration of the art world, eventually leading to me opening my own art studio supporting underserved communities in San Diego,” she says. “Without my art teacher, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s so important to me to provide this support and these outlets for individuals with disabilities, to build their confidence in themselves.
, providing a space for people to learn about and create different types of art, whether it be through in-person classes in public spaces in San Diego County, or her online workshops. As an artist with disabilities, herself, she mostly enjoys creating works with recycled materials, papier-mache, wood, and woven artwork, with a preference for acrylic depictions of trees and nature.
For the development of coping skills, I lead classes working with beads of different colors. Participants make bracelets, usually more than one, for their friends and family which helps deal with stress.The participants care about their bracelets and know that their friends and family will also cherish them. I carve time out for each student and help them with their artistic choices to make sure that they’re confident with the end result.