BY SAMANTHA FOGLIA
My name is Samantha and art is my passion. A few years ago my world shifted when I first unlocked my voice. As a person with autism, my body did not allow me to communicate or express myself in a traditional way. When I found a means for communication my love for painting truly blossomed. What you will see in my paintings is the unique way I experience the world.
'I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way - things I had no words for.' – Georgia O’Keeffe That quote couldn’t be more fitting for our story as well. Samantha is a non-speaking 19 year old with autism, but that in no way defines her. I began doing art lessons with her in May 2017, and we haven’t looked back. Art can open doors in the mind to let out things you didn’t know were there, or maybe you knew but couldn’t tell people. Samantha has expressed herself, and touched people in ways we were not expecting, but are both proud and humbled to have experienced. We hope people enjoy her exhibit, her art, and mostly, we hope they take inspiration from it. We hope they learn from the artists whose styles have inspired us and discover what art can do for them. Be open, be creative, be joyful, be true to yourself. Enjoy!
