Self-Portraits and Ceramics

Students in The Matheny School and adults in Matheny’s Adult Services program displayed their artistic ability in a four-day exhibit at the Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ, as part of its AccessABILITY series, which showcases fine art created by artists with disabilities.

Teachers Darlene Tammara, left, and Felicia Querrey with student Tammy Boszczuk. Tammy’s self-portrait is behind them.

Foot built stoneware and earthenware by adult resident Bozena Geraghty.

Several of The Matheny School students were present at an opening reception on Thursday, February 18, that featured examples of a self-portrait photography project. The students used a front-facing camera and a photo booth application on classroom iPods in order to take the self-portrait photos. The portraits were shown in paper pressed frames made by the school’s transition class. Examples of the adults’ ceramic works were also on display. The pottery and sculptural works were created through hand building techniques of pinching, coiling, and slab building.

The AccessABILITY series is made possible in part by support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Its mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement.

Mira Patla, left, and Matheny resident Amanda Kochell

From left: Emily Caspersen, Martin Villagra, Megan Mellett, Nayelis Milian, Matheny resident Jessica Evans, Mira Patla, and Madeleine Acevedo.

No one remembers when the Bedminster School eighth grade class began volunteering at Matheny. But, the tradition started at least 15 years ago and continues to thrive. “I really enjoy the experience of making friends,” said Mira Patla, one of six volunteers at Matheny on Wednesday, February 17. “It’s also a learning experience,” she added. “You get to join in the lives of people and get to know them.”

During the recent visit, the volunteers made “happy cards” for the Matheny residents and also spent some quality time with some of the adults with whom they have become most friendly.

The Bedminster volunteers come to Matheny every Wednesday afternoon, just one of many school groups that visit Matheny residents on a regular basis. For more information, call (908) 234-0011, ext. 282, or email volunteers@matheny.org.

From left, Ricky DeFrance, Shane Szott, and Matt Blount.

Captain Shane Szott and the West Morris Central wrestling team.

On February 5, the West Morris Central High School wrestling team had a special captain to cheer them on in their match against Randolph High School. Matheny School student Shane Szott was captain for the night, and, according to wrestler Justin LeMay, “We couldn’t have asked for a better wrestling captain. Shane was cheering us on throughout the match; he was awesome.” Teammate Ricky DeFrance, who met Shane a few years ago at a Long Valley Middle School match, said, “He always makes me smile.”

Many of the wrestling team members began volunteering at Matheny in the summer of 2014 when a group of Long Valley Middle School students visited as part of a group  from St. Luke’s Parish in Long Valley. DeFrance and teammate Matt Blount were part of that original group. “When I visit Matheny,” Blount said, “not only am I helping the kids out and seeing them enjoy themselves, but it’s a learning experience for my peers and me as well. The relationships I have developed with the students there will last a lifetime.”

During the match, the West Morris students collected money for Matheny from the crowd and raised $57. Randolph won the match, 39-25, but, for the West Morris wrestlers, the evening was a total victory.

Sandy Josephson, Matheny director of public relations and development, second from left, thanks Coughlin, second from right. At far left is August Pellegrini, Jr., DDS, a director/trustee of both BCB and Matheny; at right is BCB director James Rizzo.

BCB Community Bank, says Thomas Coughlin, president and CEO, is “a small bank with a huge heart.” The past two years, Bayonne, NJ-based BCB has donated $5,000 to Matheny’s annual fundraising appeal. “From the moment I was introduced to Matheny,” Coughlin adds, I knew we needed to support this great organization. Thank you, Matheny, for enriching lives and growing abilities.”

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Eighteen artists from The Matheny School and Adult Services program will be represented in the Morris Museum’s Access-ABILITY series that showcases fine art created by artists with disabilities. From February 18-21, artwork created by students in The Matheny High School art and transition classes and the Adult Services ceramics class will be on display at the museum. The exhibition will be launched with a reception at the museum from 6-8 p.m. on February 18. Tickets are free at the door, and light refreshments will be served.

The high school artwork will be from a self-portrait photography project. Students, according to art teacher Felicia Querrey, used a front-facing camera and a photo booth application on the classroom iPads to take self-portrait photos.

The transition class created paper pressed frames. The paper making process, explained transition teacher Darlene Tammara, was a progressive one in which the students shredded, blended, and scooped and sponged raw material in order to create paper of varied colors and textures.

Adult resident Andy Lash is one of the artists represented in the ceramics exhibition.

In the Adult Services ceramics classes, according to instructor Jodi Miguel, students created functional pottery and sculptural works through hand building techniques of pinching, coiling, and slab building. Students also created works thrown on a wheel with the use of adaptive equipment.

Liam, left, Kevin, and Kate Shaughnessy of Hillsborough, NJ, helped kick off the Mardi Gras celebration at Verve.

Matheny once again was designated as the recipient of a portion of the proceeds from the Mardi Gras celebration of Somerville, NJ’s Verve Bistro. Residents of Somerville and surrounding communities kicked off the celebration on Thursday, February 4. The festivities continued with two more nights of food specials from New Orleans, Venice, and Brazil on Friday and Saturday, February 5 and 6, followed by a Gumbo Cook Off from 1-5 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, and concluding on Fat Tuesday with a mask auction and party featuring “gaudy decorations and cheap plastic trinkets” tonight (February 9).

The walls of Verve were decorated with Mardi Gras masks, many of which were made by students and staff in Matheny’s Adult Services program. Thanks again to Verve owner Rick St. Pierre for your support!

Employees of Home Depot, Oldstone Building Materials, and Matheny gather at one of the Home Depot Bridgewater stores to celebrate their partnership.

What started out as a routine volunteer activity has developed into a solid, long-term partnership between The Home Depot and Matheny. Volunteers from Home Depot stores have planted gardens, spruced up our nature trail and ballfields, and, with the help of Oldstone Building Materials, installed new pavers in the patio area in front of the main entrance. But that’s just the beginning. Home Depot volunteers will be back in the spring to tackle a bunch of new projects.

Matheny employees visited one of Home Depot’s Bridgewater, NJ, stores recently to hand out certificates of appreciation and cement what has become a very strong relationship. We expressed thanks for Home Depot’s “dedication and commitment to our children and adults with special needs. The volunteer services you have performed have greatly enhanced their quality of life.”