Watercolor by Ian Lucas

A selection of art work by artists with developmental disabilities from the Haverhill and Newburyport OpArt program will be displayed in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace Gallery in the Harold Bentley Library on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliot St. from Monday, July 18, through Thursday, August 18.

The exhibit is free and open to the public during library summer hours which are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 to 4 p.m. through August 12 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. August 15 through September 2.

OpArt is a partnership between the Newburyport Art Association (NAA) and Opportunity Works that supports and encourages adults with developmental disabilities to enrich their lives through the art making process.

In 2004 the NAA started an art training program for the associates at Opportunity Works in Newburyport. NAA volunteer and staff member led the program on a weekly basis in an open classroom environment using very basic art materials, such as crayons, poster paint, and construction paper. Program funding was provided by the NAA, and the first exhibition of the associates’ work was held at the NAA in February of 2005.

Today, this art education outreach program is managed by coordinators Jenna Signore and Rachel Fort with the help of several volunteer NAA Members. The program has grown to include the participation of talented associate artists working with advanced art supplies and techniques, such as acrylic paints, pastels, water colors, charcoals, photography and sculpture. The artists have enjoyed growing recognition at the regional and state-wide levels for the quality of artwork created.

Sales of the artwork in various retail venues support the artists and Opportunity Works, Inc. in Newburyport. The program is funded, in part, by The Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, the Institution for Savings Charitable Foundation, and The Provident Bank Community Foundation.

For additional information about the program visit the Newburyport Art Association or the Op/Art Facebook page