'This is amazing' — Artists' Open Studio gets big donation

NORWALK — 100 Women Making A Difference has a new meeting place, but the group's mission hasn't changed and they continued their generosity by raising more than $10,900 for Artists' Open Studio (AOS). 100 Women, started in 2021 by Patti Wilde and Robin Bleile, meets four times a year. In each one-hour meeting, members nominate a non-profit, listen to a representative from each nominated group explain their program, hear from the previous winner about how the money is being used, vote on a new winner and then write a $100 check directly to the winning non-profit. "This is amazing," said Deb Lucal, an AOS volunteer. AOS, formed in 2004, provides local adult artists with developmental disabilities a space to express themselves through art, specifically in painting and hand-built ceramics. The Main Street studio functions both as a studio and a gallery, displaying and also selling pieces from local artists. Three women spoke about AOS at the meeting. Lucal's late son, Nate, created many pieces of art at the studio. She said AOS operates on about $60,000 a year with the help of about 30 volunteers and a small paid staff. Katy Laser said AOS serves 40 to 50 clients annually. Started 19 years ago, the program has really grown since getting an uptown location — 32 E. Main St., next to the Norwalk Reflector — in 2020, she said. Linda Keefer explained how important it is to an artist with disabilities to have a place to both create and sell their art. "When they see the red sticker on their painting or their pottery, they want their picture taken with the piece and the person who bought it," Keefer said. "They are now a professional artist." The women said part of the funding from 100 Women will be used to install a kiln they own at their studio so they don't have to transport ceramics to another location for firing. The money will also be used for supplies and other program needs. Norwalk Arts Center and CLI were the other two non-profits nominated Wednesday. MaryLisa Boose described the two-fold mission of NAC — providing arts education and experiences for both children and adults in the area and restoration of the historic Norwalk Theater building on Main Street. Boose said NAC currently hosts Arts Explorers, a quarterly program for grades one through four; Artists in the Making (AIM), a monthly art pop-up for grades five through eight; and ART Club, for high school students from throughout the county. NAC also produces a youth musical each fall, a Teen Theater production and two theater camps each summer and adult education programs throughout the year in the Discover Your NAC program. A murder mystery dinner theater in August and a comedy night are also in the works. NAC collaborates with many community groups and businesses to fulfill their goal — Creating Art. Building Community. Theater restoration in a multi-year project, currently focusing on restoring the marquee and converting to LED lighting. NAC will light up the fully-restored marquee this summer. Holly Binkley explained that CLI has a three pronged program — provide services to adults with developmental disabilities, uplift direct care staff who care for people with disabilities and invest in the local community. CLI currently has 14 employees to serve 75 people. Their programs allow people to interact with the community, Binkley explained. They also provide vocational services to help client build skills that will eventually transfer into jobs in the community. Binkley said CLI also offers support services for clients that are already employed in the community. Transportation is a challenge for CLI and each branch of the program could use funding to serve their clients with disabilities, Binkley said. Bob Sands, director of Inspiration Station, told the 100 Women how that program is spending the money from the last meeting. Inspiration Station is a homework club and tutoring center that serves predominantly Hispanic youth, he explained. They bought new windows for their building, bookcases and books and will spend the remainder of the money on their summer speech therapy program. He detailed some of the successes from last summer's speech therapy program, which allows students to continue services they receive during the school year. With the funding from the 100 Women, he said, they are expanding the program to allow more students to benefit this summer. Wilde said $10,900 was collected at last week's meeting, but she expects to collect more from members who were not able to attend the meeting. This meeting was the first held in the Fisher-Titus Learning Center at Norwalk High School. Wilde said the school contacted her to offer the space for the meeting. Morgan Savage, Ernsthausen Performing Arts Center coordinator, said she offered the space to 100 Women after speaking with a member about the group's mission. "We focus on the students first and then the community that serves them," Savage said. "We have an amazing space so who better to invite? This is a win-win situation."