6 April

At The Mansion, Jane Asks “Is It Art?”

by Jon Katz
Is It Art?

Jane has been at the Mansion less than a week, she says the adjustment is difficult, but she is working at it. Jane is hard of hearing, but she reads lips well. She has thrown herself into the Mansion Art Show, the residents are working on their art with the wonderful tools you sent them.

Jane was nervous about showing me this drawing she did. ‘”Is it art?,” she asked me, “I don’t know if it’s art.” I told her it is art if she says it is art, and it sure looks like art to me. She is the one who gets to decide, I said, not other people. “Oh,” she said, smiling. “Thank you so much for saying that. I feel so much better.”

I think the art is important to Jane right now, she is proud of it. We all need encouragement, I said. The Mansion Art Show will be held at the end of the month. Some local artists are coming in to talk about art, including Maria.

Jane is at a crossroads in her life, she is making art. If you wish, you can write to Jane c/o The Mansion, 11 S. Union Street, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. I think she would love to know what you think of her art.

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