Devereux Whitlock
Tom Stein Creative Arts Center |
The Thomas Stein Creative Arts Program is a stand-along program centrally located on the Devereux Vocational Campus in Devon, Pennsylvania. The arts center serves males and females with borderline intellectual functioning to profound mental retardation ranging in age from 21 to geriatric.
 The creative arts center offers art-related activities to interested individuals from within the Whitlock Center. The program's main objective is to provide art as a therapeutic outlet, while maximizing exposure to a variety of artistic ideas, medias, and techniques. A Creative Arts Specialist, whose goal is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the program participants, supervises this program. Using the two-dimensional and three-dimensional arts, the Creative Arts Specialist promotes the development of the individual, including the individual's personal interests and ideas, self-confidence and self-esteem, and personal growth through exploration and creative expression.
The program provides basic and simple activities using various media including: water color, acrylic and gouache painting, drawing, mixed media, collage, monoprints, and clay-sculpture. The Thomas Stein Creative Arts Program offers a wide range of art-related activities including trips to local museums and galleries, field trips to local places of interest to paint and/or sketch, discussion of artists' work and technique, as well as discussion of the individual's work.
There are two art shows a year featuring the individuals art accomplishments for the year. The program offers one-on-one sessions, as well as group sessions, depending upon the needs of the individual. All activities are planned with the individual's needs and interests in mind. |
"Many individuals in our care are resistant to traditional verbal
therapies or have developmental delays making this approach more
problematic. Art therapy can circumvent some of these difficulties by providing
a non-verbal mode of communication and opportunities
for creative expression. Students are eager to participate in this unique
program, because they can express themselves in a constructive way and at the
same time expand their creativity." - Katie Gillespie, Creative Arts Specialist |
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