Handicap no obstacle to artistic success

Richard Tedesco

Henry Viscardi School senior Tenzin S. had never had her artwork exhibited outside the walls of her school.

But early last month, Tenzin was selected as one of 70 artists in the New York metropolitan area to participate in a fundraising project for the Adaptive Design Association’s Chairs for Humanity Celebration. 

Tenzin’s original design – a nature theme with flowers on a large, white cardboard chair – was displayed along with other artists’ chairs in Manhattan venues including the Hilton Hotel, Goldman Sachs and The Center for Architecture. 

The decorated chairs were ultimately raffled off to raise $62,000 to provide customized equipment for disabled children in New York City.

“I was excited,” said Tenzin, whose participation in the fundraiser was all the more meaningful due to her battle with cerebral palsy. 

During a recent interview at the Viscardi School in Albertson, Tenzin – whose family prefers her last name not be published – said she was particularly pleased because her chair helped raise money for other disabled children.

But the chair wasn’t typical of the kind of art she most enjoys creating.

“I like landscape painting,” she said quietly. “I always liked to do painting.”

Tenzin had only dabbled in painting as a child, but her art teacher, Irene Savage, said Tenzin’s ability was immediately obvious when she started coming to Savage’s art classes during her free school periods in her junior year. 

And when the Adaptive Design Association contacted the Viscardi School seeking a student artist for the chair project, Tenzin immediately came to mind, Savage said.

“I told them I had an artist in mind,” she said.

Tenzin said she finds painting landscapes, her favorite subject, “relaxing.”

“I like painting nature,” she said. “I like to paint the sky and the ocean.”

She also said she likes to paint abstract works, but couldn’t quite find the words to explain why.

Savage said she thinks Tenzin enjoys abstract painting because it frees her to paint more spontaneously without painstaking attention to the images she’s creating. She said Tenzin is currently working on an abstract self-portrait. 

Tenzin also likes painting in acrylics because, she said, “If I make a mistake, I can start over.”

She also enjoys designing clothing and designed her outfit for a fashion week at the Viscardi School last year, Savage said.

Savage said she seeks to expose her senior art students at Viscardi to a range of different styles and genres.

“I try to immerse them in as much as possible,” she said.

Born in Tibet, Tenzin’s family moved to India before migrating to the U.S. when she was nine years old.

Tenzin said she plans to study liberal arts at a community college after she graduates from the Viscardi School.

The Viscardi School, which is located on Searingtown Road in Albertson, offers children with severe physical disabilities a traditional educational setting. 

As part of a lesson sequence on self-portraits, Savage said, she recently introduced her students to the work of Chuck Close, an artist known for his self-portraits and wall-sized murals. He had an accident in his 40s and had to adapt to continue painting by having brushes strapped to his hands. 

Art students at the Viscardi School also must frequently adapt in order to express themselves artistically. 

Savage said she had one student last year who painted by clenching the brush firmly between his teeth.

“We find different ways for students with limited mobility to participate,” said Viscardi School spokeswoman Kim Brussel. 

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