Harc’s Bulova Center Celebrates Black History Month
with the Art of Romare Bearden
by: Diana Appleton
(Hartford) The hallways of Harc’s Bulova Center, are still alive with colorful collages celebrating Black History Month which was in February.
Harc’s Louise and Ardè Bulova Center was designed to provide a rich and exciting day program for people who have intellectual disability and who are also medically fragile, require occupational or physical therapy or have complex special needs. The Center features three separate components:A program suite focusing on communication, computer activities, music, dance and arts and crafts; a sensory suite with massage rooms, a hair and manicure salon, and a sensory room to calm and delight the senses; and the occupational and physical therapy suite to keep bodies limber and comfortable.
Assistant Director of Arts and Crafts, Karin Dionne, who has been with the Bulova Center for eight years wanted to focus on an arts project in celebration of Black History Month and decided that the art of Romare Bearden provided just the right opportunity.
According to Dionne, “Bearden was an African American artist, writer and humanitarian of exceptional talent who lived from 1911 to 1988. He is recognized as one of the most creative and original visual artists of the twentieth century and experimented with many different mediums and styles. For our projects we focused on his work with collage.” She continues, “Our participants and staff worked collaboratively within their teams on the pieces; cutting, pasting, tracing, making decisions about color and shape, and experimenting with textures and two-dimensional space. It was very exciting to see the terrific involvement by everyone in the Center, and to see their pride in the finished pieces as they hang on our walls!”