Boston artist C. David Thomas will display 25 original prints focused on his battle with Parkinson’s Disease starting May 5 at Meetinghouse Arts Gallery in Freeport. The exhibit is hosted by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Freeport.
Thomas described his exhibition as “the story of my battle against this neurodegenerative disease. Through my art, I have given you a window into my world and my battle against my brain.”
The exhibition will open at Meetinghouse Arts on Thursday, May 5. A catered public reception will follow from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 6, with guests including veterans, art students, medical professionals, documentary filmmakers and members of Parkinson’s support groups.
In 2015, Thomas was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease resulting from exposure to Agent Orange while stationed in Vietnam. Fascinated by the MRI scans of his brain, Thomas used these images as the background for lithograph prints of his head and face. Through his work, Thomas shares information about Parkinson’s disease and what it led him to discover.
This project is the first of its kind at Meetinghouse Arts, which was recently awarded a grant from the Maine Humanities Council in support of this exhibition and programming.
“The exhibition itself is unique in what it reveals about a devastating illness and the creative power of the artist/patient,” said alliance Executive Director Dana Legawiec. “Parkinson’s affects 7,000 people in Maine. Most of us will experience — as patient or caregiver — some form of serious illness in our lives. Art helps us find meaning and beauty within those challenges.”
In addition to the exhibition, Meetinghouse Arts will host a workshop for people with Parkinson’s, their caregivers and loved ones, led by Jessie Laurita-Spangler, a dance artist and educator who teaches improvisational movement classes to adults with neurodegenerative diseases. That session will be held at 2 p.m. May 12. Also as part of the exhibition events, Dr. David Rose, a renowned neuropsychologist and educator, will give a talk on the intersection of Parkinson’s and the creative process at 2 p.m., May 14.
The exhibit will be on display through May 14.
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