Jennifer Dahlquist’s “Portrait” is part of the exhibit in Overture’s Playhouse Gallery.
Jennifer Dahlquist is an artist who paints, makes mixed-media collages, and pursues photography with the eye of a professional, with more than 3,000 images on her laptop computer. She also writes poetry, sings second soprano in the Festival Choir of Madison, and is proud of having what she describes as a very vivid imagination.
“Up through middle school I really believed that dragons existed,” says Dahlquist, who is now 24. “Sometimes I still do.”
Dahlquist has autism spectrum disorder, a term that refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by repetitive activity, speech and nonverbal behaviors, and challenges with social skills, among other issues. Autism has no single blueprint, and Dahlquist describes herself as “high functioning.” “I come to art to express my feelings, but I still have trouble controlling my anxiety,” she says.
Dahlquist is one of 15 adult artists who has contributed works to Creative Life on the Spectrum, a new exhibit in Overture Center’s Playhouse Gallery. Nine children on the autism spectrum have also contributed additional works to the show.
Wes Redding’s “The Condo” is part of the exhibit devoted to young artists.
“Portrait,” Dahlquist’s contribution, is an image of a woman built of shapes — triangles and half-circles — in a style reminiscent of the work of artist Nathaniel Mary Quinn, whose collage works were exhibited at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in December 2018.
The art in the show ranges from line drawings to illustrations and paintings, both simple and complex. Heather Sarabia’s two free-flowing abstract works pulse with life and color, and are part of a 2020 calendar of her work that she produced and sold over the holidays. Digital artist Matt Ward created a poster of 24 complex fractals, each captioned with the computer code formula he used to create them.
In addition to the adults, nine children with autism contributed works to the show, courtesy of CI Pediatric Therapy Center and Achieving Collaborative Treament, a Verona-based provider.
The adult portion of the exhibit, which closes March 1, was curated by Laura Falkenberg, assistant director of ArtWorking, a Madison nonprofit that provides career development and support for artists and entrepreneurs with autism, Down syndrome and traumatic brain injuries. Dahlquist is an ArtWorking client who spends six hours a week using its studio facilities.
“This isn’t art therapy or recreational art,” says Falkenberg, who previously worked with adults with disabilities as a student at the former College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota. “We’re about careers and vocational support, and 70 percent of our clients own their own small businesses.”
Dr. Tina Iyama-Kurtycz, emeritus professor of pediatrics with the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, who spent 40 years treating children with autism, says art is an essential part of treatment.“Art as a means of self-expression is important for everyone, and everyone deserves access to it,” says Iyama-Kurtycz, whose clinical resource book Diagnosing and Caring for the Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder was published last fall. “Some children on the spectrum develop passions for different types of artistic expression, and if parents can support those passions the children will perform at an overall higher level with access to art than they would without it.”
According to the Autism Society of America, an estimated 3.5 million Americans — one in every 59 people — have some level of autism spectrum disorder. The cost of providing autism services runs $236-$262 billion annually. Early intervention and treatment, including involvement in the arts, can significantly reduce those costs.
The exhibit is designed to support Children’s Theater of Madison’s production of Mockingbird, which opens Feb. 22 in Overture’s Playhouse. The play is based on Kathryn Erskine’s book about a young girl with autism who must cope with a family member’s sudden death.
Mockingbird director Erica Berman chose Mattie Olson, a local 11-year-old girl with
Jennifer Dahlquist’s “Portrait” is part of the exhibit in Overture’s Playhouse Gallery.
autism, to play Caitlin, the play’s 11-year-old protagonist. Berman says Olson was an excellent choice for the role. “Every child brings something special, and in Mattie’s case it was humor, authenticity, fearlessness and a lot of heart,” says Berman, who is the company’s director of engagement and community involvement. “She’s also whip-smart and can pick up on the small things.”
The casting call for actors with autism brought two candidates with autism to Berman’s attention. In addition to Olson, Gavin Lorenz has been cast in the play, but in a neurotypical — or non-autistic — role.
Berman worked with Olson initially in private rehearsals, keeping a strong line of communication open with the young actor’s mother, Melissa Olson, and her therapists. Berman also cast Amelie LaBarre as “Caitlin Cover,” an understudy for Olson for times when Olson may find the onstage experience overwhelming. LaBarre also is guaranteed a few chances to play the role herself during the play’s run.
Olson is excited about her role. “I love acting, and I knew how Caitlin felt,” Olson says. “I wanted a role where I could actually show how autism works.
“I also would like audience members to think of autism as a similarity, not a difference,” Olson says. “Even if we’re on the autism spectrum, we’re not that different from you.”
