Garden Grove Unified School District student Emily Roblero earns a certificate for her artwork alongside teacher Tara Kitagawa at the Arts on the Move opening reception July 13. 
Huntington Beach Union High School District student Lorelai Harper earns a certificate for her artwork in the Arts on the Move traveling showcase. 
Saddleback Valley Unified School District student Ryan Wood proudly shows her painting to her family at the July 13 reception. 
OC Arts and Disability Director Marleena Barber and Bowers Museum President Sean O’Harrow attend the Arts on the Move opening reception on July 13.
Quick look: Now on display at the Bowers Museum through Friday, July 18, the free Arts on the Move exhibit showcases expressive artwork by student artists with disabilities from across Orange County. The traveling show is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in recognition of Disability Pride Month.
From vibrant watercolor paintings to detailed ink illustrations, a returning community art exhibit at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana has captured the artistic vision of Orange County students with disabilities.
On display through Friday, July 18, the Arts on the Move traveling show honors the work of student artists from across the county, including those from local school districts and the Orange County Department of Education’s Connections program. The exhibit is free and open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the museum’s Lee Court.
The community display is now in its third year of traveling to public spaces throughout the county and features works originally showcased at the 49th annual Orange County Arts and Disability Festival in April. Organized in recognition of Disability Pride Month, the exhibit aims to provide opportunities for student artists with disabilities while raising awareness of the talents of people with disabilities.
“It means a lot to the artists and families to be recognized by a world class museum,” said Marleena Barber, director of Orange County Arts and Disability and visual and performing arts consultant for OCDE. “Bowers is showing these artists and the disability community that they matter.”
Visitors can expect a wide range of pieces created by student artists like Emily Roblero from the Garden Grove Unified School District and Lorelai Harper from the Huntington Beach Union High School District. Some artworks incorporate elements of Braille and American Sign Language to help guests better understand diverse communication methods.
In addition to admiring the artwork, community members are invited to participate in educational activities including coloring pages and worksheets that introduce the Braille and ASL alphabets.
Student artists were celebrated alongside their families and teachers during a special reception held July 13 at the museum.
The Arts on the Move exhibit is the result of a collaboration between OC Arts and Disability — a partnering organization with OCDE — and the Bowers Museum. Educators were encouraged to help students submit their work for inclusion, with dozens of pieces selected in this year’s traveling display.