The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University presented Think BIG: The Artists of Autism Services on May 6th, 2018. Featured artists included Dan Carey, Langston Gardner, Erich Haneberg, Kevin Krauss, James Marino, Daniel Maysonet, Courtney McGovern, and Brandon Scott. The exhibition opened with a reception on Sunday, May 6, 2018 from 2:00-4:00 p.m, free and open to the public with light refreshments and an open bar.

Most works in Think BIG were created on-site at the Castellani Art Museum. Throughout 2017 and early 2018, the artists participated in workshops focusing on large-scale works from the museum’s collection. For many of the artists, the pieces featured in the exhibit are the largest they’ve created to date, including a 14 foot painting on unstretched canvas by Kevin Krauss. The museum’s central gallery was a source of inspiration because of its scale, which when constructed in 1990, was the largest exhibition space in Western New York.

“We are honored the artists were invited to exhibit their work in the Central Gallery of the Castellani Museum,” said Autism Services CEO Veronica Federiconi. “Our intention to introduce the arts was very different from the beginning, and the artists have now been working steadily for well over a decade. This exhibit is a testimonial to their acceptance as true artists.” According to Autism Services, for some people on the autism spectrum, the arts can provide a voice to express what is meaningful and important to them.

Think BIG was curated by Tara L. Lyons, Curator of Education & Collections at the Castellani Art Museum, and was on display from May 6, 2018 through January 27, 2019.

Click here to access a digital copy of the exhibit catalog.