Penny's Palette Spring Art Show

Tonight the kids and I attended Penny's Palette Spring Art Show. (see http://www.pennyspalette.com/) It was probably the first time the kids have interacted with adults with disabilities. It led to discussion about what a person can do even when they have an intellectual disability. So often they hear about college and academics as a requirement for success. Here is a 47 year old woman with a developmental disability who has turned her passion for painting into a self-employed business.
I spoke with one of her former caregivers. She said "We used to toss out her paintings while cleaning her room. Who knew? Until someone said 'Hey, I like those.' and Penny said she wanted to start her own business. Now she's got her own calendars, greeting cards, paintings, and more."
The kids were drawn to her work, and selected some they wanted to have. Maddie picked up several paintings and tried to have others guess what Penny titled the work. We talked with other people with disabilities and later talked about how to deal with awkward moments, fears, and some charateristics they noticed.
Here are the kids with "their" purchases and choices. And some more artwork.