“We are Artists”, a program developed by Hilary Felix and Cassina Farley, provides an opportunity for adults with developmental disabilities to participate in art projects. It is a collaboration between the Santa Cruz Training Programs (SCTP), the Santa Fe Ranch and the Patagonia Creative Artists Association (PCAA).

The SCTP, based in Nogales, provides programs for people with disabilities. The Santa Fe Ranch, which is located on North River Rd off Hwy 82, partners with SCTP, offering a range of outdoor activities and interaction with the various animals on the ranch. Felix, the special education coordinator at Santa Fe Ranch, realized that the Training Programs participants also had an interest in music and art activities.

Collaboration between the Ranch and the PCAA began in 2017 at the Santa Cruz County Fair, when she and Farley met. Farley, the Director of PCAA, offered access to local artists, leading to the development of the “We are Artists” project for SCTP members.

Felix and Farley brought in Martha Kelly and Zach Farley this past spring to observe how the participants responded to the activities. Both Kelly and Zach Farley were met with great enthusiasm and will be part of the series this spring. Other local artists involved in this program are Helen Chester, Molly Phinny and Tammy Quiroga.

Farley said, “I considered the task and selected artists based on their skill set. We spoke with other artists affiliated with PCAA about our experience and they were more than happy to participate.” Farley and Felix both hope to have a mid-program exhibition. Farley said, “It is my hope to have a mid-program fundraiser, with perhaps a tour of the Santa Fe and a meet-and-greet with participants, for Patagonia/Sonoita residents that want to learn about the project.”

Felix said that the series are more than just the monthly workshops. “Each month there will be a workshop and the weeks leading up to the workshop we will build background and then after the workshop have discussion and journal about what they did.”

The purpose of this series is to provide a platform in which the participants can do the art in their own way. The workshops will be designed to be tailored to not only meet a range of needs, but also to be inclusive of participants who are already accomplished artists and others who will be doing art for the very first time.

At the end of this series Felix and Farley plan to exhibit the work at an art gallery in Nogales, so that it can be accessible to the participants and their family. Felix said, “the project will help participants express themselves through art,” and the exhibition of the artwork will connect the participants to their community.

The funding for this series has been provided by the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Santa Cruz Community Foundation.