When I first caught a glimpse of the book cover of "We Were There, Now We’re Here" I immediately thought it was by contemporary British artist #Martin Maloney. Maloney was an exhibitor at the Saatchi Collection on display as Sensation, held at the Royal Academy, London, in 1997. Through his expressionistic style, strong colours, and humorous subject matter, Maloney's "childishly sweet" figure paintings record everyday experiences.
But on picking up the book I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it showcased work created by young artists with #autism and learning disabilities, based in #Oxfordshire in the UK. The artists, whose ages range from 11 to 17, have all been students at the acclaimed Ormerod #SENSS Base, situated at the Marlborough School in #Woodstock.
The project is the brainchild of Anne Louise Avery and Steve Pratley, who together run #Flash of Splendour Arts, a community interest company specialising in pioneering art projects which transform perceptions and give hope to those placed, for whatever reason, on the margins of society.
I urge you (and Charles Saatchi) to support this project by buying a copy of this wonderful book, available from Blackwell's Art Shop, Oxfordshire Museum. andonline at Amazon.
