First Posted: 1/19/2015
DALLAS — The Misericordia Speech-Language Pathology Department has been home to a rotating exhibit called “Exceptional Art – Exceptional Artists” that features work from artists from the Deutch Institute’s Verve Vertu Art Studio in Dallas.
Verve Vertu, Verve meaning “high energy” and Vertu meaning “excellence in objects of art,” is an arts studio that brings out the creative side of people with special needs. The artists create pieces that feature watercolors, acrylics, fibers, batik, wool needle felting, inks and other mediums.
Misericordia has partnered with Verve Vertu since purchasing a building on Lake Street now known as John J. Passan Hall.
“When we moved into this building in January of 2010, we wanted to be able to decorate the halls with some art work,” said Adina Rosenthal, Clinical Supervisor for Misericordia University. “So, I was on the committee to help with that and I had a history with Verve too, and knew of their work. I thought that maybe we should pair together and we decided to do a rotating art exhibit through here and that turned into (the month of) May being the ‘Better Care and Speech’ month and that turned into a wine and cheese event.”
May features the “Exceptional Art – Exceptional Artists” exhibit itself in which work from the artists from Verve Vertu is displayed and often times sold.
Gwen Harleman, arts coordinator of the Verve Vertu studio, said art work is rotated in and out of the halls of the Passan building over the course of a year leading up to the “Exceptional Art – Exceptional Artists” exhibit.
“Every May we would redo the exhibit,” said Harleman. “But, there are permanently installed pieces into the collection so there are pieces that the building has purchased that will always be a permanent installation of the Verve Vertu collection.”
Rosenthal then explained that one member of the studio had unexpectedly passed away, so the university decided to honor him by purchasing one of his art pieces and keeping it in the Passan building.
The individual’s art piece hangs outside Rosenthal’s office.
Members of the Verve Vertu studio come from all over the Wyoming Valley, but there are a few locals who partake in making wonderful art as well.
Back Mountain artists who have works on display include Erin Dougherty, Richard Morgan, Billy Sukus and Patrick Cleary.
Cleary not only donates work to the Passan building, but is also a custodian at Misericordia University.
“I’ve been doing art for a long time but I love what I do here,” said Cleary. “I love art because it sometimes takes my breath away. The rest of them at the studio, I’m impressed with their work, too. It takes people like Gwen and the people at the studio always helping. It’s really nice to see people there helping us a lot, so I think this is the greatest thing in our lives.”
Cleary specializes in working with shoelaces and has impressed many with his artwork. He currently has a piece hanging in the Passan building entitled “I Wish I Was a Balloon” that features balloons flying away into the clear sky.
“I got different colors, like rainbow stuff I like to do,” said Cleary.
Cleary has had numerous pieces sold at the “Exceptional Art – Exceptional Artists” exhibits and this year will be no different. The exhibit will take place in May.
Until then, art work is on display through April at Passan Hall and can be viewed by the public during regular business hours of the Speech-Language Hearing Center from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
