(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A Chicago non-profit is helping artists with disabilities realize their dreams.
“It’s like a second home for me,” says Janno Juguilon, one of about 60 artists at Project Onward, which is dedicated to helping adult artists with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
Noon Diaz is another artist. She does collages and was using images from vintage National Geographic magazines.
“I love the feeling of ripping the paper and pasting it onto the canvas. It's quite relaxing,” Diaz said.
Nancy Gomez is Project Onward's executive director.
“When they have the urge to create art, but no money to buy supplies, this is the place to be,” she explained. “We provide the artists with the materials, space and facilitators to help them create their artwork, and then we take the artwork to fairs, exhibitions and we sell it to collectors, and the artist receive a check for 50 percent.”
Most of the artists are on disability income, so the proceeds help them earn extra money, Diaz said.
Janno said the experience gives him so much more.
“I get to do more artwork here and get to know the other artist and what they’re doing,” he said.
The sense of community and support the artists share is inspiring, Gomez says.
“We've had artists who come in here practically nonverbal. They would talk in a whisper, and now they will be talking in perfect conversations with the other artists, and participating in outside events that we do,” she said.
She adds: “I just love coming to work every day. It’s a joy, and I just love to see their accomplishments.”