Putting creativity to work may answer disability unemployment

WASILLA -- Karen Jewell has Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome, or RSD, a disease that affects the autonomic nervous system. An artist and special education aide by trade, Jewell has lost the ability to do the two things she loves: Painting and working on her dollhouses, and working with people with disabilities.

Now in a job retraining program, Jewell has found a way to combine her two passions by opening an art studio that can be utilized by both children and adults with disabilities. She said by learning art, disabled people can not only express themselves, they may also learn a trade that will make them a living.

"When you show them something, and they can do it, they get so excited," Jewell said. "Seventy percent of adults with disabilities are unemployed, because the employers cant afford the medical costs. If they can do art as their own business, they can work."

Jewell has created a business plan and has received some donations for the studio, namely a computer and printer from the Lions Club and some art supplies from local businesses, but her disease is progressing quickly. She is now starting to realize that she cannot start the studio, which would be nonprofit, by herself.

"I need to find other people who are willing to get involved and help me with this," she said. "Right now I really can't do it myself, but it would be horrible to lose this."

Jewell has repeated her business plan to similar studios across the country. She has found around a dozen dance studios run by and designed for people with disabilities, and another 10 or so art studios that teach hands-on art skills.

She hopes to incorporate some of the local dance studios into her plan, and would like to teach painting, screen painting on tee-shirts, dollhouse design and build, woodworking, photography and ceramics.

"We could teach them all different kinds of things, if people will just help," Jewell said.

She would like to get adults with disabilities that already do art to teach the students, but said anyone interested in helping out would be more than welcome.

"Everyone I have talked to has been excited about this," she said. "People just want to know what they can give."

Anyone interested in helping Jewell with her endeavor can contact her at 373-4191.