Meet Adriane Mota of ECF Art Centers Programs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adriane Mota.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Adriane. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was volunteering in a special education class when I first visited the Exceptional Children’s Foundation (ECF) Art Centers. We were trying to inspire the high school students with special needs to transition into continued learning programs after graduation. Little did I know that when we visited ECF’s Art Center in San Pedro – one of four the program operates across Los Angeles – that I would be inspired to participate as well.

While our group toured the studio, surrounded by hundreds of pieces of artwork by the super-friendly artists, the studio supervisor mentioned they were looking for a ceramics instructor. With my combined experience in art and working with people with special needs, I felt I could make an impact at ECF. I applied for the position, and was selected! At ECF, I had the opportunity to develop our ceramics department, and after six years as program supervisor, I earned the role of ECF Art Centers Program Director. Today, I oversee all four of our studios – located in San Pedro, South LA, Inglewood and Downtown LA – as well as ECF’s Downtown Art Center (DAC) Gallery at 431 S. Broadway, and our online gallery developed in partnership with Amazon, ECFonAmazon.com.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Working at the ECF Art Centers has always been a joy. Being a part of so many Artists’ development and progress over the years is really rewarding. Their willingness to explore and take risks is inspiring.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about ECF Art Centers Programs – what should we know?
The ECF Art Centers Program provides studio space and mentorship for adult Artists with developmental disabilities. Each of our program sites are set up as formal studios, where Artists attend to develop their body of work. Each Artist has their own interest, and our Art Instructors help them identify their unique voice, challenge them artistically, and provide them with supports to reach their fullest potential. We also provide training in industrial arts and digital arts labs for individuals interested in developing broader creative and professional skill sets.

Artistically, ECF Art Centers Program specializes in drawing, painting, printmaking and ceramics. Developmentally, we create pathways for self-expression and community inclusion for our Artists with special needs, who range in age from their twenties to their seventies. Some of our Artists are non-verbal, so their art becomes a way for them to communicate their ideas and feelings. Others have never ventured out to a museum or an art exhibit, so we coordinate field trips and opportunities to interact with members of L.A.’s broader creative community. Most have never worked or sold art before, so when we help exhibit their creations in a gallery or sell a piece on ECFonAmazon.com, it provides them with a new-found sense of confidence and accomplishment.

Our program operates like an open studio. We focus on the individual interests and needs of our Artists. We do not have a daily classroom lesson plan; instead, we help each Artist set their goals and choose their path, and provide instruction and support along the way.

As the Program Director, I oversee the operations for all four of our ECF Art Centers, where we provide art instruction and artist representation, along with professional coaching and life skills training, for over 130 adults with developmental disabilities annually.

I want ECF Artists to be seen and accepted as professional Artists within the greater art community, for their collective creative contribution as well as for their personal achievements. Ultimately, I want ECF Art Centers Program to help show both our Artists and L.A.’s creative community what is possible – not to be constrained by limits or labels, but to think and act inclusively.

I am most proud of the commitment and perseverance of our Artists, several of whom have been practicing with us for decades. One Artist has been practicing with us since the ECF Art Centers Program began almost 50 years ago – he is truly an original!

I am most proud of participating in the development of so many different Artists, especially those with special needs. Working with them has changed my approach to making art. They have opened my perspective to what is possible, and also how to be a little fearless.

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