"Blue-Eyed Cat"

“Blue-Eyed Cat” is an oil painting by a local Upper Cumberland artist, Mike Rewis. This man has a lot of talent, but he also has a disability. His work is supported through an art program he is involved in, and “Blue-Eyed Cat” is one piece of many in the theme of cats. The artist has had his art featured on postcards, pamphlets, t-shirts, and in the newspaper and galleries, and not just local galleries. His work was also chosen to appear in a gallery in the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. He makes an income by selling some of his art, and seems successful in this endeavor; I finally purchased this piece last fall. The artist is vocal about and very proud of his creations and seems to find a good deal of fulfillment in making them. He has told me that he enjoys making art – and especially selling them!

I chose this aesthetically appealing and whimsical interpretation of a cat as an artifact because it makes a statement about how artistry and disability are represented. The program this artist is involved in promotes an exciting reinvention of individuals into artists. Wherever the work of this program is shown or sold, there is typically information nearby describing that the art is created by adults with disabilities. This creates a sort of wow factor, and I hope it causes passersby to rethink what it means to have a disability… and a dream.

I think it is amazing when anyone is empowered by finding a passion and pursuing it. This artist and many others have received support to gain recognition as an artist, not just somebody with a disability. Art is also a great equalizer in that it often illustrates universals of the human condition. This art isn’t about “overcoming,” it is about reinvention, something I think every human being does and even strives to do, and it is about being creative and sharing that creative vision with others.