Maryan Myres Shumway is a writer, musician and an expat living in the Middle East. She is also an advocate for families and people with disabilities. With her global travels, she tries “to offer a perspective of people who have faint voices in the world.” She is the mother of six children. Her youngest, Elias, has autism, artistic talent, and a huge spirit of generosity. He and Maryan teach art to children with disabilities. When Maryan learned about our Artists’ Stories series she offered to write an article about her incredible son, the transformation they have experienced through teaching, and the healing power of creativity they joyfully share with others.
“One of the deepest desires of the human soul is to create.” Dieter Uchdorf
Bringing Joy to Others Through Creativity
By Maryan Myres Shumway
Children with disabilities are being looked on with more respect and understanding. The faint of voice is being heard–and that brings peace to hearts, and I believe, nations.
Since I have a teenage son Elias with autism who loves art, I decided to create an experiment. What would it be like for him to teach other children and teenagers with disabilities? Would we be able to detect changes in the kids? Could he instruct and lead in a classroom setting? I knew whatever happened would be an adventure. That was about one year ago… and the experiment is ongoing.
Every Wednesday morning we load up our bags of art supplies, pick some music to play and head out to a school for disabilities here in Doha, Qatar.
Perhaps it has been one of the best experiments (or should I say “discoveries”) of my life. I have seen children, teenagers, and young adults brim with joy as they create. Behavior, focus, confidence, and awareness have increased. As my son, Elias has exclaimed, “Everyone is a lot calmer now from the beginning of the year, Mom.” As I reflect, maybe we all are a little more calm, peaceful, happy.
To watch children with disabilities develop and see their reservoir of creativity has lifted and changed me. Some of them, in the beginning, would not touch a brush, pencil, or paint. They adamantly refused. We modeled for them that twirling different colors of paint and mixing them together brought them wonder and more coordination. And better yet, to dab and press paint over paper is to excavate new joy.
To watch children and teenagers who showed no expression before becoming increasingly responsive by a simple art project has shown me how much the human spirit needs and even craves, to create. Exploring and discovering become the daily norm when we dare to create and invite others to do it too.
At the end of March 2018, we (with some other typical teenagers) put together an exhibit of the work that our students had been working on all year long. Everyone marveled at our students’ intricate compositions. They were beautifully composed and brought brightness to the room. But more than anything I will tuck in my pocket the joy of watching our students’ faces this year. To see their change of expressions and emotions bring me back again and again to the art table. As the months have gone by this school year, I have seen people permanently transform–myself included.
In the corner of my eye, I watch for the parents as they arrive with their children. Sometimes I see anguish, a shadow of exhaustion and sadness. I know the feeling. I have been in that terrain myself–waiting for some light to flicker in my path. I go over to them, sometimes with a translator, and express encouragement. I show them their child’s work and often point to how the child is absorbed and happy. I report to them that I see growth. They believe my earnest words. I detect the return of hope and cheer.
When the parents tell me their kids want to do art projects at home and they see improvement, I feel immense joy. If I could look in the rear view mirror of my own self ten years ago, I hung on every word of support anyone gave during that time about my son. I remembered the words of encouragement and would replay them in my mind when I felt a shadow coming.
As Elias and I teach art to children with disabilities, I marvel at their progress and new-found joy. Furthermore, I teach art to support the parents who are on my same autism journey. And I teach art to see my own son with autism learn to teach, love, and give hope. I glimpse a sense of awakening purpose in him too–he knowing that he is making a difference. I would say we are, in a backhand sort of way, bringing healing to different countries in this region.
Children with disabilities are being looked on with more respect and understanding. The faint of voice is being heard–and that brings peace to hearts, and I believe, nations.
Art transcends languages, skillsets, differences. As the music swirls in the air and paint begins to flow, a peace enters in the classroom. And I guess you could say we are all healing together.
To learn more about Maryan and Elias visit the Opening The Sky Blog: openingthesky.com
Great story and very inspiring, looking at the condition your son has, Am a father to a son with Down syndrome and founded the Down syndrome foundation of Zambia and the Africa Down syndrome network, I have been wanting to venture into teaching Art to children with disabilities am a Teacher for Art. My wanting to learn more lead me to your story. Am in Zambia Lusaka. Looking forward to learn more from you. God bless you
I am crying. This is such a beautiful account of the transformative power of art. Blessings to you both dear Maryan and Elias!
Great story! 💜 Thank you for sharing. I feel they give me so much back than I can ever teach them. 😊