The goals of this presentation are to support the attendees to make the visual arts a form of self-expression for individuals with mild to severe physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities. Presenter Lisa Bartoli will cover characteristics, strategies, and goals for several major areas of disability (physical, intellectual, emotional, visual and hearing impairment), positioning individuals for maximum success, adaptive and workstation devices, 2d and 3d art, sensory stimulation, space, securing the workspace, tools, textures, and thinking outside of the box. This virtual gathering is jam packed with useful information for adapting an art program and resources for buying or creating assistive technology.

Lisa Bartoli is the founder and executive director of Art Therapy Express Program, Inc. She graduated with a Master’s Degree in Creative Arts in Therapy and brings over 35 years of post-graduate experience. She has introduced art as self-expression to thousands of children, teenagers, and adults with physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities. Lisa utilizes the arts to empower individuals, providing self-expression and communication for individuals within schools, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations at Kaleidoscope Adapted Art Studio, within the community, and at the onset of pandemic in a new virtual program format. Lisa provides teacher and staff in-services and student internships to local colleges and universities