An artist in California is doing something really unique that raises money for autism. What started out as a simple selection of a shape to create with fused glass turned into a design that fits nicely with groups who want to raise awareness of, and funding for, autism research.
Janine Stillman is a glass artist. She creates jewelry using fused glass. This technique involves stacking, or layering, very thin sheets of glass on top of one another. Usually, the layers are different colors. It can be used to create unique, colorful, patterns after the glass has been melted in a kiln. This is a very simplified description of the technique.
Previous to becoming an artist, she worked as the director of the Center for Educational Therapy, in Pismo Beach, California. This was a business she founded with Dianne Olvera, an educational therapist.
The Center was a place that helped students who had special needs, ranging from minor disabilities through the severely autistic. Janine’s oldest son has ADHD, and this is what first made her interested in working with students who had special needs, and with their parents as well.
Janine started creating fused glass in the shape of puzzle pieces. The small bits of colorful, fused, glass sound to me like the perfect medium to use in order to create puzzle piece shapes. She attaches the lovely, glass, puzzle piece shapes to earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and more.
A friend of hers pointed out that the puzzle piece is a symbol that is used to bring awareness to autism. It is my understanding that the puzzle piece was selected because it is a good, visual representation, about how much we still don’t know about autism. We are still trying to fill in the missing pieces, in order to finally see the big picture.
Larry Kaplan, chief executive for the U.S. Autism and Asperger’s Association in Utah, asked Janine Stillman to help him raise money for his organization, (through the sale of her puzzle piece jewelry).
Since then, Janine has raised money for the Central Coast Autism Spectrum, which is a nonprofit organization. The money raised for this organization stays in the local, San Luis Obispo County, California, area to help families and children who live there. She has also donated money to nineteen other autism nonprofits around the United States. In 2011, she raised a total of $33,500 to help with autism.
This is one example of how powerful art can be. Beautiful pieces of fused glass are being sold as a way to raise money for autism. The money goes to organizations that help children who have autism, and their families as well. Janine Stillman’s unique jewelry is helping people to have a better life.
Image by Jared Tarbell on Flickr