DDD Member Uses Paint, Chalk to Find Comfort and Connect with Others

"What my heart and my eye see," that is how Christina explains the subject and the inspiration of her art. A member of the DES Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), Christina has used art to express herself in new ways, and has become so adept that her work earned her second place at the 2022 Arizona State Fair. "Painting relaxes me," said Christina. She describes the process of painting as taking her to her "happy place" and "comfort zone".

Of the two pieces selected for second place at the 2022 State Fair, one is of a rocket shooting off into space. Set on a black background, the piece is composed of glass mirror for the rocket and stars, and watercolor-like chalk. The second piece is a painting of "a planet that's being sucked in, sort of like a tornado." Christina described its components as chalk, and gold and silver paint with special pin marks.

Adept with paint, chalk, pen, and other artistic materials, Christina enjoys sharing her creative gifts with others. During visits with participants of day treatment programs for adults (DTAs) and group homes, Christina helps others express themselves artistically by creating holiday ornaments or decorating pumpkins.

Christina’s ability to express herself developed significantly over the course of her life. Born with multiple health issues and disabilities, Christina’s parents kept her out of preschool and kindergarten because her father was afraid the other kids would make fun of her. In time, her parents enrolled her in a school for the deaf and blind, where she learned how to communicate with sign language. By the age of 9 or 10, she began speaking. "I had to relearn everything, all over again," explained Christina. But she took the challenge head on, and in addition to English and sign language, Christina speaks Spanish.

The family moved from California to Arizona, and Christina became a DDD member in 2013. Today, she lives comfortably in a group home, attends a DTA at Rise Services in Mesa, and earns an income as a custodial worker for the DTA as a DDD group supported employment participant. "I get all the help and support from DDD for what I need or want," said Christina.

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