A Fantastic February at Studio 35

Gary Hudson's Provincetown Dinghy (oil)

Fellowship Health Resources is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. In the spirit of this celebration, founders of Studio 135 decided to tweak the name of this successful coffeehouse, renaming it Studio 35.

Studio 35 is growing and on the move. January’s gig, held at Fairwinds Clubhouse, exceeded December’s turnout at Dorothy Bearse Apts. by about forty attendees. February’s event took place at the Plymouth Bay Clubhouse, with expressive arts and martial arts taking center stage. Several local artists displayed their works and were grateful for the opportunity to showcase, as well as sell, their pieces.

When asked to describe this event, Teresa Cetto, Recovery Advocate from the Lower Middle Cape Team reported, “It was packed, standing room only. The appreciative crowd enjoyed the wonderful food and professional music.”

Local artist, Gary Hudson, was a big hit. Not only did he entertain with jigs and reels, he also explained how having Asperger’s Syndrome actually gifted him in the arts. “One of the aspects of Asperger’s people is what we think in pictures or images,” Hudson began. “These images always remained burning in my mind. I wanted to show others how I see things in a way [that the use of] a camera could not.” Through his oil paintings, Hudson has been able to share the world as he sees it.

Beyond painting, Hudson specializes in making a Celtic drum called the Bodhran. He feels that the symptoms of his illness caused him to imagine the step-by-step process needed to create drums. “It has been liberating as I now truly know that I think and see things a bit differently than most other people,” Hudson reflected.

Hudson performed first, leading participants in Tai Chi, an internal Chinese martial art involving pushing hands exercises, designed to get the attendees’ creative juices flowing.  Other musicians to take the stage included FHR’s President and CEO, Joe Dziobek. His return to the stage won hearts when he humbly admitted that he still gets butterflies before performing.

Hudson’s wife and fellow artist, Heather, lead participants in creating 3-D clay pieces, which were later captured by some artists in attendance through 2-D pastel drawings. Ms. Hudson shares some of the source of her inspiration on her website www.heatherhudsonstudio.com.  “So many of the lessons I have learned in life have been informed by bodily contact,” she says. “It seems as if we live in a society that is becoming increasingly disconnected from the physicality of touch and constructing things by hand.”

Studio 35 welcomes the public and has scheduled its next coffeehouse on April 10, 2010 at the Dorothy Bearse Apartments from 1-4 p.m. Please contact Sandra Whitney-Sarles at swhitneysarles@fellowshiphr.org for more information.