KC Studio Magazine features RHD’s Imagine That! Studio
November 29, 2018
RHD’s Imagine That! studio for artists with intellectual was disabilities featured in KC Studio Magazine, covering the vibrant arts & culture scene in Kansas City. “Our focus is on artists as artists, not artists with disabilities,” said Kansas City artist Jillian Youngbird, community outreach and media coordinator for Imagine That! Kansas City.
Founded in 2012 by Resources for Human Development, a national human services nonprofit, Imagine That! maintains a multi-faceted space in the Crossroads Arts District, with studios for
printmaking, photography, ceramics and fiber projects, as well as a fully equipped music and recording studio.
The goal: to help artists with disabilities realize their creative potential and find inclusion in Kansas City’s larger arts community and beyond.
“These artists are incredible and we’re just here to help facilitate their talent,” says Youngbird, who believes Imagine That! not only opens doors for artists with disabilities but provides equally valuable opportunities for arts audiences.
“When I first started, no one knew about us. Now, our artists are in shows that are inclusive of all artists, and viewers are getting to know them and their work in a different light,” she says.
One of those artists is John Buice, whose work is influenced by historical events and pop culture from the ’60s through the ’80s. This summer, his collage and fiber works were featured in a solo exhibit, “The Future is Corndogs,” at PLUG Projects in the West Bottoms. Buice’s work was also featured this year on one of the Mobank Artboards, a pair of double-sided billboards above Missouri Bank’s Crossroads location that display images commissioned from Kansas City-area artists.
Imagine That! is an innovative creative arts studio for people with intellectual disabilities. We offer creativity-based healing and learning opportunities for artists of all abilities, empowering people to realize their creative potential and explore various means of personal expression.