Art in eARTh Day Celebration April 22, 2023
The Wynne Home's latest exhibit by artist Jane Manthei
Jane Manthei, is a 27-year-old self-taught autistic artist from Bryan, Texas. Her very first form of communication was through pictures. Being non-verbal, she began attending school at age 3 in College Station, learning how to communicate using the PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). Because autistic people think in pictures, this became a more natural way for her to “speak” so that she could not only understand the world around her, but also communicate her thoughts and feelings to other people.
At age 11, Jane began drawing vibrant comic stories to express her thoughts and feelings. Although, she could speak by then, she was still not completely fluent in the spoken language. Throughout the years, she has enjoyed drawing and painting as a way to communicate all the beautiful, intricate details that she sees and feels. For the past 8 years, she has been accepting commissions for portraits and paintings. In 2019, she participated in an event at Davis Gallery in Austin, Texas called “The Possibility of Disability” which featured 3 autistic artists selling their artwork as a fundraiser for the Autism Society of America. Jane feels very honored to have her first solo art exhibition at the Wynne Home. In addition, she works as an apprentice sign artist with her father, Ken Manthei, a graduate of SHSU. She also has prints and note cards of her artwork available.
Pictures from last year's event showing the enjoyment of loving and caring for Mother Earth in creative ways.
Art in eARTh Day Schedule:
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Celebrate sustainability of the Earth through Art at the Wynne Home and the Natural Science and Art Research Center
4:30 to 5:30 p.m. - see the art created for the Art in eARTh Day Art Show held at the Natural Science and Art Research Center