'It Is Awesome': At St. Paul's Interact, Artists With Disabilities Are Excited To Create Together Again
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- After more than a year apart, some special artists are able to get creative again in-person.
WCCO was there for the reunion 16 months in the making.
It was the type of excitement typical of a first day of school.
Only at St. Paul's Interact the so-called students may have felt the effects of the last year-plus even more.
"Yeah, it was very, very hard on a lot of people," Interact's founder Jeanne Calvit said.
Like Victor Van who stopped by every month to peek in the windows.
On Monday we caught him singing true feelings, reciting the song "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'," as he again put his talent to paper.
There's also Taylor Michurski, an actor and dancer.
"It is awesome," he said.
He was grateful to be working toward a production back on stage.
"You get to draw in that room right there and in that room you get to be a character that you always wanted to be," he added.
As Interact's founder, Calvit helped to get as many classes as possible online through the pandemic.
"Our mission is creating art and challenging society's views of disabilities," Calvit said.
But, among a population where isolation and underlying conditions are top of mind, she considers it a balance to make it this far -- to a day of fresh perspectives in an avant-garde era.
Interact hopes to welcome all 120 members back by November but for now is only accepting those who are vaccinated. They are also watching the Delta variant closely as they know that could also play a role in their plans.
You'll find more information about how to visit their gallery in-person by clicking here.
