Beyond the Canvas Art Exhibit Showcases Talent of People with Disabilities
Press Release
ST. CLAIRSVILLE – The Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Creating Hope Arts are pleased to present Beyond the Canvas: The Power of Unbound Expression, an exhibit of art created by people with disabilities.
More than 60 unique pieces will transform the walls at the Belmont County Board’s office at 68421 Hammond Road, St. Clairsville. Visitors can walk through the gallery during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning March 26 through the end of April.
Pamela McCort, Director of Communications for the County Board, and Jennifer Diehl of Creating Hope Arts have curated Beyond the Canvas.
“This exhibit is about giving artists a public space where they can be seen and recognized for their talent,” McCort said. “It also invites the community to rethink what they believe and see that people with disabilities have a deep capacity for creative expression.”
Diehl collaborates with people of differing abilities every day and understands the potential that lies within each one.
“All people really need is the opportunity to express themselves,” she said. “Each piece reveals a voice that is powerful and unmistakably individual.”
An opening reception will unveil the exhibit and introduce the artists to the public on Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 304-218-5398.
The Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities coordinates and funds services for children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities like autism, cerebral palsy, and down syndrome.
Creating Hope Arts is an Adult Day Service provider in Bethesda that supports and inspires artists with disabilities. Its array of creative opportunities allows unique talents to flourish, cultivating pride, confidence, and independence as an artist.
Artist Profile
Barnesville resident Mark Cook is one of more than three dozen artists featured in Beyond the Canvas, an exhibit of works created by people of differing abilities on display through April at the Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities, 68421 Hammond Road, in St. Clairsville.
Mark, 24, does not communicate with words, but he can still connect with others, and painting is one way he does that. Because his lived experience limits his ability to paint or draw independently, Mark creates with hand-over-hand support: he holds the brush while a support person gently guides his hand to help him carry out each stroke. The result is a work alive with vibrant color and movement. His pieces invite viewers to slow down, look closely, and experience the expression on the canvas.
(Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities press release)
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