MANSFIELD — Winter’s darkest weeks won’t last long at Element of Art, thanks to an immersive exhibition titled The Light Within.
On Feb. 20, starting at 5 p.m., the non-profit gallery will flip the switch and invite the community to see talent, creativity and possibility in a whole new glow.
RNI, Inc. hosts The Light Within a free exhibition at 96 North Main Street, bringing together work by artists who live with developmental disabilities — and refuse to be defined by them.
Finding the light beneath the surface
Element of Art provides professional opportunities, visibility and advocacy for artists who often face barriers to creative spaces.
March is Disability Awareness Month, hence The Light Within arrives at a fitting time. The exhibition highlights inclusion not as a concept, but as a lived practice — one built on access, encouragement and belief.
Beyond the artwork, the exhibition centers on the people behind each piece and the community that supports them.
They just need the opportunity to shine.
Alexa Mabry, community artist
“We don’t like to say disability,” said Alexa Mabry, a community artist. “They are differently abled. They just need the opportunity to shine.”
Mabry said the theme came from both the gloom of winter’s darkest months and the gallery’s mission.
Artists began working on their pieces in late December, dedicating weeks to watercolor, acrylic and mixed-media works showcasing a wide range of styles and skills.
The exhibition features glow paint throughout, creating two distinct viewing experiences — one in daylight and another revealed under the right light.
“The challenge is taking the concept and interpreting it,” Mabry said. “You have the daylight version, and then the secret you find within.”
That interactive element mirrors the message behind the show. Some artwork may look familiar at first glance, but each piece carries a deeper story shaped by patience, persistence and support.
One piece Mabry shared features a silhouette of the artist, filled in with what matters most to her.
“For her, it was scenic views, lighthouses and fishing,” Mabry said. “So the secret details are the fish underneath.”
The artists — and the mission behind the work
For artist Jessica Eggeman, inspiration came from the ocean. She chose to paint a sea turtle — an animal she has loved for as long as she can remember.
Painting has always been a passion, she said. One of her favorite works, Creature No. 1, currently hangs inside Element of Art.
Artist Dottie Cains approaches her work as a careful process. She starts with a reference photo and a notepad, sketching and testing ideas before committing to the final piece.
“Sometimes I have trouble getting the colors started because I get nervous,” Cains said.
One of her works, still at Element of Art, took months to complete — the longest she has ever spent on a single piece.
“It wasn’t easy,” Cains said.
Mabry, who has worked with Element of Art for about a year, said seeing the process is just as meaningful as the finished piece.
“I want to do a future exhibition titled Work in Progress,” Mabry said.
The exhibition would display the before and after of each artist’s work.
“Whether it’s the scrap sheet they started with, a sticky note or a page from a sketch pad, I would display it next to the finished piece,” Mabry said.
Building relationships and connecting with the community
Element of Art offers open classes — which are posted on their Facebook page.
“A lot of people don’t know we’re here,” Emma Beeson art coordinator said. “And we actually just celebrated our 16-year anniversary.”
When people walk in the door they (the artists) love to share what they have been working on. Beeson said it’s all about letting the community know we’re here — learning, developing and building relationships.
Beeson said they host events open to the public every Friday and want to show the community they are ready for relationships to be made.
“We try to have music and light refreshments,” she added. “Then we have four of our artists here and we do a featured artist, so they come in and demonstrate their art.”
(More photos of artwork at Element of Art and the artists as they work. Credit: Hannah Martin)
