Parity Pipeline

Genre

Synopsis

HERE ON THE INSIDE cracks open the construct of outsider art and begs the question, what does that really mean. Metaphorically as well as physically, we follow several artists whose practice happens INSIDE Creative Growth art center in Oakland California, one of the first organizations in the world to provide studio space and advance the inclusion of artists with developmental disabilities in contemporary art. In contrast to the OUTSIDE of societal neglect, this place and these people are family. The diverse characters range in ages, circumstances and disabilities.
Woven stories told by the artists and their families about creativity, passion, love, and fear of the outside world that threaten to swallow them up on a daily basis. Characters - “ Judith Scott was an improbable artist who was born with Down syndrome, could neither hear nor speak, read nor write. Unwillingly separated from her adoring twin sister and institutionalized for thirty five years, went on to achieve a level of herald praise few who create art ever will “ Rebecca Hoffberger, director of American Visionary Art Museum. William Scott Born 1964, San Francisco, California
 - His practice imagines alternative realities that stem from a fundamental belief in the potential for positive human transformation.. “William Scott is among the most important artists working today. His profoundly empathetic paintings should be in the permanent collections of every contemporary art museum.”
Matthew Higgs - Director/Chief Curator, White Columns Gerone Spruill , Born 1973, Oakland, California - An aspiring DJ with encyclopedic music knowledge, His drawings take the form of epic comic book narratives that chronicle the misadventures of his characters, memorably coifed and infinitely cool, as they cruise “Chocolate City” . Monica Valentine, Born 1955, San Mateo, California - Valentine is blind and wears prosthetic eyes, having lost her sight at birth. She makes beaded sculptures feeling vibration from the colors. She only wears red and embellished her cloths and fanny pack with bicycle reflectors. Eli Cooper - born 1998 is one of the newest and youngest artists in the Creative Growth Studio. With great enthusiasm and clever perspective, he brings a love of rock and roll and performance to his art. Cooper invites the viewer into his vulnerable, uninhibited, occasionally offensive, and deeply endearing world. I am looking for a few primary characters with many secondary characters. As I progress different strong narratives may emerge. I want to stay open to emerging narratives and show the strongest examples of triumph over adversity. William who I have followed and documented for many years is my primary character. His career is reaching great heights, and his paintings are perfect to recreate into lush cinematic scenes. He will be the films constant thread. We start present day at a museum opening with William Scott and his family being hailed by the cognoscenti of the art world.
With numerous interviews already shot of his family at home and at their Baptist church i tell his back story. I will use Judith Scott’s story to tell her transformative journey from a victim of draconian mid century institutional practices to celebrated international art star and matriarch of Creative Growth. I will recreate cinematically moments of her early childhood and dismal scenarios of her institution conditions. We introduce Monica current day; with he white cane
Walking down a busy Oakland street with an intimidating sound scape and abstract visuals elucidating monica's daily perception. We are led to Gerone Spruill, who has stopped coming to the art center and is falling through the social services cracks after his mothers death. A highly functioning autistic and able to speak about his disability, Gerone is constantly getting his heart broken because his autism is not immediately evident. With repeated visits to his home ( all ready shot ) over the years we are witnessing his slow decline. Eli cooper, a 25 year down syndrome young man, whose exuberance gets him into trouble ( he ordered 200 cases of marshmallows on his mothers credit card). Eli is very tech savvy and DM’s his favorite professional sports stars sometimes getting himself invited to championship games. He has recently gotten his own apartment with another disabled friend and is thriving. The Art Center - is in financial trouble and is threatened by the gentrification of downtown Oakland. We jump from character to character capturing their daily struggles and triumphs personally socially and artistically leading up to the art center’s 50th anniversary culminating in a major museum retrospective and celebration in the summer of 2024 . Will William find a special someone at church or the dance socials he creates in his paintings ? Will his ailing mother live to see her son’s dreams of a partner come true. Will Gerone return to Creative Growth even though he has issues being part of this disabled community? Will he keep bar hopping getting beat up due to his foot fetish and misunderstood unfiltered conversations with strangers. Will he get to the HS re-union (shot ) in his white platforms shoes . Will he be ostracized or embraced ? How will Eli navigate his independent life and how does that effect his loving parents . Will state and federal budget cuts threaten the mere survival of the art center. Creative Growth is turning 50 and we’re at an important transition point where these artists are reckoning with some of life’s biggest questions. This community is a family and the loss of that would be devastating for the artist as well as the patrons .