The Standard Journal

Celebratin­g artists without the gala

Still reasons to celebrate and support artists around the area

- By Kevin Myrick kmyrick@polkstanda­rdjournal.com

The Cedartown Performing Arts Center should have been crowded with local art lovers enjoying wine, snacks and jazz music this past Saturday night. Instead, like all other public gatherings, it was forced to go on hold.

Yet that doesn’t mean that within the confines of the home, art lovers can’t enjoy the one reason why they came together in the first place: to see the various works on display created by talent from all across Polk County.

So A Night With Local Artists 2020 might not have gotten to spend the weekend enjoying a cultural event in downtown Cedartown — a make-up date is still to be determined at this time — but they can enjoy some of

the artwork that was to be featured.

The work of Mae Wyatt was setup in recent days with the help of Cedartown Performing Arts Center Director Oscar Guzman, and her story is one worth sharing.

Mae is a 12 year old abstract artist living with Cerebral Palsy, and requires the use of a wheelchair and devices to help her communicat­e. Her challenges haven’t kept her from bringing her imaginatio­n to life.

Her paintings offer a reminder of the endless possibilit­ies of the human spirit, and distinctiv­e personal style brings out her joy and artistic flare in being able to create.

Mae got into abstract art after she began art therapy as an outlet to express herself. What started as scribbles evolved over time into a variety of artistic creations in utilizing colors and shapes of all kinds — from hearts and crosses to canvases that bring together opposing shades to bring out her passions.

She is helped with her creations by therapists like Lauren Merritt, the founder of HeART Adaptive Arts, and with her family family at home. Mae experience­d a burst of creative spirit in the past year with more than 20 pieces sold in a recent show and has been on display at the Piedmont Park Art Show.

Mae’s work is just a collection of the many who will eventually get to show their talents off to Polk County and the surroundin­g area at large. Check back in for more on when A Night With Local Artists 2020 is reschedule­d.

 ?? Contribute­d by oscar Guzman ?? The artwork of Mae Wyatt was set to be featured at A Night With Local Artists 2020 at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center on March 28. It remains up and waiting for when people can return to visit and see.
Contribute­d by oscar Guzman The artwork of Mae Wyatt was set to be featured at A Night With Local Artists 2020 at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center on March 28. It remains up and waiting for when people can return to visit and see.
 ?? Contribute­d by oscar Guzman ?? The artwork of Mae Wyatt was set to be featured at A Night With Local Artists 2020 at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center on March 28. It remains up and waiting for when people can return to visit and see.
Contribute­d by oscar Guzman The artwork of Mae Wyatt was set to be featured at A Night With Local Artists 2020 at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center on March 28. It remains up and waiting for when people can return to visit and see.
 ?? Contribute­d by oscar Guzman ?? The artwork of Mae Wyatt was set to be featured at A Night With Local Artists 2020 at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center on March 28. It remains up and waiting for when people can return to visit and see.
Contribute­d by oscar Guzman The artwork of Mae Wyatt was set to be featured at A Night With Local Artists 2020 at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center on March 28. It remains up and waiting for when people can return to visit and see.

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