TALLHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Suzanne Nellis is a disabled artist from Tallahassee and she said society can sometimes make people with disabilities feel worthless. But when it comes to art, Nellis said she feels like she has a purpose.
"It really does contribute to feeding into your self-worth," said Nellis.
Picking up pieces of art for her new gallery that features only disabled artists, Karen Walker wants to make sure any artist with a disability is celebrated.
"And that's what's so great about it," said Walker. "It gives them the chance to show what they really are capable of with what they can do."
So far Walker has about six artists that will be featured in her art studio opening on May 8 with art being supplied from people like Dixie Lee Hedrington-Miller.
"Yes, I'm almost on the verge of tears," said Hedrington-Miller. "I'm so happy."
For Walker's daughter Lauren, who has Aspergers and is also being featured in the gallery, art is one of the only ways of processing her surroundings.
"It allows me to express myself, and I usually can't otherwise," said Lauren. "It usually ends with me running in place or screaming in a very high pitch."
The Able Artists Gallery will only charge disabled artists about 20 percent of all sales, with no cost to put art in the gallery.
