Excerpted from the Post-Chronicle published May 5, 2010,
By Lynn Fredricksen, Post-Chronicle Correspondent
HAMDEN – A local man slated to be honored next month maintains his musical talents are a reflection of his earliest teachers.
Blessing Offor
Blessing Offor, who will receive the 2010 International Young Soloists Award from VSA – the International Organization on Arts and Disability, is one of only four artists worldwide to receive the honor. He will receive $5,000 and an opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
“I like to give credit to my music teachers, Mr. Richard Hicks, Dr. Denise Gamble and every single one of my music teachers,” said Offor, who was born blind in one eye and lost the sight in his other at age 10. “I am so honored by this. I mean, what musician doesn’t want to play the Kennedy Center?”
Offor, who is often likened to another black, blind piano player named Stevie Wonder, laughs when their similarities are mentioned.
“It’s too flattering,” Offor said. “He is like a music God. To compare me because I am black and blind is one thing, but to say my music is like his is a huge compliment.”
Offor was selected from nearly 300 competitors for the international award, according to Judith Mortensen, program manager for VSA.
“He is such a gracious man and so extremely talented,” Mortensen said. “We are just thrilled.”
Offor admits he was a bit skeptical when he signed up for the competition.
“I figured it was good experience and I couldn’t help but think that because it was nationwide there were probably a thousand people better than me, but then they called me. I was completely floored,” he said.
In addition to June 8 at the Kennedy Center, Offor has several performances scheduled including a May 8 concert in Queens and a July 30 event in Hamden when he will open for Tower of Power.
On May 20 he will be honored at the Young Audiences Arts for Learning CT’s 30th Anniversary Celebration. The YAC became an affiliate of VSA in 2007.
In addition to Offor, the following individuals will be recognized: Dexter Singleton, Executive Director of Collective Consciousness will receive the Young Audiences Artist of the Year award; LEARN will receive the Young Audiences Community Partner Award; Dr. Elizabeth Cole will be recognized with the VSA Community Partner Award; and Margaret Kinsella will receive the John T. Garrity Founder’s Award.
Print by Vito Bonanno
Vito Bonanno, 25, of New Haven, CT won an Award of Excellence in the amount of $2,000: for his Ghost Town on Davenport Avenue, print at the VSA arts and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., Debut “Accelerate” Exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution
VSA arts, with generous support from Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., opened an exhibition of artwork by emerging artists with disabilities at the S. Dillon Ripley Center of the Smithsonian Institution from September 10, 2009 to January 6, 2010. This year’s artists aged 16-25 were asked to consider the many personal reasons that accelerate the desire to create – to better understand, to investigate and discover, to escape, to hone attention and skill, to reflect on a memory, or to express emotion.
For the eighth year, VSA arts and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., partnered to recognize emerging artists with disabilities who demonstrate promise in the visual arts. The 15 award recipients will be awarded a total of $60,000 and honored during a reception on Capitol Hill held September 17, 2009. This collaboration supports these artists at a critical time when many are deciding whether to pursue the arts as a career. The program validates – and helps finance – that life-defining choice. After the D.C. debut, VSA arts will present the “Accelerate” artwork in a two-year, nation-wide touring exhibition.
“VSA arts is proud to encourage these young visual artists early on in their careers,” comments Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. “We hope that through this program they will continue to build momentum towards a highly creative future.”
“Volkswagen is pleased to continue our partnership with VSA arts to support emerging young artists with disabilities,” remarks Anna Schneider, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.’s director of industry-government relations. “It is a privilege to bring attention to the talents of these artists and to bring their works to the Smithsonian and to galleries around the nation.”
Congratulations to Vito who creates his pieces at the Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven. Vito also exhibited at the City Wide Open Studios in New Haven this fall!!!
Connecticut artists with disabilities are invited to join the national VSA arts artist registry at www.vsarts.org.