Max Wheeler

Max Wheeler, a former printmaking student at OU, currently works as a production aide at Passion Works. He helps assemble many of the products and creates popular paintings or drawings into products such as tiles and prints. He had a lot to say about what Passion Works does for the community:

How does Passion Works Studio affect Athens as a community?

I think it affects it in a lot of ways. For one, collaborative art is not present in American culture as much as it is in other cultures. It’s the idea of the single artist, the individual is valued over the group, it’s always this solo show of an artist who overcame adversity to do this thing…. Which is cool but I think a lot of time collaborative art is almost seen as cheating. I don’t see why that’s a problem and I really value art that’s made collaboratively.

Usually something really strong will come out with people who have different backgrounds and different points of view. So usually the product is stronger. Also with Passion Works, dealing with people with mental disabilities brings them into the conversation, into the community.

People tend to think that people with disabilities as seeing them as their disability. “That’s John So and So, he’s disabled,” and that’s how they view them. If they’re disabled, that’s their title almost. Here, it gives the opportunity to give people to see them as people and artists and people who make beautiful art. It’s changing the definition.

What have you learned by working at Passion Works so far?

I didn’t have much experience with people with disabilities and it’s amazing to see people who are struggling physically and mentally (working with) with art-making and they still really enjoy it. Most of them come here because they really love making art and it’s fun. I’ve always tried to keep that in mind, in whatever I’m doing. If I’m not having fun, it might not be worth it. It s okay if things are difficult, but if the root of it’s not fun, what’s the point?

What is the best experience you’ve had at the PW studio?

It’s great coming in and having the clients being excited to see me and forming those relationships with people. It’s something that as a printmaker I already really value, the collaboration and camaraderie an art studio. With them as well, it’s cool getting to be friends with people whose art you admire.

There’s a huge barrier between locals and college students, and an even bigger barrier between people with disabilities college students and locals. Any kind of involvement from people with the university, people who don’t go to school and people who have disabilities is going to be positive.

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