Center Stage is proud to feature bead works by Heather Stallman, Medical Laboratory Scientist in the Pathology Lab and work by patient Chet Davis.
Heather shared the reason for her exhibiting her work, “Individuals who are diagnosed with autism are often looked down upon. I was no exception to this. When my brother and I were little, people told our mother that we would be dependent for the rest of our lives. Thanks to not only our mother, but other people (family, support teachers, counselors, etc.) who gave us unconditional support and believed in us, my brother and I proved those people wrong. I want to change people’s perspective of autism. I want to show people that just because an individual has autism or a disability, doesn’t mean that individual can’t do what others can do. Or there is a possibility that that person can do the unbelievable.”
Chet Davis serves as an artist, art educator, and art advocate in Central Pennsylvania. After more than 50 years of being in the arts, in 2020, just as the COVID pandemic hit, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. This combination led him to spend more time in his home studio, contemplating and producing art like never before.
“I am grateful to be a patient of the Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center from the beginning of my care. I could not be more confident, or more pleased with my experience. I am blessed and honored to be able to share my art with community and hope it brings joy and comfort to the staff and patients,” says Chet.
Chet says that his art has always been a way for him to augment strong, personal feelings about his observations and experiences going through life. “Creating works of art that focus on common human interactions that tie us together has been my dominant subject matter. My paintings and drawings have an expressive figurative focus, capturing a gestural, symbolic ‘meaning of the moment.’ The figures in my work are often portrayed in a decisive, emotional minute that will have lasting impact on the human condition.”
