Showcasing Three Disabled Artists

Jeffrey Bevis of Blue Point, NY has been a photographer for practically his entire life. He first used a camera at age four and never stopped. Now, fifty years later, Bevis is an established photojournalist. His photo essays have appeared in shows throughout New York and in other parts of the country.

Bevis is also a quadriplegic, due to a spinal disease he developed at age two, yet his disability never stopped him from living his dream. When he takes pictures, he balances the camera on his left hand and uses his right hand to snap the photos. That's the way he's always done it.

You might sat that Bevis' interest in photography sprang out of fear of going to summer camp.

When Bevis was four, his parents enrolled him in a camp program for children with similar disabilities. Bevis refused to go. "I was upset that I was going to be left at the camp," said Bevis. In order to calm him down, his parents gave him a small camera to play with. They told him that he could keep it with him at camp. "I liked that camera," said Bevis. "I took pictures of all my bunkmates and enjoyed it."

Throughout childhood, high school and college, Bevis' parents encouraged him to pursue his interest in photography.

Once out in the working world, Bevis saw the need to demonstrate that people with disabilities had more capabilities than able-bodied people thought.

"Some people think that we're from another planet or from a different solar system," said Bevis. "They don't realize that we're like everyone else."

He worked for special interest groups who promoted the Special Olympics and wheelchair dancing.

Eight years ago, Bevis joined Princess Ronkonkoma Productions.

At the time, Executive Producer Hedi Flickstein and Co-producer Brian Burns were trying to make a documentary about the legend of Princess Ronkonkoma. "We put on fundraisers," said Burns, "but we just couldn't raise enough money to make the documentary."

Ironically, failing to make the documentary was their first step in doing something much more meaningful. "All of us in the production had a disability," said Burns. "We found out that we were good at putting on educational and artistic programs about handicapped people. We turned it into a community arts group managed by the physically handicapped artists themselves."

Bevis added: "Princess Ronkonkoma Productions went into community mode, giving back to the community and showing the public what people with disabilities could do. The organization helped me. They've provided me with venues to showcase my work and they supplied me with needed materials."

Joseph Cartin

Princess Ronkonkoma Productions also benefited Joseph Cartin, who said on the record that he had been hospitalized due to psychiatric problems. He emphasized that the organization helped him with his art career.

"I wasn't able to showcase my work before," said Cartin, who specializes in computer-generated art. "I take photographs and manipulate them. I try to focus on the beauty of life because my own life has been far from that. I try not to dwell on my depression. I don't like to do work that disturbs people."

Maria Iliou

Another Princess Ronkonkoma Productions member painter/poet, Maria Iliou, who has Autism, gave the organization kudos: "They've placed my paintings on their website and they've gotten me shows," said Iliou. "When I paint, I use oils and acrylics. I do mixed media. I paint anything from houses, scenery, angels and abstract paintings. I've done water scenes with houses around them. I painted ponds and Greek Islands."

"I began writing poetry six years ago," Iliou said. "They helped me enter poetry contests. I won five honorable mentions. One of my poems came in 5th place."

For more information about Bevis' work, log onto www.jbevisphotography.com.

To see Cartin's work, log on to www.Disabledartistsguild.com or Google "Princess Ronkonkoma Productions" to learn more about the organization.