OUR FRIENDS
BY MARGY HOOD
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." – Aristotle
Since 1998, my husband, Dr. Henry Hood, has spent his entire professional life caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). For a time, I worked at the interdisciplinary clinic that he and Dr. Matt Holder created here in Louisville. I loved my job there, and I especially loved the patients we served.
In August of 2016, Dr. Hood and I were married, and one of the things we have really enjoyed doing together is attending various art shows and art fairs put on by people with IDD. Art seems to be a deeply satisfying way in which people with IDD can express what's in their head and heart. There is a very active advocacy community for people with IDD in this area; these events happen frequently, and we always seem to be in attendance.
Over these last few years, we've created a wonderful collection of treasures. Each piece is singularly unique, and many of them have unbelievably touching stories behind their creation. An example is the set in Fig. 1 featuring three pieces that just seem to belong together. We call them the Bridge Club. Apparently, one of the ladies had to use pearls from her necklace to cover her gambling debts. In Fig 2., the artist created a self-portrait. She made her right ear in the shape of her dog, Rosie, and even wrote the dog's name on it. The left ear was fashioned after her cat, Gladys, whose name is also recorded. Her curly hair was created by pushing the pottery clay through wire screen. My husband's favorite are the two angels seen in Figs. 3 and 4. My favorite is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ink and watercolor seen in Fig. 5.
Without a doubt, all these pieces of art have transformed my sewing room into a mini-art gallery. The joy and comfort they bring means everything to us, as does the knowledge that they were created by people with big hearts and even bigger ideas. In the coming years, we will continue to bring new pieces into our home, and we will also give them as gifts to our friends and loved ones, knowing that everyone's day will be brightened by the work and talent of our very special friends. •
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Margy Hood is the wife of Henry Hood, DMD, who is Chief Clinical Officer at the Lee Specialty Clinic in Louisville, Kentucky; and Co-founder / Past President American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry.