by Amal “Ba” Hirmina

Up Cathy is a rhythmic collage of the filmmaker’s paintings, drawings, assemblage and singing. The "Up Cathy" song is sung by the filmmaker.

Amal Hirmina has been with Creativity Explored, an art program for adults with disabilities, for four years. She enjoys singing very much. Amal is blind, so the visual artwork that she creates has a strong tactile sense. This is Amal’s first project accepted at a film festival.

Creativity Explored member artists come from diverse backgrounds and bring with them a wide variety and range of experience, ability, and sensibilities. Some of our artists just turned 20 years old, and some of our artists are in their eighties. Some have lived a life of previous isolation or institutionalization, while some have lived their entire lives with their families in a supportive and accepting environment. Many of our member artists speak different languages, or do not speak, and are unable to communicate with each other using spoken language. At Creativity Explored, visual art is language everyone can use to share culture, to share experience, and to share feelings.

At Creativity Explored, uncensored self-expression is both encouraged and celebrated. The result is art that is fresh, exciting, and innovative. We invite you to share our collective experience, to participate in our community, and to benefit from the significant contributions made by artists with disabilities to the cultural life of the broader community. Our common thread is the basic need to express self, and the tapestry we weave using art is a strong, durable community rich in color, form, and context. We invite you to become a part of our community.

Todd Herman
Animation Instructor

The following videos, made through Creativity Explored, are being screened at the 2004 Sprout Film Festival:

Give Me Chinese Food
The Gordon Shepard Story
Tree, Flower, Butterfly
Up Cathy
Work In Progress