Seeing the world through the eyes of people who experience an intellectual disability is the
focus of a Hobart art exhibition opening tonight at 5pm at the WIN TV studio in New Town.
Themed ‘The way we see it’, the art show is the culmination of a year’s work by clients of
Cosmos, an organisation offering learning and leisure opportunities for people with intellectual
disabilities.

The exhibition, to be opened jointly by Tasmanian Premier Hon Lara Giddings and North-West
Coast artist, Kit Hiller, features painting, sculpture, jewellery, multi-media installations and
short films all produced by Cosmos clients.

For Cosmos client Kathy Cantrell, inspiration for her painting and drawings comes from
ancient Egypt, using a much-treasured book to stimulate her creative ideas.

“I love the scarabs, the jewellery and the colours of the art,” Ms Cantrell said. “It’s all very
bright and I wanted to use all that in my work.”

For another Cosmos artist, Shaun Phillips, visits to Salamanca Market inspire his ‘scribbles’,
as he calls them.

“I was watching the artists and I realised I could do it too and so my art is about the shapes I
see,” Mr Phillips said.

Cosmos CEO, Catherine Viney, said the exhibition displayed not only the creative talents of
Cosmos’ clients, but also challenged community expectations of people with disabilities.

“Our art show is a chance to show the wider world that people with intellectual disabilities have
great imagination and flair,” Ms Viney said.

“Our clients also produce high calibre pieces reflecting their unique perspectives on both art
and society.”

The Cosmos art exhibition, The way we se it, is open free to the public from Thursday, 3
November to Saturday, 5 November at 52 New Town Road, New Town.