UPTOWN — The "Summer Naivete" exhibition at Everybody's Coffee will close Friday night, and attendees will be able to buy the artwork.
The art exhibition by Austin Special Chicago, a grassroots social service agency that provides training and education to developmentally disabled individuals, will hold a closing reception with the artists from 6-8 p.m. at the coffee shop at 935 W. Wilson Ave.
The art has been on display since July 10 and has garnered the attention of customers as they enjoyed their coffee, said Hannah Wright, an employee of Everybody's Coffee.
"We've had a couple people purchase the work. It's been a really great opportunity to show off for people, like, 'These are the artists and this what their mission is.' A lot of people have been asking what this is," said Wright. "I think it's kind of cool to be that space."
Austin Special Chicago guides a collective of self-taught artists who work in a variety of media. Naivete art, in particular, focuses on art produced in a straightforward manner and "deliberately rejects sophisticated artistic techniques and has a bold directness," the group said.
“Our objective is to help our clients develop their skills, nurture their talent and provide an opportunity for their art to be recognized and shared. The tireless drive and passion, the depth and quality of the work, are pure expressions of themselves that they may not have the ability to express in other ways. Their work truly represents the work of artists," said Edwige Massart, an art consultant for Austin Special Chicago.
All of the art is for sale and attendees should expect the unexpected, Massart said.
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