Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Morris and Debra Emerson.
Wendy and Debra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center started their art program in the 1970’s with an art class one day a week. Over the years the program grew and in the year 2000 Sophie’s Gallery a studio, gallery and gift shop was opened in El Cajon’s Historic Downtown District.
Sophie’s houses four studios, gallery spaces, and a gift store. It provides materials, tools, and instruction in an inspirational space where artists with developmental disabilities can create artwork in a variety of media including weaving, sewing, painting, print-making, photography, fused glass, ceramics, mosaics, jewelry design, and digital art.
Their finished pieces are unique and affordable. They are for sale at our gallery and at exhibitions across the region. We also have a store on our main campus called Sophie’s Too and Sophie’s Kensington Gallery in partnership with the Autism Research Institute located in the City of San Diego. Our artists directly benefit from all sales of their art.
Sophie’s has many community partners including Bread & Cie, Pt. Loma Credit Union El Cajon Branch, Alpine Branch Library, St. James Cathedral in La Jolla, San Diego International Airport, El Cajon City Hall, Escondido Arts Partnership, and Apple Fashion Valley where our artists are learning to take photographs and make films on iPads.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not always been a smooth road. In 2016 the entire block across the street from Sophie’s was razed and a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the future Marriott Courtyard El Cajon. Every day up to 60 artists are bused to Sophie’s Gallery and for over a year the street was narrowed to one lane making transportation difficult during the construction of the hotel.
It seems hard to believe – now that the hotel is open and making the neighborhood more vibrant. We have had visitors from around the country stop Sophie’s during their stays at the Marriott.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Sophie’s Gallery (the off-campus art program of St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center) – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center’s mission is to educate and empower individuals with developmental disabilities to realize their full potential. We serve approximately 400 adults with developmental disabilities (e.g. autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy) with nationally recognized, innovative programs. We combine our culture of care and creativity within quality programs to provide liberal arts education, practical skills development, employment, and dignity for a lifetime.
SMSC’s programs offer diverse work projects, work training programs, and volunteer program sites that employ students at various skill levels. Approximately two-thirds of our students earn paychecks. Our art program offers a variety of art media and has been used as a model by other organizations looking to start their own art programs. We were invited to present our art program curriculum at the International Art and Disabilities Conference in Washington D.C. in 2010.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Sophie’s Gallery plans for the future include e-commerce and social media. We received two grants that are earmarked for e-commerce, social media, and the development of a website with a link to a shopping site. This will give our artists more exposure and chances to sell their artwork online. Classes are planned to teach artists how to post images of themselves and their artwork and how to share these through social media like Facebook and Instagram. The biggest change coming up for our services and programs is the move to person center planning.
This is a set of approaches that give persons with developmental disabilities more control of their life choices by helping them to pinpoint their interests and the concrete steps to support those interests. To support person-centered programming the art department will purchase a van to help our artists attend art activities in the community.
Pricing:
- One-of-a-kind artwork sells from $8 – $500
- Many items from $8 – $25
Contact Info:
- Address: 2119 East Madison Avenue El Cajon, CA 92019 (St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center)
109 Rea Avenue El Cajon, CA 92020 (Sophie’s Gallery) - Website: stmsc.org / sophiesgallery.org
- Phone: Sophie’s Gallery 619-593-2205 SMSC 619-442-5129
- Email: sophiesgallery@stmsc.org
- Instagram: sophiesgalleryandgiftshop
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMSCsophiesgallery
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SMSophiesCenter
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/StMSC
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
