The HeARTspot Art Center and Gallery is pleased to present the Featured Artists of the Beyond the Diagnosis Exhibit. This show will highlight seven of the artists who have donated portraits to the Beyond the Diagnosis foundation, each of which features a child with a rare disease. Participating artists will be showcasing a variety of work including landscape, portraiture and still life work from their personal collections not related to the Beyond the Diagnosis exhibition.

For context, The Beyond the Diagnosis Art Exhibit, which all exhibiting artists have donated to, focuses on patients with rare diseases and travels to medical schools, research institutes and hospitals around the globe, showcasing portraits of children with rare diseases. The purpose is to show that the diagnosis does not define the patient and to facilitate real change for children and families “living rare”. You can see the portraits, learn more about the organization, or make a donation here: www.beyondthediagnosis.org

The founder of the BTD organization is local East Providence resident, Patricia Weltin. Ms. Weltin is the mother of two daughters, both of which have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). It was her personal experience as a mother of two daughters with a rare disease that prompted her to create the Beyond the Diagnosis art exhibit which has now gained international recognition and helped create change for the rare community.

Owner/Operator of HeARTspot Art Center and Gallery, Jennifer Gillooly Cahoon holds this organization near and dear to her heart. She was one of the first contributing artists and has created two portraits for the traveling exhibition. She stated, “I approached Patricia with the idea for this show a few months ago. I know how much she values the artists, and so many of the painters live locally. With her blessing, I reached out to those who might be able to participate. I thought it would be a beautiful way to honor their contributions and showcase their amazing talents outside of the BTD exhibit. I’m humbled to be a small part of what she is doing and to be in the company of so many other amazing artists and humans. This exhibition is going to be stunning.”.