By Anthony KaDarrell Thigpen

E-mail: AnthonyKaDarrellThigpen@gmail.com

AUTISM ACADEMY –Art students designed and painted aircraft portraits to donate for display at Carlisle Companies.

More than 70 artists at the Autism Academy participated in the program with art teacher Amy Floyd. Now the art program is soaring even higher with a $5000 contribution from Carlisle.

Art One Gallery in Scottsdale regularly features artwork from Floyd’s students.  This wonderful art gallery is owned by Kraig Foote and he continually shows his support to us by selling the student artwork to the public. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the art department.  Clare Tinnion is the owner and art consultant for Gallery on Third who was interested in the artwork displayed at Art One Gallery and thought it would be a great to showcase their work at the Carlisle Company.

For two years, Carlisle has been displaying artwork from students at the Autism Academy in their office building. In 2017, they had the students paint a series of race cars.  The artwork was a big hit with the Carlisle employees so they decided to keep up this relationship with the Autism Academy each year.  This year the focus of the artwork was airplanes of various designs. The airplanes add a sense of inspiration as the Carlisle Company is an engineering based company with more than 14,000 employees worldwide.

Floyd and Tinnion hung up the airplanes and in return the Carlisle Company gave each student a toy car as well as donated $5000 to the art program each year.

“We are hoping this partnership continues because the resources help,” said Tinnion. “Hopefully more corporations will take this approach of giving back to the community.”

The money is useful and helps to buy art supplies at the Autism Academy campuses in the east and west valley. The Autism Academy educates more than 330 students valley wide. This sizable donation from Carlisle company is helping young artists at the school spread their wings.