by Valerie Valentine

Extraordinary circumstances lead to extraordinary art. Juanita Umbel proves this statement with her recent work, “Woman of Hand & Eye,” on display at Inside Out Gallery. Crippled by a stroke at the age of 26, the artist lost use of her right side. Her spirit, however, would not be devastated. After training at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, and earning a BFA at Bath Academy of Fine Arts, she was not about to disregard all the years she’d already dedicated to her art. In defiance of the grim circumstances, she relearned how to work with clay, using only one arm.

If you haven’t heard, Interact Center allows artists with disabilities to work and learn in a supportive environment. Visual and performing art is developed and exhibited. Their focus is on artistic strengths, not physical or mental illness. Imagine trying to throw a pot with one hand for the first time. For Juanita Umbel, Interact is a place to connect with trained instructors and other artists with unique challenges, who might offer ideas on technique and execution.

Brilliant accomplishments have ensued. The persistence and positive atmosphere of Interact has helped Juanita garner commissions and fans. Her ceramics and paintings are testament to a dedicated, driven artist.

Stylistically gripping, the content ranges from surreal portraiture to barren landscape. In “Coal Miner,” a disheveled man stands in the light outside the dark, ominous tunnel of the mine. One may liken it to an artist’s emergence after a dark, painful rehabilitation.

The portraits resonate with transformation; a beautiful face melting, turning into a waterfall; in “Woman with a Long Neck,” a figure stretches to become more than what it was. Mixtures of Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dalí’s desert-like settings and dreamlike composition shape Umbel’s paintings. The rich palette of “Ted Koppel Dreaming about the War” echoes with somber humor.

Umbel’s work is part of the Feature 4 exhibit, which also includes work by David Bauman, Donovan Durham and Dave Eidem. Inside Out Gallery gives Interact’s artists an opportunity to show and sell their work. They get half the money on sales, the rest goes to the center. The space provides a wonderful opportunity to take fringe art seriously. Some of these images are more mind-boggling than anything you’d see at the MIA. Interact is patiently, brilliantly mapping the outer orbits of the human psyche.

Feature 4 runs through May 15. Inside Out Gallery @ Interact Center, 212 3rd Ave. N., Suite 140, Mpls. 612-339-5145.