Tiara Yates loves to create art. No matter the medium, she loves to think of an idea and show it to the world.
She picked up the passion in high school, and at age 33, she has carried it into adulthood.
“Art helps me express myself, and it takes my mind off a lot of things,” she said. “The whole thing about painting is expressing yourself and expressing the way that you feel, so don’t hold back.”
Yates is one of more than 30 people with developmental and intellectual disabilities who practice therapeutic art at Noble of Indiana’s new center in Speedway, called Noble Art.
The new center, which held its grand opening Oct. 30, has an art studio, an art gallery and a teaching kitchen. Noble Art’s clients come from the nonprofit’s center at 2406 N. Tibbs Ave., which was recently rezoned to be used as a temporary winter shelter.
Noble Art’s aim is to help people who have trouble communicating tell the world who they are.
“We have a fair amount of nonverbal clients that aren’t able to express themselves with words, so our therapeutic art program offers the opportunity to express their individuality without the need for words,” said Noble Art’s art specialist Breanna Emmett.
Communicating through art
Over the years, researchers have found that art helps people communicate and can enhance the learning process. Some studies have found that making art engages the brain in a way that can help process emotions.
Emmett sees this happening when her clients get to work in the art studio.
“It’s less about the result, and it’s more about the process. I see some people who are very enthusiastic and have very expressive motions while they’re painting. Others are very delicate and detail-oriented,” Emmett said. “It gives you insight into how they’re feeling in that moment and who they are as a person, as well.”
Yates has physical disabilities that can sometimes make it difficult to use her body. Creating art helps her get the image she can see vividly in her mind out into the world.
“I either draw it or I paint it or I have the art specialist help me draw it and I paint it,” Yates said.
In one exercise called the Found Object Project, clients placed everyday objects, like puzzle pieces, washers and other things, on canvases any way they wanted to.
This was made by an artist who didn’t have much interest in art.
For this project, she was drawn to nuts and bolts she recognized from a work program.
This was made by a client who likes to be compact and neat.
This was made by a client interested in romance and relationships.
“So [the overlapping rings] makes me think of two wedding rings. These little details come out, whether it’s intentional or unintentional. It’s very fun to see.”
— Breanna Emmett, art specialist at Noble Art
Feeling the power of art
Noble Art clients will be able to display and sell their work at the center’s art gallery.
It not only gives them a chance to earn money, but it gives the community a chance to enjoy their work, like Speedway Artist Collective members.
“It’s really great for someone’s confidence. They see a project through and they have a result that they can show people and be, like, ‘Hey, I made this.’ That gives them a sense of pride,” Emmett said.
Yates’ favorite painting, a bouquet of flowers on a bright yellow background, is on display at the art gallery, and she can’t wait for people to see it.
She feels the power in her art, and she hopes more people take a chance to feel their own power, too.
“If you do not feel that you have the talent, just start doodling or start painting. Something may come to mind, and you’ll be, like, ‘Oh yeah. I can do this.’”
To learn more about Noble
To learn more about Noble Art or Noble of Indiana’s work helping people with disabilities and their families, head to their website or call 317-375-2700.
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Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on Bluesky at @enriquesaenz.bsky.social.
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