Living Art follows the life of Mara Clawson, a brilliant visual artist battling a life-threatening genetic disease. As she prepares for the largest gallery show of her young career, Mara shows us what it means to create a life inspired by love and kindness.
Mara Clawson is the subject of the documentary film entitled Living Art, by Ground Media’s director David Rochkind. This film screened in the 2019-2020 ReelAbilities Film Festivals in NYC, Toronto, Cleveland, Houston, and Virginia. Living Art is part of an education campaign about disability and inclusion (livingart.education).
Mara uses pastels and iPad technology to convey her perception of the world. She finds that her art connects her to others and her community. Mara is an entrepreneur and the sole proprietor of When Colors Get AlongTM, which runs out of her Bethesda, Maryland studio. (maraclawson.com). As a winner of a Kennedy Center and VSA’s Emerging Young Artists with Disabilities award, Mara’s video, To Survive, was shown nationally in several art museums. Her work has also been juried into and exhibited in six museums and 15 galleries across the United States.
Mara’s desire to be a successful artist and make people happy through her art is being achieved and aided greatly by the multiple opportunities that come from the screening of the film, Living Art.
Lanie Etkind joined the Familial Dysautonomia [dis-auto-no-mia] Foundation as its Executive Director in 2017. A native mid-westerner, Lanie has many years of fundraising experience, including with the New York Philharmonic, Beth Israel Medical Center, United Hospice of Rockland and the New Jewish Home. Although Lanie has never actually lived in Chicago, she comes often to visit her many close relatives who do
Madelyn Katz, MS, CGC, received her master’s degree in Genetic Counseling from Northwestern University in 2018. She is currently a member of the Advocate Illinois Masonic Antenatal Resource Center (ARC), where she primarily provides genetic counseling for prenatal and preconception indications. Madelyn supervises Northwestern genetic counseling students at the ARC and is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, and the Illinois Society of Genetic Professionals. She also serves as an associate board member for the Norton & Elaine Sarnoff Center for Jewish Genetics.
David Rochkind is the founder of Ground Media, a visual media production company based in Washington, DC that specializes in social impact storytelling. Rochkind began his career as an international photojournalist, covering stories around the world for organizations like The New York Times, Time Magazine and Rolling Stone. Among others, his work has been recognized by The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, The World Health Organization and the National Press Photographer’s Association. In 2013, Dewi Lewis Publishing released Rochkind’s first monograph, “Heavy Hand, Sunken Spirit”, which documents the costs and consequences of Mexico’s violent drug war. At Ground Media, Rochkind has produced films and directed campaigns for development and commercial clients, including Disney, Johnson & Johnson, CARE and The Global Fund Advocacy Network. LIVING ART is Rochkind’s directorial debut of a narrative documentary short.
Wednesday, February 3, 2021 | 7pm CST
Moderated by Rena Rosen, JCC Chicago, Inclusion Coordinator and Early Childhood Teacher.
“I always like to be an artist, but my dream is to become a family, I think. That’s it. Or to have a good life. That’s all. To have a good life.” – Mara Clawson
How to Watch
Viewing Window:
Sunday, January 31 at 9am CST – Wednesday, February 3 at 11:45 pm CST
The film will be available to watch beginning at 9:00am CDT on the day listed above. Once it becomes available, you can access your streaming media via your Eventive account.
In partnership with the Norton & Elaine Sarnoff Center for Jewish Genetics
