![\"Artist](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/RAS-L-art-exhibit-2.jpg\")
Artist Eric Allen Ogle, who is deaf, had three art pieces on display at the exhibit. (Regina Elling)<\/p>\nArtists with diverse ways of thinking, communicating and creating were celebrated during an Aug. 7 reception for the \u201cNeuro-Diverse Universe,\u201d an exhibit on display at the 2Create Gallery.<\/p>\n
The artwork is viewable on weekends through Saturday, Aug. 29.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis show is for all the artists, from the ones whose artwork is already hanging in galleries to the artists whose work should be,\u201d said exhibit curator Helen Munroe.<\/p>\n
Attendees packed the gallery for the opening show, which featured work from more than 20 neuro-diverse artists. Not only was every artist\u2019s work different from each other, so were their conditions, which ranged from autism and memory loss to ADHD, deafness and Down syndrome.<\/p>\n
The ages of the artists ranged from 18 to 85, and several were from the local community, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a retired special education teacher, I got really excited about the idea for having the show,\u201d Munroe said.<\/p>\n
An artist herself, she said the exhibit \u201cis not something that I do,\u201d crediting the many people behind-the-scenes for having everything come together.<\/p>\n
Artist Eric Allen Ogle, who is deaf, had three art pieces on display at the exhibit. (Regina Elling)<\/p>\n
Artist Eric Allen Ogle, who is deaf, was able to speak with the guests through his partner, Gordan Miller, who translated in sign language, as well as by an app on his phone.<\/p>\n
Although Ogle described himself as a \u201ctrue introvert,\u201d who would rather be making art than speaking with people, Ogle\u2019s big smile implied he was enjoying the show.<\/p>\n
Ogle had a series of three mixed media pieces in the exhibit. Each piece featured a portrait of someone, with a small piece of newsprint covering their face.<\/p>\n
In the statement under his work, Ogle stated he was \u201cinspired by personal experiences and a lifelong search for understanding,\u201d and reflecting \u201ca journey through intuition, perception and wonder.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy idea was to use the writing on the faces as a way to read someone\u2019s mind,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Olge said he grew up in St. Louis, where he regularly created art. He ended up in San Diego after winning an art award at age 18.<\/p>\n
Ogle said creating his art is easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just comes naturally. It\u2019s a gift,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Artist Madison Munroe, 30, said she doesn\u2019t always find creating artwork to be easy.<\/p>\n
![\"Exhibit](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/RAS-L-art-exhibit-3.jpg\")
Exhibit curator Helen Munroe with her daughter, Madison Munroe, who has her artwork on exhibit. (Regina Elling)<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hardest part is the planning, and figuring out how to translate my idea on canvas or into an art piece; how I can convey my message,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The daughter of Helen Munroe, Madison Munroe said her favorite part is \u201cbeing in the zone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I\u2019m in the middle of creating and it all finally starts to come together, it\u2019s like wow, I can do this,\u201d Madison Munroe said. \u201cIt\u2019s like a big accomplishment.\u201d<\/p>\n
She began creating after a college art class in 2017 piqued her interest. Her work focuses on things she loves, such as diet drinks, people and pets.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/RAS-L-art-exhibit-4.jpg\")
A bright pink beaded drink can displayed on a hot pink platform was the work of artist Madison Munroe, who said she creates things she loves. (Regina Elling)<\/p>\n
One of her three pieces featured a drink can covered in pink and black small, shiny beads. The can rested on a hot pink platform.<\/p>\n
\u201cI drink a lot of diet beverages and use a lot of hot pink; it\u2019s one of my favorite colors,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Having an artistic mom has its ups and downs, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t always take her advice, but probably wouldn\u2019t have done the show without her encouragement,\u201d Madison Munroe said.<\/p>\n
She added that she felt the exposure from the exhibition was really good for her, as it was helping her \u201cto get out of my head a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Henny Kupferstein, born and raised in Brooklyn, had four pieces in the show. She described moving across the country in 2015 as a \u201cway out of a lifestyle that oppressed me and my children.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Artist](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/RAS-L-art-exhibit-5.jpg\")
Artist Henny Kupferstein displayed several pieces at the exhibition, including \u201cDizzy Achings,\u201d a large acrylic on canvas, featuring diners sitting in booths at a Jewish-style deli. (Regina Elling)<\/p>\n
She finished her education in California, and once in San Diego, Kupferstein said she stayed \u201cbecause of the climate.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of her pieces, titled \u201cDizzy Achings,\u201d is a large acrylic on canvas that features diners sitting in booths at a restaurant.<\/p>\n
\u201cI entered a Jewish-style deli expecting familiarity,\u201d she said. \u201cI experience Jewish food as ritual, identity, family and history. When traditions become separated from the value that gave them meaning, they can feel more like stage props than living culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kupferstein said the \u201cexperience of Jewish food outside my hometown was nothing like what I recognized.\u201d<\/p>\n
For example, she said serving single large matzo balls instead of the smaller ones she was used to. She described a Splenda packet being held by two of the diners as \u201cthe only thing I recognized.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Husband](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/RAS-L-art-exhibit-6.jpg\")
Husband and wife Ken Hotelling and Mary Ketchem of Ramona said they have been attending events at 2Create Gallery for years. (Regina Elling)<\/p>\n
Ken Hotelling and Mary Ketchem, a married couple from Ramona, said they have been attending events at 2Create Gallery for years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis show is very interesting because of the neuro-diverse artists,\u201d Ketchem said.<\/p>\n
The pair added exhibitions at the gallery were \u201calways fun,\u201d and they almost always found art to purchase.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have some really great artists here in Ramona, and people would be surprised at how many places down the hill display Ramona art,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Helen Munroe said she hopes the exhibit will allow people to see art from a different perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pieces create a symphony as you walk through them,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s positive, colorful, joyful and makes you smile.\u201d<\/p>\n
Want to visit?<\/p>\n
\u201cNeuro-Diverse Universe\u201d exhibit<\/p>\n
When: open from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Aug. 29.<\/p>\n
Where: 2Create Gallery, 438 Main St. in Ramona.<\/p>\n
Cost: Free.<\/p>\n
Email: theartcenterramona@gmail.com<\/p>\n
Phone: 619-985-9584<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Artists with diverse ways of thinking, communicating and creating were celebrated during an Aug. 7 reception for the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":430119,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[171023,171024,171022,171021,74,76,75,157430],"class_list":["post-430118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-diego","tag-2create-gallery-in-ramona","tag-art-in-ramona","tag-neuro-diverse-artists","tag-neuro-diversity","tag-san-diego","tag-san-diego-headlines","tag-san-diego-news","tag-things-to-do-in-ramona"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=430118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/430119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=430118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=430118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=430118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}