It’s fitting that Indianapolis resident Sandi Hauanio is one of this month’s featured artists for Art on Main.
“I thought it would be a good opportunity to tie in the autism because April is Autism Awareness Month,” she said.
Hauanio’s 5-year-old nephew, Enzo Cento, has autism.
“His mother and my sister-in-law, Angela Cento, is a PR and marketing consultant and she and I work together on this,” Hauanio said.
Hauanio, who does colored pencil artwork, will display items in the Art for Autism exhibit for Art on Main Gallery & Gifts, 111 W. Main, Carmel. Hauanio, one of the gallery’s regular artists, will be featured along with guest artist Jen Broemel, who makes contemporary quilts.
Art on Main is next to No Label at the Table, a dairy and gluten-free bakery, started by Shelly Henley and her, son Jacob Wittman, who is on the autism spectrum. Other staff members are on the autism spectrum as well.
A portion of proceeds will benefit Family Voices of Indiana, an organization that supports families impacted by autism, and No Label at the Table.
During the Meet Me on Main gallery event from 5 to 9 p.m. April 13 in the Carmel Arts & Design District, there will be a silent auction. A portion of proceeds will be donated on certain pieces of Art on Main in-house artists.
“It’s something that all of us in the gallery are passionate about giving back to the community,” said Debbie Slack, a Carmel resident and one of Art on Main’s co-owners. “We’ve all had somebody we know and care about who has been affected by autism, so it’s really important to all of us. We love partnering up with our neighbor (No Label at the Table) and they are so wonderful there.”
