On Sept. 15, the Steven Cole Salon will host a fund-raiser and art-show opening for an artist with Down syndrome. The salon, at 8408 Greenwood Ave. N., will spotlight and support Seattle artist Lupita Cano, along with Tacoma's Clara Link and Olympia's Dylan Kuehl. The event will help raise money for their weeklong October trip to Italy, where they will stay in the small town of Civita di Bagnoregio to gain professional development and study well-known Italian masters.From 4 to 9 p.m. that day, the salon staff will offer haircuts, styling and brow arches for $75, with all proceeds going toward the artists' traveling expenses. The event also will include door prizes, hors d'oeuvres and beverages and a silent auction featuring art and photography by local artists, gift certificates for neighborhood restaurants and shops, and goodie bags from the salon. Cano's work also will be on display throughout the salon for those interested in buying.Through hard work and dedication, Cano, Link and Kuehl are self-employed and proud Down syndrome advocates who met at conferences where they were guest speakers. They each frequently help out with charity events, fund-raisers and conferences, yet this is the first event where they will be the guests of honor. PURITY OF WORKWith titles such as "The way she makes me feel" and "All you gotta do is let it out," Cano holds her work very close to her, stating, "My artwork is very important to me." And it should be: She has made it her primary profession since the age of 25. Her sister/manager Venus Bravo de Rueda elaborated, "Lupi began taking art classes in her early 20s and realized her passion for it and how she could not live without it in her life. She hasn't looked back since." And with the help of funding from the state and job coach Jim Corey, Cano's dreams became possible: She is now the proud owner of AE designs by Lupita, which Bravo de Rueda revealed, "The AE stands for the main characters Ariel and Eric from her favorite movie, 'The Little Mermaid.'" Though Cano is young at heart, her paintings prove the maturity of a deep, heartfelt artist. She spends a couple days a week painting in an art studio in the Seattle Center, as well as in her home studio. "The great thing about Lupi's work is the purity of it," her sister said. "She doesn't create in hopes of pleasing people - only herself. If people do not like her work it doesn't bother her, because she was able to get out what she was feeling inside, which is most important." When Cano is not working in the studio, it seems she still finds ways to keep busy. In August, she played softball in the Special Olympics after a couple years of sitting out from leg problems. She speaks at local and national Down syndrome conferences and has a passion for traveling abroad. Her main goal is to someday have a painting in every state.A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGERCano's sister came up with the idea for the fund-raiser. A Steven Cole Salon client, Bravo de Rueda told Steven Cordell, the salon owner, about her sister while getting a haircut. She wondered if she could put a flier promoting the three friends' trip, and Cordell jumped at the idea and went a step further."I had been wanting to hold a fund-raiser, and this was the perfect opportunity to donate some time to a great cause," Cordell said. Cordell, who also owns the Greenwood Academy of Hair, has donated countless haircuts to autistic families through the University of Washington's Experimental Education Unit. In 2006, he also held a silent auction for the Boys & Girls Club of Seattle, raising $2,800. "I love helping out because it makes me feel closer to my community and the people in it. It's less about self-promotion and more about being a part of something bigger: working with the community to give back to those who deserve it," Cordell said. To attend the Sept. 15 event, call 783-8900 for an appointment; walk-ins will be welcome.[[In-content Ad]]
