April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Artist's work celebrates parish
He can commit anyone's name and birthday to memory and knows exactly how many minutes it took him to draw or paint each of his more than 100 masterpieces.
But if he's asked to explain what his art means to him, he resorts to memorized facts. Those who know him say Mr. Kenneally, a 40-year-old living with autism and epilepsy, expresses his feelings and personality through his art.
Mr. Kenneally recently presented his parish, St. Joseph's in Schenectady, with a framed pencil-and-ink drawing of the church for the parish's 150th anniversary.
Honored everywhere
His work has also been featured in more than a dozen exhibits throughout the Albany Diocese, in Schenectady storefronts and in a hardcover book that was published internationally. The artist has won a slew of art competitions, including a statewide contest sponsored by The Arc Otsego.
Mr. Kenneally's depiction of the New York State executive mansion was commissioned by Gov. George Pataki in 2005 and now serves as the mansion's official portrait. The artist also composes music and performs tunes on the piano by the likes of Bruce Springsteen and the Beatles.
"He's such a talented young man," said Anne Murphy, artistic director and curator at Living Resources, an organization founded by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard that provides services to individuals challenged by a variety of developmental disabilities.
Mr. Kenneally grew up in the Bronx and attended specialized education programs at public schools until he turned 21. He moved with his parents - a retired physical education teacher and a retired accountant - to Schenectady in 1997 and got involved with programs at Living Resources in 1998, honing in on the Carriage House Arts Center.
He showed promise with Etch-a-Sketch portrayals of buildings as a three-year-old and genius with his first forays into the fine arts world as an adult, his family said.
Show your work
As a child, Mr. Kenneally frequently scribbled out or shook his drawings to the point of obscurity when someone tried to see them. Today, he exhibits pride when people show an interest in his work.
"He's realizing the value of it," said his mother, Mary Ann.
Mrs. Kenneally and her husband, Martin, have filled the hallways of their house with their son's artwork, which concentrates largely on architecture. Some of his favorite subjects include churches, skylines and famous New York City buildings - all marked by a signature red airplane.
A series of Mr. Kenneally's drawings of Troy buildings was exhibited at the Arts Center of the Capital District for more than a month. A sketch of Jones Beach won him a first-place award.
Ms. Murphy describes Mr. Kenneally's work as "absolutely phenomenal" and "jaw-dropping.
"He's a true artist," she said. "He's got a wonderful sense of color and design and composition. When you see [his work], you just fall in love with it. It's unique and it makes a strong statement. I consider him up-and-coming."
Ms. Murphy gets regular calls from patrons looking to buy Mr. Kenneally's work, although he hasn't been persuaded to sell.
Earlier this month, Mr. Kenneally moved to a group home in Kingston. He hasn't started an art program yet, but he's taking piano lessons at the Kingston Conservatory of Music and delivering Meals on Wheels. In his free time, he enjoys swimming, bicycle riding, roller skating, skiing, jogging and doing word search puzzles.
He also likes traveling. "He's the first one out the door if you say you're going out," his father told The Evangelist.
Faith journey
Mr. Kenneally didn't frequent Mass until he became a teenager, when the Archdiocese of New York started a catechesis program for children with special needs. He received his First Communion at 16 and was confirmed at 18.
Mr. Kenneally was later an altar server at a special Mass with Cardinal John O'Connor, taking responsibility for holding up the Book of the Gospels.
Between 1993 and 2002, Mr. Kenneally experienced more than 100 seizures. When one occurred during a Mass, a Bronx priest stopped the liturgy and gave him last rites. Mr. Kenneally woke up after the Eucharist and nonetheless insisted on receiving.
Mrs. Kenneally said her artist son is faith-filled in his own way.
"It's part of our life, and it's part of his life," she said of the Church. "I do believe that there is a purpose why Jim was given to us. Everybody has challenges in life and I don't think you get more than you can bear. It makes you realize the important things in life."
Some moments are difficult, like when her son shows his temper and pushes others. But autism awareness has grown since Mr. Kenneally was identified in the early 70s, when there was a one in 15,000 chance of diagnosis. Today, it's one in 110.
Still, discrimination abounds, and Mrs. Kenneally would like to change that. Just look at his art and his joy, she said: "All people with disabilities have strengths and positive things in their lives. You can't focus on the negative aspects of a person."
Said Ms. Murphy: "He's got a joie de vivre, too. [Art] gives him a way to really focus in and pull something great out."[[In-content Ad]]
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