New ASPIE Artist Starts Strong

Dorrin Gingerich had one heck of a week. Just days after he launched as an ASPIE Artist, showing his collages and paintings in the ASPE Gallery, Dorrin’s work attracted interest. A donor gave several hundred dollars and chose his Active Forest II painting as a gift.

That’s a record at ASPIE. But we are not surprised.

Dorrin’s work is stunning. His paintings are colorful, energetic and completely unique, often reflecting the world around him. Making Dorrin’s talent even more impressive is the fact that he is living with dystonia, an incurable neurological disorder that impacts movement.

Dorrin grew up in Indiana and was diagnosed in high school. Dystonia causes involuntary muscle movements and spasms and, at 24, Dorrin was forced to leave his full-time job. It was then that he discovered his artistic side

Dorrin began his art career working in collage (you can see his Star Wars piece in the gallery) and has progressed to acrylic on canvas, often experimenting with textures and effects. He has used multiple media, such and paint and stain, and is not afraid to take advantage of happy mistakes on canvass.

Take a stroll through his Facebook and Instagram pages and you’ll see some amazing work, from a pointillist octopus and flamingo to more abstract work. You can also see his work in the ASPIE gallery.

Dorrin is physically limited. But he gets botox injections every three months and attends physical therapy, which helps a great deal. He enjoys traveling and has visited Guatemala, Albania and Ghana. He currently lives and paints in Pennsylvania, where he has lived since 2008.

Dorrin is the first of three artists who are joining ASPIE this year, thanks to the ASPIE Ambassador program, in which donors sponsor an artist—contributions start at just $300—and help offset the costs of joining the ASPIE community. While ASPIE is available to artists free of charge, there are costs associated with inventory transfer, art supplies, promotional photography and more. ASPIE’s mission is to help adult artists with disabilities show their work and grow more self sufficient. The ambassador program is doing exactly that.

As Jerry Buckwalter, CEO and co-founder of ASPIE, put it, “Dorrin’s work is totally unique and he will be a great addition to our community. When you look at pieces like Active Forest II and Darkness Conspires, it becomes clear just how talented he is. We are very glad to have Dorrin onboard.”