My introduction to Studio by the Tracks came in the form of a fortuitous It happened one day when I accidentally entered a home through the laundry room door of one of SBTT's board members. In a hallway and then the den, I was surrounded by artwork: birds, zoo animals and angels, meticulous patterns, wildly imaginative cartoon characters, sculptures made from duct tape, colorful abstracts and beloved scenes of Birmingham. It was an expression of creativity that was at once familiar yet exactly unlike anything I could recall. I became enthralled with the story behind the works of art and the artists-all who have been diagnosed with mental illness, autism or Asperger's syndrome.

Fast forward a month or so, and I found myself attending a series of classes at Studio by the Tracks. As I watched and listened, I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, warmth and humor, caring and respect seen in the interactions between the volunteers, staff and artists. It was a time and place where people often unable to articulate their thoughts or emotions through spoken words, could draw, paint and sculpt their way to self expression-all the while being accepted, challenged and encouraged to succeed. I was just the most recent visitor to Studio by the Tracks who had "gotten it," and I began to see why so many SBTT supporters describe their love for the organization as addictive.

Under the direction of Studio by the Tracks founder Ila Faye Miller, children suffering from mental illness and adults with autism (characterized by a severely compromised ability to engage in, and a lack of interest in social interactions) and Asperger's Syndrome (a higher functioning form of autism) have enjoyed free art classes for the last 19 years. In 2006 a class for homeless men with mental illness began on Wednesday mornings. Located in a former service station next to the railroad tracks in Irondale, classes are held Monday through Friday and many artists come two or three times each week. Some of the artists have never drawn or painted before they attend their first class, while others come and expand upon their artistic abilities.

Categorizing the art produced at Studio by the Tracks is nearly impossible. Each artist has a highly individualized style. Teachers see their role as an encourager-making suggestions to expand upon the talents and ideas that are already within each artist. Many patrons relate SBTT artists' work to that of familiar, Alabama artists such as Mose Tolliver or Jimmy Lee Sudduth with the accompanying tags of outsider, folk or primitive art. Others equate abstract paintings done by gifted SBTT artists to the work of Mark Rothko or Ida Kohlmeyer. One thing is for sure-the artists' work is highly intuitive and rabid collectors have amassed collections of SBTT artwork numbering in the hundreds. Says collector Ben Burford, "They have several stars out there ... Each one of these people has a good body of work to give credibility to the fact that they are true artists."

For the past few years, collectors have purchased artwork at two annual events, the Art from the Heart fundraiser held each summer and the annual Christmas open house. But on April 17, Studio by the Tracks will host their first gallery opening in the former clay studio of their Irondale location. The theme for this inaugural show will be Birmingham landmarks. After the opening, the gallery will remain open year-round, allowing the artists to sell more of their work (artists receive 60 percent of what they sell).

Of course the ultimate goal of Studio by the Tracks is not for the artists to achieve local fame or even to make money. The ultimate goal, says Miller, is to "provide a safe, positive experience to people who have been handicapped by negative circumstances and society's assumptions about their ability to achieve."

In Patrica Hefner's autobiography, Chronicles of an Aspie: My Life with Asperger's Syndrome, the SBTT artist explains living with Asperger's in this way: "An Aspie is like a person covered up with clay. Many important things don't penetrate the clay." Even at Studio by the Tracks, the clay may never be penetrated. But that is not the aim. Instead, each person is embraced as an individual, molded and shaped to allow their creative abilities-if only for a few hours each week-to far outshine any difficulties they may experience in life.

Please visit studiobythetracks.org for more information.