A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
2
March 1, 2018
B
ELLEVILLE
- C
ANTON
Board discusses land value
Artist shares talent
at health facility
Paintings and sculptures of giraffes,
elephants, rhinoceros, lions and tigers
adorn the walls of Nick Bair's home art
studio in Canton Township. Many of the
life-like artworks are complete, and many
more are in progress on easels and hung
on thewalls.
Bair, 24, was inspired by safari life after
a family visit to Africa years ago where he
had the opportunity to see the desert and
its natural inhabitants first-hand.
Now, a vast selection of his safari-
inspired work is being displayed at the
new Exceptional Families Autism Center,
located within the building shared by the
Beaumont Center for Exceptional
Families and University of Michigan-
Dearborn's Early Childhood Education
Center.
The center opened last fall and the
space is dedicated to families seeking
individual and select services for their
childrenbased on individual needs.
“One of the most important things
about this center and what makes it a
crown jewel is that we have so many
important disciplines all in one place,”
said Jason Majchrzak, supervisor, Autism
Center and board certified behavior ana-
lyst. “The Autism Center is a one-stop-
shop for familieswho require a diverse set
of services and disciplines to further their
child's progress.”
Everywhere you look, fromthe lobby to
the conference rooms, classrooms, offices
and learning areas, there's an art piece
created by Bair. Though now in his 20's,
Bair still has biannual appointments with
SusanYoungs, MD, medical director of the
Beaumont Children's CEF. They meet to
catch up on his progress andwalk through
any areas where he may need assistance
ormedical advice.
“Nick is a special and very talented
young man,” said Youngs. “I'm so proud to
see how far he's come, and that he has
excelled in a way that honors his passion
in life. His interest in art and being active
and involved in other activities shows how
muchhe's grown.”
According to his mom, Christina Bair,
talking was difficult for Bair when he was
younger. She said he used to draw a lot of
pictures and his art would help him com-
municatewithhis parents and caregivers.
His inspiration and desire to learn
more about mixed media artwork and
other techniques led him to take a weekly
class at the College for Creative Studies in
Detroit.
His father, Derek Bair, M.D. is the
Corporate Director of Neonatology at
Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn. He's taken
pen and ink art classes with his son, which
his mother joins at the College for
Creative Studies to take notes about the
business aspect of art so Bair can focus on
hiswork.
“I do believe there's some genetic part
of being an artist. His dad is an artist, and
so are two of his grandparents,” Christina
Bair said. “Even from a very early age in
preschool, he would be drawing shapes
withhis fingers in sand.”
She added, “Sometimes people say
'Oh, it's a savant ability,' and it's not. This is
who Nick is and he has worked very hard
at it. He didn't come out of the box draw-
ing masterpieces. It is who he is and we
want him to have the same opportunity as
anyone else to do this.”
Recently, Bair toured the new autism
center with his dad. When asked about his
impression of seeing his artwork dis-
played for the first time, he said, “It looks
like Iwas famous.”
He also had a few words for another
young child with autism who might be
interested inpursuing drawing.
“I started drawing dinosaurs when I
was young,” he said. “They should try and
draw lots of different things. They should
find things that excite them to learn
about.”
For now, Bair is working on an acrylic
painting of a flamingo from the Caribbean.
In between his art class, a part-time job at
a local grocery store and karate classes
with his dad, he's refining his painting and
planning for it to be part of an art exhibit
inhis hometown of Canton.
“Nick is a great example of someone
with autism who has found a balance in
his passion for art and other responsibili-
ties in his life,” said Youngs. “He's worked
hard, but also has the drive to learn and
get better at it.”
To see more of Bair's works of art, visit
. For more infor-
mation about the Beaumont Children's
Center for Exceptional Families, the
University of Michigan-Dearborn Early
Childhood Education Center and the
Exceptional Families Autism Center, call
(313) 996-1951 or visit Beaumont.org/cef.
Autism treatment services are also
available through Beaumont Children's
Center forHumanDevelopment.
Administrators from the Van Buren
Public Schools will hear recommenda-
tions regarding the market price and the
possible sale of several district-owned
properties thismonth.
Director of Buildings and Grounds
James Williams told members of the
board of education at their last meeting
that a group of administrators would
have the results of appraisals ordered on
four properties this month. He said a
group from the administration would
review the results and then prepare a
report for the members of the board of
education.
The properties include a 19.84 site on
Denton Road in Canton Township zoned
R-1, Single Family Residential, estimated
value of $533,478; 31.52 acres at 17601
Elwell Road, Sumpter Township, zoned
AG - Agricultural, estimated value of
$847,541; 10.93 acres on Morton Taylor
Road, Van Buren Township, zoned R1B,
Single Family Residential, estimated
value of $279,377 and 8.56 acres in West
Willow, Ypsilanti Township, zoned R-5
One-Family Residential, estimated value,
$230,170.
Board members also discussed the
feasibility of purchasing the estimated 10
acres of land owned by St. Anthony's
Catholic Church in Belleville which is
zone R-1, Single Family Residential. The
estimated value of that property is about
$268,890, according to a presentation
from Plante Moran CRESA representa-
tives who attended the meeting to help
discuss potential land sales or acquisi-
tions.
Superintendent of Schools Pete
Kudlak told the board members that
there had been some interest in buying
some of the district-owned sites.
“At one point there was talk about buy-
ing the St. Anthony property,” Kudlak told
the boardmembers. “We'll narrow details
down to get closer to whether we want to
buy or sell.”
No date for the upcoming report was
announced.
