It seemed like a typical art show opening. Happy people mingling and snacking on cheese and strawberries, scrutinizing each painting and piece of sculpture. Proud artists interpreting their work and explaining their creative processes to admiring family and friends.

But the Spring Art Gallery show at the Children's Health Council in Palo Alto is special. The young artists all struggle with emotional or social disabilities. The nearly 200 paintings, photographs and sculptures were created in art therapy sessions at the Health Council's Esther B. Clark School, where children ages 8-16 who have trouble coping in public schools receive intensive help from teachers and therapists.

In the 1950s, when pediatrician Esther Clark founded CHC, disabled children were often taken from their families and treated behind the walls of institutions. The stigma of mental illness and the lack of nearby treatment left distraught parents little choice. Clark wanted to create a setting where kids could live at home and parents could participate in the therapy.

Over the years, the school has worked wonders for children battling conditions from social anxiety to autism and bipolar disorder, teaching them to cope well enough to return to public school and be successful.

CHC has always protected the privacy of children and their families, which is why I was surprised when Anne Moses, the new executive director, invited me to the opening of the art show. We agreed to print only the students' first names, but I still expected the kids and their folks to be shy with me.

Not a bit.

Catherine, an intense, blond 13-year-old with a mouthful of silver braces with green rubber bands, was eager to show me her creations.

"It makes me feel good," she said softly, "to have people appreciate my artwork."

Catherine led me to a vibrant acrylic painting of a flower, with green stems and soft blue petals. But as I studied it more closely I discovered something quite complex. What I was looking at wasn't a flower at all - it was a man. The two black and yellow bumblebees flying past were his eyes. A green caterpillar was his mouth. And the blue petals were actually his locks of hair.

"I wanted to paint a person that's not really a person," said Catherine, who struggles with social skills. "I like art because you can express yourself in different ways."

Catherine's mom said her daughter has always been an enthusiastic artist. Clay is her medium of choice, though lately she's been into painting, photography and video.

"The kids here often have had difficulty interacting with their peers," said Catherine's mom. "In this art class they can express themselves and learn to work on group projects in a less threatening, less academic setting."

Art therapist Shalene Hatton, who leads the art therapy groups and put the show together, said her artists learn more than just technique. They learn to plan, problem-solve, cope with anxiety and express themselves confidently.

"Art-making slows down the process of decision making," she said. "It helps you break down big problems so that they are manageable. That's a useful skill for dealing with problems in any field."

Hatton said the children amaze her with their insights.

"These kids are much less inhibited than your average child," she said. "They are past trying to impress people. They have a sort of frankness and honesty that some people never learn in their lives."

Avery, 13, has Asperger syndrome, a mild form of autism. Her parents told me that art helps her get her feelings out and distracts her from her frustrations.

Avery said she doesn't usually show off her work because it's "bragging." But her stunning photograph of the view from her Los Altos Hills home was something to brag about.

"I love taking pictures where I live," she said. "It's the prettiest place in the world."

What struck me about this school art show was the complexity of the group projects, such as the nine pointillistic murals. And the sheer joy of the kids as they showed off their creations.

"My aim is to make them feel like rock stars," Hatton said.

Cameron, Duncan and Greg showed me a display of da Vinci-inspired fantasy inventions created out of recycled stuff like plastic take-out boxes and wooden scraps. There was a hover craft, a folding car and a Star Trek style transporter.

They were all cool, but my favorite was the "Authoro-Mute," guaranteed to mute all authority figures.

Hey, where can I get one of those?