2020 Year in Review

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What a crazy and unexpected year, 2020, has been! Amidst all the confounding challenges this year also brought many unanticipated blessings and developments. I have been grateful for how this year has helped me look at things differently and gain new perspectives. Here is a quick recap of my favorite highlights of 2020 and how current events have shifted my perspective about accessibility, Tactile Art, and inclusivity. 

The success of the Tactile Art Club was one of the silver linings of this pandemic. I am profoundly grateful to Colorado Center for the Blind and my inspiring mentor, Ann Cunningham, for giving me the opportunity to become the president of this club in January. I always grew up as a visual artist, so running the Tactile Art Club completely revolutionized the way I perceive art and allowed me to look at creativity in a multi-sensory, nuanced way. What started as a small group of about five enthusiastic artists soon grew exponentially in participation, with Teachers of students with Visual Impairment, students, and allies of all ages coming together to explore new artistic possibilities. At the end of February, the club was averaging around 15 dynamic participants and focused on providing an enriching experience to interact with ceramics, accessible tools, and textures.

However, the entire structure of the club changed in March. Continuing to spread positivity through tactile art remotely proved to be a previously unaddressed challenge, but that certainly did not stop the club from flourishing! The online format eventually broadened participation from the local Colorado to all parts of the country and the world. We were thrilled to have 28 participants join our December Tactile Art Club meeting. The international community that the virtual club enabled soon became vital to the experience, as club members learned just as much from the diverse perspectives as they did from the mediums. While we were physically distanced, we became more socially connected than ever. 

Witnessing an international community develop drastically redefined my conception of the importance of art. I realized that art not only had aesthetic or practical functions, but also socio-emotional and therapeutic aspects as well. Having the opportunity to teach online also changed what I considered “works of art”. In order to address learning inequities and to ensure an affordable, equitable, and convenient experience for everyone, we shifted from traditional mediums to household objects This development allowed us to experiment with a variety of intriguing materials-- paper, tinfoil, pipe cleaners, etc.-- and made me appreciate the beauty of “ordinary” items in a new way. I am so appreciative of the dedicated members of this club who have deeply impacted my view of accessibility, creativity, and, broadly speaking, the way I interact with my world. 

Consequently, meeting inspiring individuals through Tactile Art Club reiterated the importance of this cause, impacting the way I redesign my grant project virtually. I am so thankful to Arts In Society for giving me a generous grant to create a comprehensive Tactile Arts education program for blind and visually impaired youth, and Tactile Art Club has given me the confidence and experience to create holistic education and artistic outlets virtually. It has also inspired me to apply for more grants to reach more people and create new possibilities in this field. 

These experiences have also motivated me to expand my work to other facets of accessibility. The National Federation of the Blind has graciously allowed me to start a Museum Accessibility committee with blind and sighted industry leaders. During these meetings, we discussed best practices for accessible museums and inclusive public spaces. I began reaching out to local museums such as Denver Art Museum, Museo De Las Américas, and the Museum of Contemporary Arts, Denver to partner with them and implement the insightful information I learned from the NFB committee. Subsequently, I founded Touch and Create Studios, a program that works one on one with museums to improve inclusivity and conducts workshops for students with diverse ability levels. The Museum of Contemporary Arts generously gave me the chance to conduct my first workshop for blind and visually impaired youth, which featured the practice of phenomenal blind artists such as Marguerite Woods and Emilie Goussiaux. The workshops were an uplifting success, and I am looking forward to implementing similarly inclusive programs with the other museums and organizations. 

Finally, I am thankful to have learned more about how to best be an ally to this community and challenge my notions as a sighted person. I am so lucky to gain more knowledge and grow with every experience. I attended the 2020 National Federation of the Blind National Convention virtually, and met a diverse group of people, with such solidarity, independence, and optimism. At the NFBCO State Convention, I was fortunate to conduct a pumpkin carving art studio with Ann Cunningham. My time at both the National Convention and the State Convention made me so grateful to be a part of this community, and I cannot thank NFBCO and Colorado Center for the Blind enough for welcoming me with open arms and making me feel like a part of the Federation family. I also got the opportunity to attend the Washington Seminar with the Federation to advocate for legislative initiatives, which inspired me to pursue advocacy by creating the design for the 2020 White Cane Day celebration and starting the social media campaign, #MyCaneMyIndependence. The Mission of #MyCaneMyIndependence mission is to raise awareness for the White Cane day and to advocate for the right of individuals who are blind and visually impaired to travel independently. It also aims to celebrate the achievements of blind individuals and advocate for policies and infrastructure for a more accessible and inclusive society.

Ultimately, this year has taught me to approach my interactions through an abundance mindset, which aims to enrich pre-existing assets of a community instead of acting as a “savior”. I now know that solutions must be human-centric and work directly with the population that they are trying to benefit. I truly believe the blind and visually impaired community has given me so much more than I could ever give them, and I am thankful for the ability to see service and advocacy in a new way. While there have been some incredible developments this year, I recognize that it is only the beginning of my journey, and I can’t wait for what’s to come! So, let’s ring in the new year with a sense of inspiration and empowerment.

Wishing you all a happy, safe and healthy 2021!



Tags:
#tactilceart, #Artfortheblind, #touchart, #visuallyimpaired, #blindartist,, #accessibleart, #artforall, #sensoryart, #BlindandVI, #accessibility, #inclusion, #artmuseums, #artforeveryone, #accessiblemuseum
Art for the visually impaired, Art for the Blind