We had an incredible workshop for the “Vision of the Artist’s Soul (VAS)” project by the talented guest artist Erin Schalk where students explored the fascinating worlds of tactile collage and Japanese landscape traditions! We experimented with layering tissue paper, colorful collage papers, and aluminum foil to make a misty evening scene with Mt. Fuji. The participants also learned from Erin about different types and textures of collage paper, as well as ways to organize the elements of your landscape (composition). At the end we all had a highly tactile artwork to enjoy again and again!

We had another successful Tactile Art Club meeting on February 21 with 24 participants! In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, the club made beautiful three-dimensional pop-out cards using only paper, glue, and scissors! These cards are perfect to give to a loved one, express gratitude, or show appreciation for something in your life.

The first Tactile Art club meeting of 2021 was off to a great start! We had a great time talking about our hopes, wishes and aspirations for the New Year. We then worked on a fun project to create our own unique paper snowflakes.

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.

This December, Tactile Art Club had our last meeting of the year! We were thrilled to have 28 participants join us for a celebration of holiday fun. At the beginning, we got to know each other and shared our favorite holiday traditions with the group. After some bonding time, we unwinded with Christmas music and made special salt dough ornaments to give to our loved ones or decorate our homes

This November, Tactile Art Club enjoyed bonding and getting in the spirit of Thanksgiving! We had 14 participants for the November TAC meeting. At the beginning, we shared stories about what we are thankful for and why we enjoy Thanksgiving. After getting to know each other and sharing the holiday spirit, we made special craft turkeys to give to our loved ones or decorate our homes..

The 2020 National Federation of the Blind of Colorado’s (NFBCO) first virtual state convention was a tremendous success! The online format allowed for unprecedented participation and opportunities to explore diverse breakout sessions and presentations. In retrospect, my first NFBCO state convention in 2019 was truly a life-changing moment for me as an ally. I had never been in a more diverse group of people, with such solidarity, independence, and optimism.

The second session of the Tactile Art workshop series in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Arts (MCA), Denver explored spatial orientation, proportion, perspective, and sensory input by creating artistic renditions of an object. I’d like to thank again Alyssa Lubow, Manager of Youth Programming at MCA for organizing this workshop.

The first of the Tactile Art workshop series in partnership with Museum of Contemporary Arts (MCA), Denver was a great success. It was wonderful to meet teens from diverse backgrounds and form creative connections despite the pandemic. This interactive, virtual workshop series serves as an engaging creative outlet for teens who are blind and visually impaired or interested in accessible tactile art.

We had another successful Tactile Art Club meeting on September 15th! Gearing up for autumn, the club had a great time sharing holiday spirit, bonding, and creating paper mache pieces. We started the meeting by going over tips and tricks for creating dynamic works. These concepts were taught by demonstrating making a pumpkin out of a plastic bag mold and paper mache techniques.

We had another successful Tactile Art Club meeting on September 15th! Gearing up for autumn, the club had a great time sharing holiday spirit, bonding, and creating paper mache pieces. We started the meeting by going over tips and tricks for creating dynamic works. These concepts were taught by demonstrating making a pumpkin out of a plastic bag mold and paper mache techniques.

We had another successful Tactile Art Club meeting on August 18. With each coming month, we continue to be thrilled by the interest from students and individuals joining across the country. After introductions, getting to know each other, and discussing personal tactile art, we all worked on a fun project making coil pots. During the process, we discussed different types of sculpting clay, such as water-based clay, air dry clay, oil-based clay, dough clay, polymer clay, and firing clay.