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
Read MoreThis 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..
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreThe Tactile Art Club meeting on July 28 was a huge success with new students attending the meeting. We talked about the history of dreamcatchers, it’s origins and significance in Native American culture. We then worked on a fun project to create personal dreamcatchers to symbolize a personal dream using pipe cleaner art. This allowed us to refine our sense of space, texture, and artistic technique, while engaging in a dialogue about future aspirations and hopes.
Read MoreInspired by the success of the Tactile Art Club’s first virtual meeting in May to create tactile art with materials from our own homes, the club continued to spread positivity and community building through our second virtual meeting on June 16th. The club created many dynamic 3 dimensional sculptures, including roses, lilies, animal figures, palm trees, and spiders.
Read MoreThese strange times have presented some confounding circumstances but also some extraordinary opportunities. The Tactile Art Club’s first virtual meeting was one such example. Normally, our club meetings are attended by students from Denver and Colorado Springs, but we took the opportunity of using the virtual platform to reach Blind and Visually Impaired community across Colorado. The club continues to spread creativity and positivity through accessible art online!
Read MoreWe continue celebrating the 2020 AiS Grant Recipients as we start April staying home and away from others. During this odd time, it is important to remember that local artists need our support for their efforts in utilizing the arts for a better tomorrow. One of our grant recipients, Rishika Kartik, shows her community that you are never too young to make a difference and practice helping others in their creative journey. Her project, “Vision of the Artist’s Soul”, embarks on multiple Colorado areas with providing tactile art courses tailored specifically to the Blind and Visually-Impaired (BVI).
Read MoreWe had another great turnout for the March meeting where we glazed our creations from the February meeting. We all had a good time and we were really amazed by the creativity. We put all our creations into a kiln at the end of the meeting to be baked for 36 hours.
Read MoreThe Tactile Art Club meeting on Feb 18th was a huge success. We had a great turnout (19 people) in spite of the weather. After introductions, getting to know each other and talking about tactile art, we delved into our first project of using clay to create self portrait or anything else that we wanted to create.
Read MoreEarlier this month, I was invited to attend the Washington Seminar in DC to advocate for three legislative initiatives that form the NFB’s legislative agenda that will improve the lives of blind Americans. Through Congressional legislative appointments, we introduced the three legislative initiatives to the offices of the House of Representatives and Senators and I got the opportunity to advocate for them.
Read MoreThe blind community has taught me more than I ever could teach them, and their positivity and spirit has truly brightened my world. I have gained so much confidence, and my perspective on life has completely broadened and changed.
Read MoreI am so fortunate to work with visually impaired organization and communities across the Denver Area. While all of these organizations specialize in a specific cause, they are united in a common goal: to increase independence, confidence, and accessibility for blind individuals.
Read MoreAs I continue to volunteer at Anchor Center, my volunteer work has expanded to Colorado Center for the Blind, Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, Visually Impaired programs across Colorado public school counties, the National Federation for the Blind, and more! Anchor Center's mission inspires me daily, and I am so grateful to gain more insight about this community.
Read MoreI am really enjoying volunteering Anchor Center for Blind Children and it has shaped me in countless ways as a person. It has driven a passion for working with children and the visually impaired, and I can't wait to get more involved with the community.
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