Moi
I love the art of story. It doesn’t matter how it’s told, so long as the message gets from the head of the artist to the imagination of the viewer or listener. I have always loved plays, movies and especially books, with or without pictures.
I may choose to tell a story either through writing, illustration, a graphic novel or even a visual journal: as long as the story gets told.
When I was a kid I used to walk around the house with a pencil in my hand, ready to draw on any blank surface. My mother would tell me to put it down. It was such a habit with me that I often didn’t realize I was holding it. I would put the pencil down but a few minutes later she would remind me again. I would look in my hand and sure enough, the pencil I had relinquished would have been replaced with another one.
I loved to draw, write and read from a very early age. Despite my visual disability, or maybe because of it I was never one to follow a pattern or guideline of any type; choosing instead to create the art the way my imagination dictated.
In school my favorite classes were art, drama and of course, creative writing. After graduation I attended the School of Visual Arts in New York where I studied animation and the graphic story.
Disabled artists are often marginalized as are others with disabilities. I found a group just for such artists now called VSA arts and got a job with them. I went on to work for and with various VSA arts organizations including Colorado, where I directed the gallery, New Mexico, New Jersey and Oregon. I helped start two VSA projects: VISIBILITY, a coalition of artists with disabilities and The Unlimited Potential (UP) Theater Company which still operates today.
While living in the Washington DC area I served on the BOD of an organization for people with albinism. I ran the DC chapter, served as national chapter president, and ran the minority affairs segment.
I presently hold a Master’s degree in Community Arts Management from the University of Illinois, a BFA from the School of Visual Arts, and a certificate in multimedia design. I am also a former Toastmaster.
I did color pencil work for many years but now my drawings are incorporated into computer generated art.
