From Lisa.Yayla at statped.no Thu Apr 3 15:04:15 2014 From: Lisa.Yayla at statped.no (Lisa Yayla) Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2014 17:04:15 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Through Her Mind's Eye, a World Apart Message-ID: Through Her Mind's Eye, a World Apart http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/through-her-minds-eye-a-world-apart/?_php=true&_type=blogs&hp&_r=0 -Scanned by Exchange Hosted Services- From fnugg at online.no Wed Apr 16 06:33:25 2014 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 09:33:25 +0300 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] 3-D maps Message-ID: <534E2435.90309@online.no> Hi, Mostly articles about 3-D maps, one about GPS. Regards, Lisa Depicting Web images for the blind and visually impaired A prototype process was developed to translate Web graph and map images into 3D printed models to give the blind and visually impaired access to voting and election data. http://spie.org/x104896.xml?highlight=x2410&ArticleID=x104896 Engineers create 3-D models to help the blind navigate safely through intersections. Since a very young age, Sina Bahram, a Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, has been blind. "I did have a little bit more usable vision as a kid than I do now," said Bahram. But being blind hasn't slowed him down. He's a Ph.D. student and president of a consulting company. He has learned to feel his way through life. But there's still one thing that's a challenge to navigate: traffic. "If it is a very busy intersection and there are a lot of cars turning, that can be confusing," Bahram said. Now traffic engineers have developed a new 3-D map to help make it easier for the blind to become familiar with busy, confusing intersections, while staying safe. http://www.insidescience.org/content/3-d-street-map-blind/1503 A new guide to Exhibition Road To help guide visually-impaired users along one of London's busiest streets, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea unveiled a tactile map of Exhibition Road on Wednesday 23 October. Displaying a three dimensional representation of South Kensington Station to Hyde Park, the map is made of robust zinc and features colour-coding, raised letters, symbols and Braille. Located in Thurloe Street, just outside South Kensington Station - a station where over 32 million journeys start or finish each year - it's the product of extensive work with specialist tactile design team Topografik, Guide Dogs for the Blind and various consultation groups. http://www.kensingtonandchelseatoday.co.uk/news/local-news/eq9rdsg9g3.html Vandegrift's InventTeam mapping the unknown http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/vandegrifts-inventteam-mapping-the-unknown/nbb2h/ Google shows prototype phone that creates 3-D maps of its surroundings U.S. tech giant Google has unveiled a prototype smartphone it says creates 3-D maps to help the visually impaired navigate unfamiliar indoor sites unassisted. http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Technology/2014/02/21/Google-shows-prototype-phone-that-creates-3-D-maps-of-its-surroundings/UPI-99551393026364/ From fnugg at online.no Wed Apr 16 07:07:48 2014 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 10:07:48 +0300 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Juan Torre photographer, Didu technique Message-ID: <534E2C44.2020608@online.no> Hi, Links to articles about Juan Torre, a photographer and the reproduction technique he uses. Resending link to the National Center for Blind Youth in Science. Regards, Lisa National Center for Blind Youth in Science http://www.blindscience.org/blindmath-gems-home Nokia create challenges to make apps for visually impaired Accessible applications on cell phones, even in today's age, are hard to come by. Developers either don't want to include accessibility or don't consider that disabled people may want to use their applications. ...There are eight categories for apps, and one of them is to make apps that are accessible to the visually impaired. Developers can submit apps that are as basic as adding vibration to the compass or as complex as using the built in camera for image recognition. There are ten categories of apps that Nokia is looking for. These include "Image and Photo, Near Field Communication, Maps and Places, Music, Cross-8, Fun and Games, Work Life, Freestyle, Nokia Lumia Devices, and Remote Device Access." Developers have until December 15 to submit their apps. http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/362901 iPhone app helps blind users see the world around them Blind iPhone users now have a new tool with which to see the world thanks to the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped and developer StarHub. It's called MySmartEye , and it's a fairly simple concept: Visually impaired users snap photos with the app which are then uploaded to a massive gallery that sighted volunteers can browse. These "microvolunteers," as the app calls them, describe each photo in detail. That description is then read back to the user who took the photo using the app's built-in text-to-speech feature. http://www.tuaw.com/2013/10/15/iphone-app-helps-blind-users-see-the-world-around-them/ MySmartEye MySmartEye is a micro-volunteering initiative designed to crowdsource vision and care for the visually impaired. Using the MySmartEye application, the visually impaired will be connected to micro-volunteers, family, and friends wherever they are, whenever they like. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mysmarteye/id675011561?mt=8 Pennsylvania museum tells blind visitors: Please touch! http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/dec/03/pennsylvania-museum-tells-blind-visitors-please-to/?CID=happeningnow Blind Sheffield photographer to 'see' image again *Family and friends of a photographer who lost his sight due to cancer have rallied to enable him to 'see' his work again.* In days, they raised the 3,075 euros needed to produce a touchable Braille-style version of one of Clive Egginton's images. And, as the money continues to flood in, they now plan an innovative exhibition so Clive's work can be enjoyed by visually impaired and sighted people. http://www.thestar.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/blind-sheffield-photographer-to-see-image-again-1-6556933 BBC video Blind photographer's 'seeing' images Juan Torre had a successful career as a newspaper photographer when at the age of 30 he began to suffer from Behcet's syndrome - a rare and poorly-understood disease that has left him with 6% vision. But despite his inability to make out more than vague shapes and colours, he refused to abandon his love of photography - and instead has learnt to adapt his technique. Now he is working on an exhibition of Braille photographs of musicians, enabling blind people to 'touch' his subjects' hands and faces. http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25668809 Unity Festival 2012: Exhibition by Juan Torre Spanish photographer Juan Torre created this exhibition out of a desire to enable people with visual impairment to understand visual works. His magnificent photographs of famous Spanish artists are finished with a relief effect that gives people with little or no sight the ability to "see" the image through touch. Playing on the Spanish word 'tocar', meaning both to play and to touch, Torre's bold images of musicians and singers invite you to reach out and feel the picture's contours. Everyone, whether sighted or blind, will enjoy exploring this unique exhibition of photographs through touch. http://www.visitcardiff.com/events/calendar-highlights/search-products/unity-festival-2012-exhibition-by-juan-torre-p236261 Didu reproduction technique http://www.estudiosdurero.com/estudios_durero/export/sites/default/DocumentacionPortalWeb/Didu/2-DOSSIER_DIDU_ING_OK.pdf Touching the Stars: Blind Photographers and Space Telecopes http://partialinsight.wordpress.com/tag/juan-torres/ From Lisa.Yayla at statped.no Tue Apr 29 08:10:55 2014 From: Lisa.Yayla at statped.no (Lisa Yayla) Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 10:10:55 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] artist, course Message-ID: Near-Blind Inmate Has a Talent That Even the Local Sheriff Wants to Take Advantage Of Inmate Tommy Earl might be nearly blind, but he has a talent for producing beautiful art. "I'm over half blind, one eye I can't see out of, and the other one is going. I've got acute narrow angle glaucoma, eventually, I'll be completely blind," he explained to WTHI-TV. Yet, his ability to paint is so strong that Knox County Sheriff Mike Morris has called him into duty. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/04/26/near-blind-inmate-has-a-talent-that-even-the-local-sheriff-wants-to-take-advantage-of/ Tactile Graphics A two-day training exploring the process of describing and creating tactile graphics usable by blind or visually impaired students and tactile learners July 8-9, 2014 Text can be put into braille or read with text-to-speech, but what about graphics? Graphics in electronic documents require text descriptions in order to be accessible, but how do you know what to say and how much to say? Sometimes a description works, but sometimes even a description is not enough. This training will cover the various possibilities for making graphics accessible, including alt text, long desc, and tactile graphics. We will offer guidelines on how to write a description, and present a simple decision tree to assist you in recognizing when a tactile graphic might be appropriate in addition to the description. Training Objectives Participants will be able to do the following: 1. understand what to include in alt text or descriptions 2. utilize a decision tree to recognize when a tactile graphic is necessary 3. identify the options for tactile representation and determine which is most appropriate 4. learn to use basic drawing tools to create actual tactile graphics http://www.htctutraining.net/trainingspublic.php -Scanned by Exchange Hosted Services- From Lisa.Yayla at statped.no Wed Apr 30 08:37:42 2014 From: Lisa.Yayla at statped.no (Lisa Yayla) Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:37:42 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Free webinar 4/30: 3D printing for students with visual impairments In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi, Forwarding Hello list, For those of you interested, I'm giving a webinar tomorrow (4/30) at 11am PST that will summarize a year long research project I carried out to look at how 3D printing can be used for these students with visual impairments The 1-hour webinar is happening tomorrow, April 30 at 11am PST (2pm EST), and is free. Here's the registration link: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=mphepsbx86xy Please feel free to forward this to anyone else who might be interested! Cheers, Ting --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yue-Ting Siu, TVI Dublin & Pleasanton Unified School Districts Doctoral Student & NLCSD Fellow at UC Berkeley & San Francisco State University www.facebook.com/yuetingsiu twitter: @TVI_ting -Scanned by Exchange Hosted Services- From Lisa.Yayla at statped.no Wed Apr 30 14:04:06 2014 From: Lisa.Yayla at statped.no (Lisa Yayla) Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:04:06 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Animation programing question Message-ID: Hi, Does anyone have any ideas about programs, programing languages etc. which would be good for a student who is blind who wants to animate or make flash-type films/games -also included in this question are sound films? I thought about Logo, heard that with HTML 5 one could animate, and with XML and SVGs one could - but am sure if this is correct. Any thoughts? Thanks. Best regards, Lisa -Scanned by Exchange Hosted Services- From fnugg at online.no Fri May 2 06:12:14 2014 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Fri, 02 May 2014 08:12:14 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] painters, sculptors Message-ID: <5363373E.1030200@online.no> Artist doesn't let blindness keep him from painting A new art exhibit will be on display at the Aucocisco Gallery in Portland. One of the artist's showcased is Denis Boudreau, whose pieces have been popular in and around Portland for decades. The man behind the canvas has a story that will change the way you look at art. After serving in the Vietnam War for two years, Denis Boudreau slowly lost all vision in both of his eyes as a result of debris from mortars and landmines. An artist since childhood, his first thought was that he would have to hang up the paint brushes. http://www.wlbz2.com/story/news/local/207/2014/04/30/artist-doesnt-let-blindness-keep-him-from-painting/8528729/ Blind artist takes up sculpture at 94 Some say art is life. Creating art is a way of sharing your vision of the world with others. But what happens when that vision disappears? Painter Charlotte Wood, 94, found out when she went blind nearly 20 years ago. "I knew I had to find some way of occupying my time and my mind," Wood explains. She knew she couldn't paint anymore, but recently she decided she'd like to try her hand at sculpture. She felt she could "feel" her way through. Betty Kyle, Charlote's daughter, spent six months contacting art schools, museums and universities, but they seemed obsessed with words like "handicapped" and "liability," rather than finding Charlotte an outlet to express herself. That is, until she found Michael Kirby's Sculpture Workshop online. http://newsfixnow.com/2014/04/25/blind-artist-takes-up-sculpture-at-94/ http://thesculptureworkshop.com/ The Sculptor Who Will Never See Her Work http://www.houstoniamag.com/news-and-profiles/people-and-profiles/articles/the-sculptor-who-will-never-see-her-work-april-2014 Legally-Blind Canadian Artist Enlists Naturopathic Diet to Regain Sight & Resume Painting http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1863820 Artist Richard Clark thrives despite degenerative eye disease ... His condition hasn't stopped him from pursuing his passion. Like Monet, whose paintings became more abstract as his sight worsened, Clark paints what he sees. He dismisses the occasional critic who says his work needs more detail. "My concept of creating the artwork," Clark said, "is to get the general visualization from light to dark, from the viewpoint of the blind and visually impaired as opposed to somebody sighted." His recent painting, "Homeward Bound" is a study in darks and lights, deep indigo against brilliant yellow and orange. Clark has been using a closed-circuit TV, which magnifies what he is painting and displays it on a monitor, http://www.concordmonitor.com/home/11616177-95/artist-richard-clark-thrives-despite-degenerative-eye-disease An art gallery with Hart: Main Street venue deals in works created by homeless, disabled http://timesfreepress.com/news/2014/apr/13/art-gallery-hart-main-street-venue-deals-wor/ Legally blind, sculptor David Stephens continues to make art David Stephens, at 72 years of age, is a man quietly on a mission - to not let anything keep him from his art. In his exhibition "Auguries of Idolatry" at the Center for Art in Wood, his sculptures loom large, some of them 9 feet tall. The wooden altars are devoted to Stephens' deceased family members, ancestors, and acquaintances, flanked by structures that resemble stools made for offerings. Declared legally blind in 1979 due to glaucoma, the renowned Philadelphia artist continues to produce works that reveal a dynamic, sharp vision. "I visualize my work mentally like someone who can see; you conceptualize it," said Stephens. "For the most part, I work alone, but sometimes with assistance to mix colors and grid the braille." http://articles.philly.com/2014-04-11/news/49035191_1_braille-west-philadelphia-art-international Study Up For 'Think:' How Does A Blind Man Paint? Watch A North Texas Artist In Action John Bramblitt started losing his sight when he was 11, because of a seizure disorder. He makes striking paintings by drawing with fabric paint and, using the raised lines as a guide, filling in with oil paint. Watch him at work before he joins /Think /host Krys Boyd along with Meadows Museum Director of Education Dr. Carmen Smith at noon. http://keranews.org/post/study-think-how-does-blind-man-paint-watch-north-texas-artist-action From fnugg at online.no Fri May 2 06:54:27 2014 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Fri, 02 May 2014 08:54:27 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] sound for color, cyborg, pixels, photographers, exibitions Message-ID: <53634123.40306@online.no> Hi, Think you will find the Ted talk by Niel Harbisson very entertaining and interesting. Link follows. Regards, Lisa How a cyborg artist 'hears' colours A colour-blind artist claims to have successfully implanted an electronic chip into his skull that allows him to "hear" colours . Neil Harbisson was born with a rare condition called achromatopsia, which means he only sees in black and white. He has become the first person in the world to have a cyborg antenna implanted in his skull. It detects different parts of the colour spectrum and transmits the message to his brain. http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/25/how-a-cyborg-artist-hears-colours/ TedTalk I listen to color http://www.ted.com/talks/neil_harbisson_i_listen_to_color website http://www.eyeborgapp.com/ Local art featured in Talking Books exhibit http://www.gbtribune.com/archives/70010/preview/ Art Show *Through Different Eyes: Achieving a New Perspective* An exhibit showcasing the artistic talents of the blind, visually impaired, & physical impaired Kansas Talking Books patrons. http://www.kslib.info/talking-books/art-show.html Arts on television HBO Signature 5:30-6:05 a.m. "Dark Light: The Art of Blind Photographers" explores the work of Pete Eckert, Bruce Hall and Henry Butler, three blind artists drawn to photography. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/arts-on-television/2014/04/03/bcd78b7c-b91f-11e3-899e-bb708e3539dd_story.html Dallas museum takes art to the blind, and beyond With their galleries full of paintings and sculptures, museums are a treat for the eyes. So after suffering optic nerve damage, Bobby Jackson of Fort Worth wasn't sure he'd ever visit one again. But here the former forklift operator was at Southern Methodist University's Meadows Museum, taking in some of the museum's extensive Spanish collection using senses other than sight --- tracing tactile versions of paintings with his fingers, immersing himself in their place and time with the help of regional music and food. Using techniques that extend beyond sight, the Meadows is on the cutting edge of efforts not only to reach out to the visually impaired but also to offer multisensory experiences that appeal to a wide range of audiences through touch, sound and taste. http://www.theeagle.com/news/texas/article_1b3bbb04-b78e-11e3-90ac-0019bb2963f4.html http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/museum-takes-art-to-the-blind-and-beyond/article_f7482a33-fcad-5670-9abd-1040cb2e3106.html http://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/172891/dallas-museum-takes-art-to-the-blind-and-beyond/ Partially blind artist displays computer generated work Surrounded by his vibrant, uniquely pixelated work, a 98-year-old partially blind artist was honored March 13 in a reception hosted by the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. Eclectic artist Hal Lasko reveled at the opportunity to meet individuals inspired by his paintings, which he created by utilizing the computer program Microsoft Paint. http://www.newsrecord.org/college_living/partially-blind-artist-displays-computer-generated-work/article_e6614af6-b554-11e3-aad9-0017a43b2370.html Leicestershire blind artist creates blow torch art A Leicestershire art graduate who put aside her dreams of becoming an artist when she was registered blind at 21-years-old has been getting creative again - with a blow torch. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-26737666 "The Color of Blind" exhibit prepares for its second event Art show gives the blind and visually impaired the opportunity to experience the color of artwork http://www.theranger.org/premiere/the-color-of-blind-exhibit-prepares-for-its-second-event-1.2861412#.U2M7VmeKCRs From fnugg at online.no Fri May 2 08:12:29 2014 From: fnugg at online.no (fnugg at online.no) Date: Fri, 02 May 2014 10:12:29 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Eriko Watanabe, Kennedy, Neil Harbisson, Mercury Project Gallery, Felice Tagliaferri Message-ID: <5363536D.3070207@online.no> Jewish Museum Begins Tours For Blind Visitors Blind visitors explore a tactile plan of the complex floorplan of the building with their fingers on the first organized architectural tour of the museum for blind people at the Jewish Museum Berlin on February 21, 2014 in Berlin, Germany http://www.google.com/hostednews/getty/article/ALeqM5iWiO4UtSXKM3bJAU-kkhE_9eZmQg?docId=474598935&hl=en Tactile contact lens lets you feel the world with your eyeball An Israeli professor has developed a tactile contact lens that translates images recorded on camera into tactile sensations on the cornea to allow the blind to "see" objects. http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-01/30/braille-for-the-eyeballs Technology lets artist hear colors as musical Sometimes artistic creations can be a lot like science fiction. That's certainly the case for Spanish artist Neil Harbisson. Color-blind since birth, he uses a special antenna connected to his brain that allows him to hear colour as musical notes. And he's even used the technology to put on a special concert in Barcelona. http://english.cntv.cn/program/cultureexpress/20140322/101772.shtml http://www.ntd.tv/en/news/world/europe/20140319/113804-colour-blind-artist-conducts-orchestra-hearing-colour-as-music.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2582019/Colour-blind-artist-worlds-eyeborg-having-antenna-implanted-inside-skull-hear-colours.html http://www.ideastream.org/news/npr/283441986 http://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/283440560/extrasensory http://www.npr.org/2014/03/07/283441986/what-s-it-like-to-hear-color Columbia artist replicates painting from Nazi art trove in empathetic gesture for blind owner Among more than 1,400 works discovered months ago in what is being called a Nazi art trove is "Two Riders on the Beach" by German impressionist Max Liebermann. Eighty-Eight-year old David Toren last saw the painting as a boy of 13, on the wall of his great-uncle's villa. http://www.thestate.com/2014/03/21/3340453/columbia-artist-replicates-painting.html Exhibition preview: Legally blind artist presents "Looking Back, Moving Forward" With studios in both Ohio and New York, Katherine Kadish has been a renowned artist for four decades Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/03/21/3340453/columbia-artist-replicates-painting.html#storylink=cpy http://www.columbusalive.com/content/stories/2014/03/20/exhibition-preview-legally-blind-artist-presents-looking-back-moving-forward.html Blind artist Eriko Watanabe's exhibition at Ulster Museum A new exhibition at the Ulster Museum features work by Eriko Watanabe, a Japanese-born artist who is blind. The exhibition, entitled Ways Of Seeing And Touching: Ice Age Art And Pictures By The Blind, is part of QUB's School of Psychology programme to mark 55 years of psychology at Queen's. Eriko creates her art using raised lines and visitors to the exhibition at the Ulster Museum will be able to touch and have an opportunity to create their own similar pieces. A lecture by Professor John Kennedy to accompany the exhibition will take place at 5pm tomorrow in the Ulster Museum's Lecture Theatre. The exhibition runs until March 18. For more details about the lecture, visit http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/theatre-arts/blind-artist-eriko-watanabes-exhibition-at-ulster-museum-30084522.html Ways of seeing and touching: Ice age art and pictures by the blind In this lecture, Prof John Kennedy from the University of Toronto, presented his research on "/Ice age art and pictures by the blind/". He showcased the work of Eriko Watanabe and highlighted that work by visually impaired artists can be realistic as well as metaphoric and incorporates aspects of perspective using different treatments. http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/psy/Events/55years/WaysOfSeeing/ Blind artist seeks new venue A New Plymouth artist is looking for a new studio so she can continue having art classes for the visually impaired. Pauline Harper of Hands On Art Studio had been unable to secure funding to stay open and closed in February, 18 months after launching in New Plymouth's Metro Plaza on Devon St West. Art workshops held there catered to students with visual impairment and other physical disabilities. Ms Harper, who is legally blind, graduated from Witt in 2008 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts. http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/9821778/Blind-artist-seeks-new-venue Blind artist Claire, of Syston, producing work through touch An art graduate who has gone blind has turned adversity on its head by producing new work through touch. Claire Lawrence, 29, of Syston, who is registered blind, is exhibiting new work at the Ellerington Fine Art Gallery in Leicester's Clarendon Park Road, and is urging other budding artists with sight loss to keep following their dreams. http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Blind-artist-Claire-Syston-producing-work-touch/story-20791276-detail/story.html A Unique Art Exhibit For The Blind At Mercury Project Gallery http://tpr.org/post/unique-art-exhibit-blind-mercury-project-gallery Noted Italian blind artist imparts art lessons to sightless Furthering his mission to make art education "inclusive", noted Italian blind sculptor Felice Tagliaferri has started a sculpture workshop here for the blind. The two week-long workshop, his first one for the blind in India , began yesterday at the Bethany Society premises where 15 youth began their art lessons from the artist. Felice, who lost his eyesight at 14, took to sculpting when he was 25. He shot to fame when he created his own version of "Cristo Velato," or "Veiled Christ", a 1753 masterpiece by Giuseppe Sanmartino, when he was denied to touch it in 2008. http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/noted-italian-blind-artist-imparts-art-lessons-to-sightless-114030200174_1.html Chiesa dell'Arte Chiesa dell'Arte is the first school of plastic arts led by a blind sculptor. It was born by an agreement between the municipality of Sala Bolognese, a village a few miles outside Bologna, and "Lo Spirito di Stella", an ONG committed to promote the right to accessibility. http://www.chiesadellarte.it/ From Lisa.Yayla at statped.no Mon May 12 10:54:03 2014 From: Lisa.Yayla at statped.no (Lisa Yayla) Date: Mon, 12 May 2014 12:54:03 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] 2014 ACB's Audio Description Project "Audio Description Institute"-REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! Message-ID: Forwarding REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! Registration is now open on-line https://adpregister.acb.org/ The American Council of the Blind's Audio Description Project Announces Its Sixth Annual AUDIO DESCRIPTION INSTITUTE - July 16-18, 2014 In Conjunction with ACB's 2014 Annual Conference and Convention Riviera Hotel - Las Vegas, Nevada Audio Description (AD) makes visual images accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. Using words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative, media describers convey the visual image from television and film that is not fully accessible to a significant segment of the population (more than 21 million Americans experience significant vision loss). The implementation of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act has spawned a virtual cottage industry for the development of description for broadcast television. BE A PART OF IT! Who Should Attend - Anyone interested in: - working as freelance description writers for broadcast television - working as a describer in a local performing arts program - working as a describer for visual art exhibitions - Experienced audio describers desiring an updated refresher course. NOTE: freelance writers for broadcast television projects can often be based anywhere in the world--computer equipment capable of accommodating high-speed downloads is a must. Topics Include-- 1) audio description history and theory 2) the "Four Fundamentals of Audio Description" (c) 3) active seeing/visual literacy-developing skills in concentration and observation 4) the art of "editing" what you see 5) vivid language: "The Visual Made Verbal"(tm) 6) "Speak the speech, I pray you"--using the spoken word to make meaning Program - Three full days of intensive, interactive training; - A Friday luncheon will be provided; - Each registrant will receive a copy of Dr. Joel Snyder's recently published (by ACB) The Visual Made Verbal: A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description - Registration for the ACB 2014 Conference and Convention is included. The interactive sessions (limited use of lecture, questions/discussion throughout, generous use of media, and individual and group writing exercises) are designed to provide immediate feedback and "give and take," allowing for adaptation according to a sense of participants' grasp of the material. In addition, experienced users of description are a part of the Institute's faculty, providing an important perspective throughout the sessions. This Institute will begin at 8:30 am on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 and conclude at 4:00 pm on Friday, July 18, 2014 (detailed agenda below). Participation is strictly limited. The Institute will issue ACB-sponsored certificates to all successful participants confirming completion of this professional description training program. Institute Director/Staff Joel Snyder, Ph.D.-- One of the first audio describers, Dr. Snyder began describing theater events and media in 1981; he is the President of Audio Description Associates with clients around the world (see www.audiodescribe.com for more information) and Director of ACB's Audio Description Project. As Director of Described Media for the National Captioning Institute, he led a staff that produced description for nationally broadcast films and network series including "Sesame Street" broadcasts and DVDs. Snyder has trained describers in 30 states and the District of Columbia and he has brought description to over 35 countries. Tuition - $450.00 ($430 plus $20 ACB Convention administrative fee) - credit card payment accepted by secure on-line registration Lodging You can make reservations for your stay at the Riviera Hotel and Casino via phone or online. Room rates are $87 plus tax per night (single or double). Make reservations by phone by calling (800) 634-6753, make sure to mention you are with the ACB convention. You can also make reservations online at: https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Hotel=17104&Chain=6946&arrive=7/9/2014&depart=7/10/2014&adult=1&child=0&group=SACB7IB To Register Visit: https://adpregister.acb.org Contact Joel Snyder at jsnyder at acb.org -- 202 467-5083 with any questions -- see you in Columbus! JOEL SNYDER Director, Audio Description Project American Council of the Blind jsnyder at acb.org -- 202 467-5083 www.acb.org/adp (tm) ACB logo ADP logo President, Audio Description Associates, LLC "The Visual Made Verbal" (tm) (tm) ADA logo--an eye within an ear 6502 Westmoreland Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912 jsnyder at audiodescribe.com -- 301 920-0218 Cell: 301 452-1898 -- Fax: 208 445-0079 For more information about audio description, please visit: www.audiodescribe.com AGENDA 2014 ACB Audio Description Project - AUDIO DESCRIPTION INSTITUTE Riviera Hotel - Las Vegas, NV July 16-18, 2014 DAY I - Wednesday, July 16 8:30 am - 5:30 pm * 8:30 am-9:15 am: Introductions * 9:15 am-11:00 am: Opening Workshop - The Visually Impaired User - Audio Description History and Theory - Overview of Fundamentals of Audio Description * 11:00 am - 11:15 am: break * 11:15 am-12:30 am: - Concentration / Observation - Editing What You See * 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - Lunch- on your own * 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm: - Language - Speech / Breath Control / Oral Interpretation * 3:30 pm - 3:45 pm: break * 3:45 pm - 5:30 pm: - Audio Description exercises - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts DAY II - Thursday, July 17 8:30 am - 5:30 pm * 8:30 am-11:00 am: - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 11:00 am - 11:15 am: break * 11:15 am-12:30 pm: - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - Lunch- on your own * 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 3:30 pm - 3:45 pm: break * 3:45 pm - 6:30 pm: - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 7:30 pm: SPECIAL EVENT Screening of the described version of 12 Years A Slave 2013 Academy Award Winner - Best Picture DAY III - Friday, July 12 8:30 am-4:00 pm * 8:30 am - 10:45 am: - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 10:45 am - 11:00 am: break * 11:00 am - 12:30 pm: - The Mechanics of Audio Description * 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm - INSTITUTE LUNCHEON * 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * Audio Description in the U.S. and around the world * Review / Discussion Graduation! -Scanned by Exchange Hosted Services- From Lisa.Yayla at statped.no Tue May 13 19:53:08 2014 From: Lisa.Yayla at statped.no (Lisa Yayla) Date: Tue, 13 May 2014 21:53:08 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] tips on embosser use Message-ID: Hi, I'm working with a ViewPlus Emfuse embosser. I was wondering if there is anyone on the list who also uses one. Would like to get ideas, tips etc when using it. Thanks, Lisa -Scanned by Exchange Hosted Services- From art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org Fri May 30 07:12:44 2014 From: art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org (via Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools) Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 09:12:44 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] =?windows-1252?q?Blindness_Does?= =?windows-1252?q?n=92t_Stand_In_The_Way_For_Cooper_Union_Art_Student?= Message-ID: <53882F6C.9090108@online.no> Hi, A CBS New York article/video about a newly graduated art student from Cooper Union, Emilie Gossiaux. Congratulations to both Emily for graduation from this world renowned school and to the Met on their new employee. excerpt: A Cooper Union art student has proven that no obstacle is too great to overcome. As CBS 2?s Andrea Grymes reported Friday, Cooper Union senior Emilie Gossiaux can recognize and feel her own works of art, but she cannot see them. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/05/23/blindness-doesnt-stand-in-the-way-for-cooper-union-art-student/ Regards, Lisa From art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org Fri May 30 09:00:47 2014 From: art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org (via Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools) Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 11:00:47 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Second Sence, Vision and Revision, Kimberley Burrows RNIB Young Illustrator of the Year Message-ID: <538848BF.7060308@online.no> Second Sense features legally blind artists' exhibit Second Sense, a non-profit organization, began creating a yearly exhibit featuring artworks from artists who are legally blind 12 years ago. The exhibit, Passionate Focus, has generated strong interest from talented artists all over the country. This year, 121 pieces where submitted by 24 artists and 33 were considered for this exhibit..... "For a lot of artists, this is the first time they've ever displayed their art in public and this is the first time they've ever been paid for their art,"Tabak said. The exhibit will be at the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago until June 13 and is open to the public. http://abc7chicago.com/society/second-sense-features-legally-blind-artists-exhibit/65691/ Tulsa's Mayfest features award-winning blind painter "Artist John Bramblitt of Denton, Texas, talks about his artwork with customers Thursday in his tent at Third and Main streets on the first day of the 42nd annual Mayfest in downtown Tulsa." http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/feeling-out-mayfest-blind-artist-attends-nd-annual-international-mayfest/article_e095edca-8ec7-5584-bf37-957dd4b79e8a.html http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/tulsa-s-mayfest-features-award-winning-blind-painter/article_e095edca-8ec7-5584-bf37-957dd4b79e8a.html?mode=image Color blind person creates world's first cyborg man to hear colors Neil Harbisson, has crafted the world's first cyborg man that allows him see colors by conveying musical tones to his brain. http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/color-blind-person-creates-world-s-first-cyborg-man-to-hear-colors-114051000446_1.html Salem artist doesn't let blindness get in her way As an artist, it was a devastating blow for Marge Moore to lose her sight four years ago. "My blindness hit me pretty hard," she said. The photographs of European streetscapes that inspired her watercolors were nothing more than colors and shapes. All the details were gone. But with help from friends, her church and a local nonprofit called Blindskills, she adjusted and even learned to create again. http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2014/05/08/salem-artist-let-blindness-get-way/8851807/ Please touch the art WHAT DOES a piece of art look like? All you have to do is glance at it, examine it, stare. But for Jillian Creus, April Matthew Abella, and Mary Sujin Shin, they have to grope with their hands, and feel the curves and the fissures until an image forms inside their minds. http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Arts&Leisure&title=Please-touch-the-art&id=83910 Jewish Museum Begins Tours For Blind Visitors , who has been blind since birth, touches one of the thousands of metal faces of the work "Fallen Leaves" by Israeli artist Menashe Kadishman on the first organized architectural tour of the museum for blind people at the Jewish Museum Berlin on February 21, 2014 in Berlin, Germany http://www.google.com/hostednews/getty/article/ALeqM5jSrzPVR2x88C42ZaDaj5a7VzuGfg?docId=474598429&hl=en Sight fades, but vision remains strong The art show "Vision and Revision," an exhibit by Suzanne Gibson and Lynda Lambert, opens on March 7 at the Merrick Art Gallery and brings a message of hope. Both artists are legally blind but continue to create. http://www.ellwoodcityledger.com/news/local_news/sight-fades-but-vision-remains-strong/article_97ac851a-3f86-570d-bce5-d86cb6b5eefd.html Twenty years into a career teaching the Korean marital art Tang Soo Do, Martin "Marty" Carson, of Egg Harbor Township, lost his sight in a 1991 car accident. He had fallen asleep behind the wheel. Everyone Has A Story: Blindness doesn't defeat Egg Harbor Township martial artist "I woke up 11 days later at Cooper Hospital in the dark," he said. For a while it looked like his legs might have to be amputated above the knees. Even when that wasn't necessary, doctors didn't expect him to walk again. But his training emphasizes indomitable spirit. "You are only defeated when you are dead," said Carson, 63. "It's one of the seven tenets we teach." http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/blogs/michelle_post/blindness-doesn-t-defeat-egg-harbor-township-martial-artist/article_235aa90c-9c32-11e3-a9e4-001a4bcf887a.html Artist Richard Gawthorpe praised after helping to raise ?300,000 for Kirkwood Hospice A budding artist was refused a place at art college because he was colour blind. But now the watercolour painter has helped raise a massive ?300,000 to provide care for patients at a Kirklees hospice. http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/artist-richard-gawthorpe-praised-after-6732480 Blind woman from Irlam wins prestigious art award Kimberley Burrows was born partially blind and she can only see a little out of one eye, this has not stopped her pursuing her dream of becoming a full-time artist. She has now come one step closer to her dream after being awarded the prestigious title of 'Young Illustrator of the Year' by Insight Magazine. As a result she will be producing artwork for the magazine throughout the year. http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2014-02-19/blind-woman-from-irlam-wins-prestigious-art-award/ In spite of her disability, she is establishing herself in the art world, with the RNIB's (Royal National Institute of Blind People) Insight Magazine recently naming her Young Illustrator of the Year for 2014. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2561141/Blind-student-named-Young-Illustrator-Year-RNIB-Refuses-let-disability-stand-way-art-career.html http://fashioneyesta.com/interviews/an-interview-with-kimberly-burrows-rnibs-young-illustrator-of-the-year/ From art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org Fri May 30 09:10:35 2014 From: art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org (via Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools) Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 11:10:35 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Fashioneyesta Message-ID: <53884B0B.5050209@online.no> Hi, A really fun blog, Fashioneyesta. Information about the blog; "Fashioneyesta is an online Fashion and Lifestyle resource for blind and partially sighted people. Allow me to tell you a little more about myself. I am currently studying for a degree in English Literature at Goldsmiths University, London that I received a full scholarship for. I have lived in South East London my entire life home. Naturally, I have been cultivated to know my way around markets, vintage shops, and where to find the best places on my home turf. I am currently working as a Journalist on the /Huffington Post UK /and working at my University as a paid /Student Ambassador./ Fashion has always been a huge element of my life. Growing up, I was inspired by old Hollywood films and their captivating style icons such as /Audrey Hepburn/ and/Grace Kelly./ The fashion houses, vintage stores and many delightful chic-lits inspired me to become more involved into the history and the beauty of fashion. By the time I was fourteen, my mother had bought me my first designer bag and then the rest is History. I would describe my style as feminine, with exotic flares, vintage twists and a lot of costume jewelry. I change my look depending on my mood, one day I may step out in an Oriental inspired outfit. Or another day I may wish to go full out Vintage with Victory Rolls and a 1940s inspired tea dress. Of course, you may be wondering why I set up the blog for Visually Impaired people. For one, I myself am Visually Impaired, I have a condition known as Septo Optic Dysplasia. The condition has disabled my Optic Nerves, leaving me with no sight in my right eye and ten percent central vision in my left. However, in the course of my life as I never allowed my disability to hinder my love for fashion. Now, with my beautiful Guide Dog, Unity, in toe, I am out exploring the wide world and expanding my blog. A blog that I hope will inspire other visually impaired people to explore fashion, old and new, to find their own unique style." http://fashioneyesta.com/about/ Interview with Kimberly Burrows, RNIB's illustrator of the year http://fashioneyesta.com/interviews/an-interview-with-kimberly-burrows-rnibs-young-illustrator-of-the-year/ From art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org Fri May 30 10:00:08 2014 From: art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org (via Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools) Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 12:00:08 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] China, texture, tatoo, 3D maps, Project Tango Message-ID: <538856A8.20509@online.no> http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/blind-woman-step-closer-dream-6706010 Art you can see with your eyes closed When SallyB retired she thought she would learn Spanish or how to play the piano. Art never crossed her mind. Then she thought of a system that matched colors with textures -- assigning the feel of satin, wool, velvet, and other textiles to respective colors on a color wheel. She mentioned her idea to quilters, but none of them wanted to do it. "They say it's 'too hard, too detailed,'" she explained. So she took the idea in her own hands, gathering fabrics, and recreating signature works by Picasso, Matisse and other painters. The pesky swarm of bees in Seurat's "Sunday Afternoon" required her attention for two years. Most of the other pieces took six to nine months to complete. The resulting exhibit, on display this month at the Orange County Campus of Durham Technical Community College http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2014/02/12/3616461/art-you-can-see-with-your-eyes.html Connecting the dots With eyes closed, artist Li Xiuqin and the blind Xu Mazheng explore each other's faces with their hands. Next they sculpt what they felt with clay. http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/842035.shtml Colour-blind artist conducts choir using colour alone http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10628008/Colour-blind-artist-conducts-choir-using-colour-alone.html Chiado see and feel. DC14 -- The experience http://www.yareah.com/2014/02/06/3392-chiado-see-feel-dc14-experience/ Meet the tattooed woman who will never see her body art http://www.itv.com/news/wales/story/2014-02-06/blind-rhyl-mother-gets-full-body-tattoo/#meet-the-tattooed-woman-who-will-never-see-her-body-art_321604 Partially blind man exhibits landscape series at DAAP http://www.newsrecord.org/college_living/partially-blind-man-exhibits-landscape-series-at-daap/article_04a77d34-8c54-11e3-bd56-0017a43b2370.html 3D printer helps blind children visualize objects Visually impaired students in this social studies class are learning about the territorial expansion during the three kingdoms period of Korea. Previously, they would have had to rely mostly on their imaginations; now they can picture the precise changes in territory using their tactile senses. Local researchers have developed a printer that produces a three-dimensional replica made of plastic for use in school textbooks. http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=162533 Google has unveiled a prototype smartphone with 3D sensors that creates 3D map of a user's surroundings. The phone is expected come with features like indoor mapping that can help visually-impaired people to travel without assistance. Part of its project called "Project Tango", the phone can make 250,000 "3D measurements" every second. "We are physical beings that live in a 3D world. Yet, our mobile devices assume that physical world ends at the boundaries of the screen," Google said . "The goal of Project Tango is to give mobile devices a human-scale understanding of space and motion. "We're ready to put early prototypes into the hands of developers that can imagine the possibilities and help bring those ideas into reality," it added. Google is offering 200 prototypes to developers keen to make apps for it. Interested? You can apply here . http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/business-news/tech/google-unveils-3d-smartphone-platform-that-can-help-blind-people-navigate/7505.article Project Tango Our current prototype is a 5" Android phone containing highly customized hardware and software designed to track the full 3-dimensional motion of the device as you hold it while simultaneously creating a map of the environment. These sensors allow the phone to make over a quarter million 3D measurements every second updating its position and orientation in real-time combining that data into a single 3D model of the space around you. https://www.google.com/atap/projecttango/ Depicting Web images for the blind and visually impaired A prototype process was developed to translate Web graph and map images into 3D printed models to give the blind and visually impaired access to voting and election data. http://spie.org/x104896.xml?highlight=x2410&ArticleID=x104896 Engineers create 3-D models to help the blind navigate safely through intersections. http://www.insidescience.org/content/3-d-street-map-blind/1503 By Tricking the Brain, Disney's Bringing Digital Sight to the Blind http://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/2013/10/11/disney-tricking-brains-and-bringing-sight-to-blind/ From art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org Fri May 30 11:33:07 2014 From: art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org (via Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools) Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 13:33:07 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Tactile Identification by the Blind Improved Through Usage of Textured Images Message-ID: <53886C73.90805@online.no> Tactile Identification by the Blind Improved Through Usage of Textured Images Information published by researchers from Laboratoire de sychologie et neurocognition (LPNC) in the journal of experimental psychology revealed that tactile images are important in aiding blind children improve tactile identification. These children who are deprived of natural stimuli for seeing are unable to identify images due to lack of suitable material. The study made use of 23 blind children who were born blind or who acquired the condition within their first year of living to determine the ability of tactile images to improve tactile recognition of various objects and shapes. The children were asked to identify various images that were known to them as a test. The study findings revealed that the blind children found it easier to identify textured images compared to images made of other materials. Better tactile recognition was also observed in children who were presented with the textured images on regular occasions during their early stages of development. http://www.tele-management.ca/2013/11/tactile-identification-blind-improved-usage-textured-images/ From art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org Fri May 30 12:32:49 2014 From: art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org (via Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools) Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 14:32:49 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Tim Lefens, Tactile picture recognition by early blind children: The effect of illustration technique, Art Beyond Sight, engineer, 3D Message-ID: <53887A71.5020703@online.no> St. Augustine Art Association celebrates Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month The St. Augustine Art Association is featuring its 12th Annual Tactile Art Show for the month of October, Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month. Partnering with the Florida School of Deaf and Blind, the Tactile Art show will feature touchable art that is visually intriguing while also engaging those that are vision impaired. http://gargoyle.flagler.edu/2013/10/st-augustine-art-association-celebrates-art-beyond-sight-awareness-month/ Tactile USA flags with 'The Pledge of Allegiance' in braille presented to MSAB http://www.austindailyherald.com/2013/10/society-news-oct-20/ Use of different materials with varied textures improves recognition of tactile images by blind people The use of different materials with varied textures improves the recognition of tactile images by young blind people, researchers from the Laboratoire de psychologie et neurocognition (LPNC) (CNRS/Universit? Pierre Mend?s France/ Savoie University) have shown. This result, which was recently published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology Applied was achieved in collaboration with Geneva University's Facult? de psychologie et des sciences de l'?ducation and Les Doigts Qui R?vent (Dreaming Fingers) in Talant (C?te-d'Or, France). Among other factors, the researchers emphasise that early, regular use of tactile material by blind children is necessary to improve recognition through touch.... For blind children therefore, it seems that interpreting tactile images is not automatic and requires practice. http://www.news-medical.net/news/20131003/Use-of-different-materials-with-varied-textures-improves-recognition-of-tactile-images-by-blind-people.aspx Summary: The use of different materials with varied textures improves the recognition of tactile images by young blind people. This result emphasizes that early, regular use of tactile material by blind children is necessary to improve recognition through touch. *Journal Reference*:Anne Theurel, Arnaud Witt, Philippe Claudet, Yvette Hatwell, Edouard Gentaz. *Tactile picture recognition by early blind children: The effect of illustration technique.*. /Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied/, 2013; 19 (3): 233 DOI: 10.1037/a0034255 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131002092141.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Ftop_news+(ScienceDaily%3A+Top+News) Tactile picture recognition by early blind children: The effect of illustration technique. http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/a0034255 Art created for the blind http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2013/may/23/art-created-for-the-blind/ Braille smartphone to revolutionise life on the go for the blind The screen is able to raise its surface to create images and texts in Braille. http://www.west-info.eu/braille-smartphone-to-revolutionise-life-on-the-go-for-the-blind/ Blind Engineer Paves the Way When former pentathlon competitor Vincent Martin walks across the stage to get his Master's diploma at top-tier Georgia Tech on May 3, it will be part of another grueling multi-event race. Martin is completely blind and about to graduate from the College of Computing in the School of Interactive Computing. http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/33576-blind-engineer-paves-the-way/ 3D Printing Studio The Ellen No?l Art Museum is the first in the state to have a 3D Printing Studio. The studio includes three Makerbot Relicator 2s. This studio will serve educational and outreach purposes as the Museum offers child and adult 3D printing classes as well as a collaborative course with the University of Texas at the Permian Basin. Another purpose of the 3D printers will be to create 3D kits for the visually impaired to aid in learning about art http://www.noelartmuseum.org/visit/3d-printing-studio Smith: Ken, the kids & their art on 'Today' A national NBC-TV crew shot the scene Monday as Santa Rosa artist Ken Rossi, who's blind and scoots about in a wheelchair, showed 32 fourth-graders at the Sonoma County Museum how he creates his dramatic and colorful pictures. "Is it hard to draw when you can't see?" asked a girl from teacher Hilary Sowers' class at Windsor's Brooks School. Ken replied: "It's harder because you have to concentrate more." However, he added, as a piece is coming together, a blind artist isn't bothered by an "internal judge," so the process flows more naturally. The students then had a chance to try drawing with oil pastels, too. With their eyes closed. The story is scheduled to appear on The Today Show at 6 a.m. Saturday. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20131028/articles/131029556?title=Smith:-Ken,-the-kids-&-their-art-on-'Today' Legally Blind Artist Exhibits New Paintings at Bwe Kafe The most recent work of accomplished blind artist Tim Lefens is on display through November in the gallery at Bwe Kafe . Lefens, who lost his eyesight to retinitis pigmentosa more than a decade ago but has continued painting through the use of "ingenious" methods, has spent the past 18 years helping people with severe physical disabilities express themselves artistically. http://hoboken.patch.com/groups/arts-and-entertainment/p/legally-blind-artist-exhibits-new-paintings-at-bwe-kafe What is A.R.T.? Through his non-profit A.R.T , which stands for Artistic Realization Technologies, Lefens has created various innovative technologies that give people who cannot walk, talk or use their hands a way to paint, sculpt, create art photography and make music. http://www.artrealization.org/what-is-art.html Unleashing the Power of ART: Tim Lefens at TEDxNJIT "The urgency to take control" quote from the talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arXN677GLx8 Flying Colors by Tim Lefens Beacon Press, 2002 http://www.artrealization.org/flying_colors.html From art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org Fri May 30 14:31:20 2014 From: art_beyond_sight_learning_tools at nfbnet.org (via Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools) Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 16:31:20 +0200 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] artists Message-ID: <53889638.7060008@online.no> Artist shares passion for tactile art for visually impaired with USF http://www.usforacle.com/news/artist-shares-passion-for-tactile-art-for-visually-impaired-with-usf-1.2842208#.U4h67meKCRt An Interview with TIM LEFENS: Painter, Art Activist http://agingandcreativity.blogspot.no/2011/05/interview-with-tim-lefens-painter-art.html Albertville: Vision challenges can't stop artist http://www.sandmountainreporter.com/news/local/article_25dfe426-36a7-11e3-b3b0-0019bb2963f4.html At the Touch Art Fair, you feel your way It's not just sighted people who can appreciate art. At the first event of its kind in the UK, the exhibits are there to be touched http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/15/touch-art-fair-feel-exhibits-touched From jsnyder at audiodescribe.com Tue Jun 17 02:42:43 2014 From: jsnyder at audiodescribe.com (Joel Snyder) Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 22:42:43 -0400 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] ACB Audio Description Project 2014 Conference--REGISTER NOW! Message-ID: <081f01cf89d5$d23dab50$76b901f0$@audiodescribe.com> JOIN US! 2014 Audio Description Project (ADP) Conference An Initiative of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) - "AUDIO DESCRIPTION: *EYE* HEAR THE DIFFERENCE!" - Riviera Casino and Hotel - July 13-15, 2014 - Las Vegas, NV Schedule and Speakers subject to change Day I - Sunday, July 13, 2014 1:00 pm-1:30 pm Welcome/Introduction to the ADP -- Kim Charlson, President, American Council of the Blind Dan Spoone, Chair, ADP Committee Joel Snyder, Director, ADP Jo-Lynn Bailey Page, Chair, ADP Conference Sub-Committee 1:30 pm-2:30 pm Getting the Most Out of the ADP Website: How to Access Audio Described TV, Movies, and Videos -- Fred Brack, ADP Webmaster, and Kathy Brack, AD Consumer 2:30 pm-3:30 pm Description and Literacy -- Programs like the Described and Captioned Media Program and several published papers have demonstrated how description can build literacy. Joel Snyder will chair this discussion with panelists including Jason Stark of the DCMP, Judy Dixon of the National Library Service, Hillary Kleck, mother of a blind 9-year-old and Mary Ann Siller, Dallas-based educator working with blind children. 3:30 pm-4:00 pm break 4:00 pm-4:30 pm Legislative Update -- A review of the current status of the mandate for broadcast description; broadcast description in the digital era and the FCC; and the end of Department of Education funding for broadcast description. Eric Bridges, Director of External Relations and Policy, ACB; Karen Peltz Strauss, Deputy Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission (Ms. Strauss will appear on video) 4:30 pm-5:30 pm Advocacy for Audio Description / Boosting Description for Media - How can description become more "visible"? How can we most effectively advocate for description, particularly in various media formats, e.g., television, film, the web, DVDs and smartphones. Dr. Josh Miele of the Smith-Kettlewell Video Description Research and Development Center will discuss developments with Simon Padro, Compass Interactive, developer of Parlamo; Chelsea Pancho, Deluxe Digital Media; Robert Kingett, audio description critic and advocate, and Hillary Kleck, passionate advocate for description and educational media. 5:30 pm-6:30 pm Mentoring Meet-Up / reception -- Chaired by Susan Glass. This year, the ACB Audio Description Project is offering its inaugural "mentorship" program: sighted attendees of the Audio Description Project Conference will be paired with a blind or visually impaired mentor. The best describers develop an understanding of the audience for whom they are providing a critical service. What better opportunity for such interaction than at the ACB Conference and Convention, where some 1500 blind people will likely be present? (Mornings on Monday and Tuesday, July 14 and 15 are kept open for attendance at ACB Convention plenary sessions.) At this brief meet-and-greet session, ADP Conference attendees will have the opportunity to meet and be mentored by an ACB member/description enthusiast and join him/her for the opening plenary session of the ACB Conference and Convention AND at least two other activities during the sessions over the next two mornings-e.g., touring the exhibit hall together, attending an affiliate meeting or an additional ACB general session, taking a walk, eating a meal together, or watching an audio described film. We hope that these interactions will give you lots of practical experience interacting with a blind person-and you may forge a new friendship and increase understanding between the sighted and the blind communities. Dinner on your own Day II - Monday, July 14, 2014 1:30 pm-2:30 pm Broadcast Description - Who creates description for broadcast television? Are there quality standards? Can description producers work with cable and satellite companies to make it easier for consumers to access description? Rick Boggs of Audio Eyes will chair this session with Tom Wlodkowski, Comcast; Jeremy Fisher of Caption Max; and special guest Bernd Benecke of Bayerischer Rundfunk (German television), author of Audio Description As Partial Translation - Model and Method. 2:30 pm-3:30 pm The Description Profession - How and where do audio describers become employed, especially for film and TV, but also for museums or performing arts? What about opportunities for AD consumers to contribute to the process? Joyce Adams, long-time describer and supervisor of description for nationally broadcast television and feature films, with panelists Rick Jacobson and Teri Grossman, freelance describers, and Chris Snyder, audio editor. 3:30 pm-4:00 pm break 4:00 pm-4:45 pm Audio Description in Spanish - 53 million people of Hispanic descent constitute 17% of the population of the United States. How is audio description serving Hispanics who are blind or have low vision? Maria Diaz of DiCapta (formerly Closed Caption Latina) will present an overview of Spanish audio description availability in the United States. 4:45 pm-5:45 pm Knowing Your Audience-Performing Arts Description It all began with the performing arts. What are the most recent advances? What can be done to entice more consumers of the service? Joel Snyder, ADP director, will chair this session with Jesse Minkert, Arts and Visually Impaired Audiences (AVIA) in Seattle (via Skype); Steph Kirkland of Vocal Eye in Canada; and Bonnie Barlow, Denver-based freelance describer with 22 years of experience describing productions at the Denver Center for the Preforming Arts. 5:45 pm-6:30 pm Seeing the Art-Visual Art/Museum Description Elisabeth Axel of Art Beyond Sight will present an overview of the top programs for visual art description in the United States; the perspective from abroad will be presented by Dr. Joselia Neves a published author on museum description in Portugal, Michele Hartley of the National Park Service, and Martin Wilde, Chicago-based freelance describer with experience describing exhibits. Dinner on your own 7:00 pm-8:15 pm Field Trip-Illusions with audio description starring Jan Rouven-Unbelievable Magic! Undeniable Mystery!--at the Riviera Hotel! (Tickets are not included in the ADP Conference registration fee.) 8:30 pm SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY- Bernd Benecke of Bayerischer Rundfunk (German television), and author of Audio Description As Partial Translation - Model and Method, will speak on "Creating AD: How to Work with the Audio-Description-Evolution-Model (ADEM). Before writing an AD script, describers will normally analyze the source material. This should include the following aspects: What is the anticipated audience? Is it for children with a smaller image memory than grown-ups? What was the describer's personal experience when watching the material? What does he or she want the blind and vision-impaired audience to experience when listening to the AD? And what information is already given in the original soundtrack and thus can be left out in the AD? Or is there anything in the soundtrack that causes difficulty for the describer, e.g., the sound in a scene does not match the image? This presentation will take an example from daily media description work and demonstrate how ADEM can help in deciding what, how and when to describe. Day III - Tuesday, July 15, 2014 1:00 pm-2:30 pm Luncheon with guest speaker - Dr. Deborah Fels-Dr. Fels is an associate professor in the School of Information Technology Management at Ryerson University in Toronto. She has a special research interest in access to computing systems for people with disabilities. One of her various project involving audio description includes the development of described episodes of Odd Job Jack, an animation series produced for the Comedy Network. The descriptions for this animation are unique in that they have first-person narrative descriptions synchronized with non-verbal sounds in addition to the silenced-only portions as well as user-controlled extended descriptions. Dr. Fels was the 2013 recipient of the ADP's Dr. Margaret Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description, Research and Development. 2:30 pm-3:30 pm ACB/ADP Awards - Presented by Chris Gray, Chair, ADP Awards Committee, former President, ACB - "Young Described Film Critic of the Year" Awards Presentation - Achievement in Audio Description - Media - Achievement in Audio Description - Performing Arts - Achievement in Audio Description - Museums - Achievement in Audio Description - International - Dr. Margaret Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description - Research and Development - Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description 3:30 pm-4:00 pm break 4:00 pm-5:00 pm The Audio Description Consumer -- Audio description is first and foremost in service to the needs of people who are blind or have low vision. Kim Charlson, ACB's President will chair this discussion with panelists and audio description enthusiasts Dan Spoone, Susan Glass, Satauna Howery, and Kathy Brack as well as comment from the Conference's mentors and mentees (see the "Mentoring Meet-Up session described above). 5:00 pm-6:00 pm Open Sharing / Discussion 6:00 pm Adjourn 6:30 pm-7:30 pm Joel Snyder, ADP Director and President of Audio Description Associates, LLC, will be available to discuss and sign copies of his new publication (with associated website) The Visual Made Verbal: A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description. HOW TO JOIN US: Registration Fee - $175.00 - A Tuesday, July 15 luncheon will be provided. Please contact jsnyder at acb.org concerning any special dietary requirements. - Registration for the ACB 2014 Conference and Convention is included. NOTE: Individuals who register for the ADP Conference (July 13-15) as well as the AD Institute training sessions (July 16-18-tuition: $450) qualify for a special discounted rate: $550.00 For information regarding the AD Institute, visit www.acb.org/adp. Lodging You can make reservations for your stay at the Riviera Hotel and Casino via phone or online. Room rates are $87 plus tax per night (single or double). Make reservations by phone by calling (800) 634-6753, make sure to mention you are with the ACB convention. You can also make reservations online at: https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Hotel=17104 &Chain=6946&arrive=7/9/2014&depart=7/10/2014&adult=1&child=0&group=SACB7IB To Register On-line, visit http://adpregister.acb.org/. For questions or additional information, contact Joel Snyder at jsnyder at acb.org -- 202 467-5083 or 301 920-0218. JOEL SNYDER, Ph.D. Author of The Visual Made Verbal: A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description - get your copy at thevisualmadeverbal.net President, Audio Description Associates, LLC "The Visual Made Verbal" T ADA logo (5)T ADA logo--an eye within an ear 6502 Westmoreland Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912 jsnyder at audiodescribe.com -- 301 920-0218 Cell: 301 452-1898 -- Fax: 208 445-0079 For more information about audio description, please visit: www.audiodescribe.com Director, Audio Description Project American Council of the Blind jsnyder at acb.org -- 202 467-5083 www.acb.org/adp acblogoscan002T ACB logo cid:image004.jpg at 01CBED4F.9FF9D220 ADP logo From jsnyder at audiodescribe.com Tue Jun 17 03:05:45 2014 From: jsnyder at audiodescribe.com (Joel Snyder) Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 23:05:45 -0400 Subject: [Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] ACB Audio Description Institute 2014--REGISTER NOW-ONLY SEVERAL SLOTS REMAIN! Message-ID: <000601cf89d9$0a1ec150$1e5c43f0$@audiodescribe.com> REGISTER TODAY! Dear friends, Thank you for your interest in the American Council of the Blind's Audio Description Project and its Audio Description Institute. Registration is now open on-line and I encourage you to sign-up as soon as possible at: https://adpregister.acb.org/ The number of participants we can accept is limited-so please register on-line and avoid being left out. And this year, you have the opportunity to attend our third Audio Description Project Conference immediately prior to the Institute; visit the registration site for information on discounted fees when you register for both events. I look forward to working with you at the Institute, July 16-18, 2014 at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. All best, Joel JOEL SNYDER Director, Audio Description Project American Council of the Blind jsnyder at acb.org -- 202 467-5083 www.acb.org/adp The American Council of the Blind's Audio Description Project Announces Its Sixth Annual AUDIO DESCRIPTION INSTITUTE - July 16-18, 2014 In Conjunction with ACB's 2014 Annual Conference and Convention Riviera Hotel - Las Vegas, Nevada Audio Description (AD) makes visual images accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. Using words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative, media describers convey the visual image from television and film that is not fully accessible to a significant segment of the population (more than 21 million Americans experience significant vision loss). The implementation of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act has spawned a virtual cottage industry for the development of description for broadcast television. BE A PART OF IT! Who Should Attend - Anyone interested in: - working as freelance description writers for broadcast television - working as a describer in a local performing arts program - working as a describer for visual art exhibitions - Experienced audio describers desiring an updated refresher course. NOTE: freelance writers for broadcast television projects can often be based anywhere in the world--computer equipment capable of accommodating high-speed downloads is a must. Topics Include-- 1) audio description history and theory 2) the "Four Fundamentals of Audio Description" C 3) active seeing/visual literacy-developing skills in concentration and observation 4) the art of "editing" what you see 5) vivid language: "The Visual Made Verbal"T 6) "Speak the speech, I pray you"--using the spoken word to make meaning Program - Three full days of intensive, interactive training; - A Friday luncheon will be provided; - Each registrant will receive a copy of Dr. Joel Snyder's recently published (by ACB) The Visual Made Verbal: A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description - Registration for the ACB 2014 Conference and Convention is included. The interactive sessions (limited use of lecture, questions/discussion throughout, generous use of media, and individual and group writing exercises) are designed to provide immediate feedback and "give and take," allowing for adaptation according to a sense of participants' grasp of the material. In addition, experienced users of description are a part of the Institute's faculty, providing an important perspective throughout the sessions. This Institute will begin at 8:30 am on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 and conclude at 4:00 pm on Friday, July 18, 2014 (detailed agenda below). Participation is strictly limited. The Institute will issue ACB-sponsored certificates to all successful participants confirming completion of this professional description training program. Institute Director/Staff Joel Snyder, Ph.D.-- One of the first audio describers, Dr. Snyder began describing theater events and media in 1981; he is the President of Audio Description Associates with clients around the world (see www.audiodescribe.com for more information) and Director of ACB's Audio Description Project. As Director of Described Media for the National Captioning Institute, he led a staff that produced description for nationally broadcast films and network series including "Sesame Street" broadcasts and DVDs. Snyder has trained describers in 30 states and the District of Columbia and he has brought description to over 35 countries. Tuition - $450.00 ($430 plus $20 ACB Convention administrative fee) - credit card payment accepted by secure on-line registration Lodging You can make reservations for your stay at the Riviera Hotel and Casino via phone or online. Room rates are $87 plus tax per night (single or double). Make reservations by phone by calling (800) 634-6753, make sure to mention you are with the ACB convention. You can also make reservations online at: https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Hotel=17104&Chain=6946&arrive=7/9/2014&depart =7/10/2014&adult=1&child=0&group=SACB7IB To Register Visit: https://adpregister.acb.org Contact Joel Snyder at jsnyder at acb.org -- 202 467-5083 with any questions -- see you in Las Vegas! JOEL SNYDER Director, Audio Description Project American Council of the Blind jsnyder at acb.org -- 202 467-5083 www.acb.org/adp T ACB logo ADP logo President, Audio Description Associates, LLC "The Visual Made Verbal" T AD logoT ADA logo--an eye within an ear 6502 Westmoreland Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912 jsnyder at audiodescribe.com -- 301 920-0218 Cell: 301 452-1898 -- Fax: 208 445-0079 For more information about audio description, please visit: www.audiodescribe.com AGENDA 2014 ACB Audio Description Project - AUDIO DESCRIPTION INSTITUTE Riviera Hotel - Las Vegas, NV July 16-18, 2014 DAY I - Wednesday, July 16 8:30 am - 5:30 pm * 8:30 am-9:15 am: Introductions * 9:15 am-11:00 am: Opening Workshop - The Visually Impaired User - Audio Description History and Theory - Overview of Fundamentals of Audio Description * 11:00 am - 11:15 am: break * 11:15 am-12:30 am: - Concentration / Observation - Editing What You See * 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - Lunch- on your own * 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm: - Language - Speech / Breath Control / Oral Interpretation * 3:30 pm - 3:45 pm: break * 3:45 pm - 5:30 pm: - Audio Description exercises - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts DAY II - Thursday, July 17 8:30 am - 5:30 pm * 8:30 am-11:00 am: - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 11:00 am - 11:15 am: break * 11:15 am-12:30 pm: - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - Lunch- on your own * 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 3:30 pm - 3:45 pm: break * 3:45 pm - 6:30 pm: - Viewing / analysis of audio described excerpts - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 7:30 pm: SPECIAL EVENT Screening of the described version of 12 Years A Slave 2013 Academy Award Winner - Best Picture DAY III - Friday, July 12 8:30 am-4:00 pm * 8:30 am - 10:45 am: - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * 10:45 am - 11:00 am: break * 11:00 am - 12:30 pm: - The Mechanics of Audio Description * 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm - INSTITUTE LUNCHEON * 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: - Audio Description practicum--Individual description sessions with selected video scenes * Audio Description in the U.S. and around the world * Review / Discussion Graduation! JOEL SNYDER, Ph.D. Author of The Visual Made Verbal: A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description - get your copy at thevisualmadeverbal.net President, Audio Description Associates, LLC "The Visual Made Verbal" T ADA logo (5)T ADA logo--an eye within an ear 6502 Westmoreland Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912 jsnyder at audiodescribe.com -- 301 920-0218 Cell: 301 452-1898 -- Fax: 208 445-0079 For more information about audio description, please visit: www.audiodescribe.com Director, Audio Description Project American Council of the Blind jsnyder at acb.org -- 202 467-5083 www.acb.org/adp acblogoscan002T ACB logo cid:image004.jpg at 01CBED4F.9FF9D220 ADP logo