[Artbeyondsightmuseums] artist, Tai chi, Accessible Media Canada

[Lisa Yayla]

excerpt

Five Things You Should Know Today

1. It's your last day to catch the art of Laura and Yager, the pseudonym 
of a legally blind Port Richey artist who paints with her guide dog 
Yager by her side, are on display in the first floor hallway of New Port 
Richey City Hall. The show started in February. A portion of the 
proceeds from art sales goes to Southeastern Guide Dogs, where Laura 
says she got Yager.

http://newportrichey.patch.com/articles/five-things-you-should-know-today-135


Tai chi for the blind in Lilydale
TAI chi classes for the blind will start in Lilydale and Tecoma next month.

The six-week pilot program teaching the ancient Chinese art to the 
vision-impaired was the brainchild of instructor Jeff Davis (left), who 
has taught tai chi for almost 20 years.

The lessons, which usually involve participants mimicking the movements 
of an instructor standing in front of the class, will rely on six 
volunteers and a vocal instructor.
http://lilydale-yarra-valley-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/tai-chi-for-the-blind-in-lilydale/


excerpt
Royal wedding

Company paints word pictures of the wedding for the visually impaired

Feast your ears on this: A Toronto-based media company will provide a 
live described-video broadcast of the royal wedding so that blind and 
low-sighted people across the country can enjoy all the pomp and 
pageantry of the big day.

"An event like the royal wedding is something that we think should be 
accessible to all Canadians," says David Errington, president of 
Accessible Media Inc.


.... "A colour commentator offers interesting facts and details, and 
where we are and some history about that place, whereas we're trying to 
fill in the gaps for somebody who doesn't have the advantage of sight," 
she says. "It's our job to fill in the crowd's expression when [Kate 
Middleton] comes out of the carriage, her mother's expression the first 
time she sees her in her wedding dress, William when he sees her coming 
down the aisle, the frescoes that are painted on the ceiling of the abbey."

The two "describers," Sarah Mennell and Ruth Barrett, were chosen after 
an audition in which they described footage of the 1981 wedding of 
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

The broadcast will be available on The Accessible Channel -- TACtv.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/company-paints-word-pictures-of-the-wedding-for-the-visually-impaired/article1999475/


Described TV - Canada
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is a not-for-profit multimedia organization 
operating two broadcast services, VoicePrint and The Accessible Channel 
-- TACtv, and a companion website (http://www.ami.ca). AMI serves more 
than five million Canadians who are blind, with low vision, 
print-restricted, deaf or hearing-impaired, learning disabled, mobility 
impaired, in need of literacy skills or learning English as a second 
language, by making print, broadcast and online media accessible.
youtube link
http://www.youtube.com/accessiblemedia

Accessible Media Inc.
http://www.ami.ca/default.aspx

Ricky Trione Shares His Art

Fantastic local artist Ricky Trione took his art on Studio10. Ricky's 
displays are even more incredible considering the fact that he cannot see.

The self-titled "Blind Artist" joined the Studio10 crew to perform some 
of his art live during the show. You may have seen Ricky's art at the 
Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival and many local art shows.

Click on the video link to see Ricky in action!

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/studio10/happening_here/studio10-ricky-trione-shares-his-art

Also, please visit his website:
www.rickytrioneart.com <http://www.rickytrioneart.com>


article
$127 Per Month West Village Renter is Blind Photographer 
<http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2011/04/24/127_per_month_west_village_renter_is_blind_photographer.php>
In case you weren't feeling bad about all the obscenities you muttered 
under your breath 
<http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2011/04/19/someone_is_paying_127_per_month_for_a_west_village_apartment.php> 
when you read about the $127 per month rental in the West Village, this 
might do it. Turns out the occupant is John Dugdale, a blind 
photographer who gets around with the assistance of a seeing-eye dog. 
The wrench in this gentrification-defying tale might be the overhaul of 
rent laws in Albany, which would expire on June 15th if they're not 
renewed. There's proposed legislation which would protect people like 
Dugdale until 2014. He gently opined on his new fame by saying "*I'm 
trying to make sure that I could stay here and [create my art] by not 
talking too much*". Can we cut this guy a break? Or does nothing justify 
such a deal?

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2011/04/24/127_per_month_west_village_renter_is_blind_photographer.php

"My life is in an uproar," said the shutterbug, who is steered by a 
seeing-eye dog -- and whose work hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of 
Art. He must take photos with the help of an assistant.


It's the lease he can pay
*'FLAT' RATE:* Blind photographer John Dugdale (pictured) pays just $127 
a month to live in this Greenwich Village building.

"My home has been in an uproar for over two, three years, and it seems 
to be coming to a head again."

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/it_the_lease_he_can_pay_PpQD97d21cEGHTLaLHB1dI


excerpt


*B'klyn Resident Sparacino Is Retired English Prof*


*Blind Performers Highlight Visual Art at Concert*

BROOKLYN --- Performers from the Lighthouse International, the 
well-known organization for the blind and visually impaired, recently 
took a mainly sighted audience on a musical tour of a very visual 
subject -- the Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection.

The concert, which took place on Friday, April 15, was the 15th annual 
Lighthouse concert at the Met, and there were several Brooklyn residents 
who performed.

The performers from the Lighthouse music school, said a spokeswoman for 
the Lighthouse, "had the assistance of a wonderful assistant from the 
Met who described each piece of art in detail, from an African mask to a 
postcard. Every year, we collaborate with the Metropolitan Museum at 
their Grace Rainey Rogers auditorium -- we provide the music."

One Brooklyn resident performing at the concert was Dr. Dennis 
Sparacino, who has worked as a singer in nightclubs and theaters and has 
taught English literature at the college level. In his third solo 
performance at the music school's annual concert, he sang the Italian 
love song, "Parlami D'Amore, Mariu."

"I've studied voice for decades," says Sparacino, who is totally blind 
and has been so since college. "I've also studied instruments --- 
guitar, saxophone, clarinet." He received his BA from Brooklyn College, 
then received his PhD in English literature there. He taught at C.W. 
Post, New York City Community College and Long Island University until 
he retired.
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=12&id=42930

video
Washburn Man Creates Art Without Eyesight

A Washburn artist is creating work that will soon be on display in a 
Twin Cities gallery without the use of his eyes.

Derek Lusche has had poor vision all his life. He was born legally 
blind, then diagnosed with glaucoma. Bu it was a work accident in 2009 
that took his vision completely.

"I was on a job site and I got hit by a timber frame floor support 
pretty much right in front of the eyes," Lusche said.

Lusche has slowly gained some vision back sice the incident, and 
although it's still blurry, he is pursuing a career in art.

Lusche will be showing his work during an art crawl in St. Paul next 
weekend.


http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S2078406.shtml?cat=10335