[Nfb-krafters-korner] Using braille in crafts, was, Re: more picture info

Sun Oct 2 13:04:06 UTC 2011

Hi Cindy,
I agree with all you say here. When I say that I do not intend to use 
Braille in my own work, it is because Braille is not a part of my life in 
any way - by MY choice. I can do everything I want or need to do with 
electronics and I am very efficient with those mediums. It is simply a 
personal choice for ME and in no way am I making a statement or meaning 
anything negative about using Braille.

I know that Braille is a vital and important communication medium for 
zillions of people. It is an amazing literacy tool that works. I choose to 
use other tools that suit ME better.

I am super excited right now because one of my recent pieces will appear at 
the Society for Contemporary Crafts in  Pittsburgh, PA  It was selected as 
one of 45 pieces (out of over 600 artists who entered) . the show is the 
101st Annual Exhibition of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, will run 
from  November  11- January 15. This  marks the first juried show I will do 
since losing my sight 4 years ago. I had done over 200 juried national and 
international shows before losing my sight. So, now, I have completed my 
first solo museum show (today is the final day for it) and my first juried 
show, using non-visual techniques to make my pottery. This is an enormous 
step for me. I laugh and say "I am BACK in SHOW business!" What a very GOOD 
feeling it is!

Lynda River Woman
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "slerythema" <slerythema at gmail.com>
To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 8:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Using braille in crafts, was,Re: more 
picture info

> Lynda,
>
> I did not misunderstand you. That is why I made the statement about your
> philosophy before I said anything. Every artist, myself included, is free 
> to
> decide what they want to use in their art and the message that it
> represents. I have no problem with your philosophy.
>
> What I was stating, is that braille can be used in any medium and it does
> not need to be construed as a means of any type of written communication.
> Braille can be seen as simply a beautiful texture and this can be a design
> element even in pottery (you wouldn't use it, but anyone could). This is
> where the imagination is not limited by reality.
>
> My first degree is in photography (after switching from graphic design but
> wishing to also pursue drawing further). I am well versed in being 
> conscious
> of the message that I am communicating through my art and have 
> participated
> in several juried shows. "Crafting" is simply an extension of my art.
>
> Cindy
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>> River Woman
>> Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 8:48 AM
>> To: List for blind crafters and artists
>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Using braille in crafts,
>> was,Re: more picture info
>>
>>
>> Hi cindy,
>> I think you misunderstood what I was talking about or I did
>> not explain it
>> well.  Talking about this kind of thing in person is good,
>> but typing it in
>> an email leads to confusion and misunderstanding. I was discussing my
>> pottery, three dimensional sculptures.  I was not even thinking not
>> paper/text art works. The irony here is that for years I have
>> used texts in
>> my works on paper! Most is in German, some Italian.
>>
>> Of course, anything can be used in art in this way. I have
>> created  works
>> for years during my summers in Austria and the German
>> language/texts  is an
>> important aspect of my works.  It is used in fragments, and
>> nothing that can
>> be read entirely. The texts are used as design elements, in
>> layers, just as
>> your student friend used your Braille.
>>
>> These days, Spanish enters into a lot of my titles of works,
>> and even my
>> latest solo show title was in Spanish (Primal Garden...la vida
>> luminiscentes). This is because many of the works were
>> created from the
>> imagery I have in my mind of Puerto Rico, where I go every spring.
>>
>> The point here is clearly  that we bring to an art work is
>> WHO WE ARE as a
>> person.  So I bring to all I do, MY SELF. The things that engage my
>> imagination and my memories are what I choose to bring to the
>> world through
>> my work.  To bring Braille into my work would not be a truth
>> for me, as it
>> is not something that has any special meaning for ME. I would
>> be sharing
>> something that is not of interest to me, personally. And, why
>> would I choose
>> to do that? Art is about truth, and that is not my truth.
>>
>> I have many works that use torn and cut up texts, diary
>> pages, journal
>> drawings, and many other kinds of papers. I was not
>> addressing that at all.
>> Anything can be used as a design element.  But that
>> "anything" has to be
>> something that rings true to the person creating it.
>>
>> My pottery is based in ancient to medieval ideas and motifs.
>> It focuses on
>> the CLAY itstef and on process.
>> To use any kind of text on it would confuse the viewer and
>> would not be true
>> to my intentions for that work.
>>
>> I was talking about Braille as a means of communication in or
>> on a work of
>> art.  To anyone who cannot read it, it is just a curiosity and very
>> distracting.  It would take the focus of the work to a place
>> that I have no
>> intention of leading the viewer. Art works  tak the viewer on
>> a JOURNEY, and
>> if we are successful in the work, we take the viewer to a
>> destination. I
>> don't want  the  journey of my viewers to be "lost at sea."
>>
>> I don't know if this is clear or not - or helpful.
>> There is a very wide divide between crafts and art, and some
>> artists create
>> a bridge between the two. I use craft materials but my work is firmly
>> planted on the Art side of the divide.
>>
>> Lynda River Woman
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "slerythema" <slerythema at gmail.com>
>> To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'"
>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 2:50 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Using braille in crafts,
>> was,Re: more
>> picture info
>>
>>
>> > Lynda,
>> >
>> > I am not contesting your personal philosophy, however, your
>> statement,
>> > "the
>> > only thing that
>> > braille would communicate would be to a person who uses it." is not
>> > accurate.
>> >
>> > In my graduate creative writing class, I used braille for
>> my comments
>> > that
>> > I
>> > might make in class for each story and placed the sheet
>> with each of the
>> > stories. At the end of class, when we handed back the
>> stories, I would
>> > throw
>> > away my braille copies (printed comments were given back to the
>> > individuals). One of my classmates was also an artist, and
>> she took these
>> > pages of braille and cut them up and used them in her
>> artwork as texture.
>> > She could not read braille and was not interested in what
>> it might say and
>> > it was not placed on the artwork in any "readable" manner.
>> >
>> > Again, I have no problem with your views on text in your
>> artwork, just
>> > don't
>> > limit yourself that letters have to represent words, be
>> legible, or form
>> > anything other than a juxtaposition between positive and
>> negative space.
>> >
>> > Cindy S.
>> >
>> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> >> [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of River
>> >> Woman
>> >> Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 8:09 AM
>> >> To: List for blind crafters and artists
>> >> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Using braille in crafts,
>> >> was,Re: more picture info
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> When I was creating a series of large vessels last year I
>> thought of
>> >> putting braille words on my pots - but then I decided not to -
>> >> braille is not at all
>> >> of interest to me - I use all electronics - it is a personal
>> >> choice and I
>> >> decided that putting braille on my pots would be meaningless
>> >> to me, and our
>> >> art reflects who we are personally and braille would not
>> >> reflect me.  I
>> >> thought about the idea of communication through art, and the
>> >> only thing that
>> >> braille would communicate would be to a person who uses it. I
>> >> also thought
>> >> about the notion of putting a "sign" of my art - putting any
>> >> kind of words
>> >> in any manner on my vessels would make them didactic, and I
>> >> don't want to
>> >> limit anyone's imagination through use of any words or signs
>> >> on anything I
>> >> do. This is my personal art philosophy - I think about who my
>> >> audience will
>> >> be and how I will communicate to them - signs and words are
>> >> usually really
>> >> "stop signs" to most people. The exact opposite of what I
>> >> want my work to
>> >> do.
>> >>
>> >> With everything we do, we need to consider why we do it,
>> who we are
>> >> doing it for, and what the end goal of it is.
>> >> And, that is when it becomes art - when it expressed ideas
>> >> and concepts.
>> >>
>> >> Lynda River Woman
>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> From: "Denise Shaible" <denise.shaible at att.net>
>> >> To: "List for blind crafters and artists"
>> >> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> >> Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 2:10 AM
>> >> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Using braille in crafts,
>> >> was,Re: more
>> >> picture info
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> > Okay, as usual, I'm a little behind in reading all of
>> the posts I
>> >> > receive from Krafters Korner.  I just read this one about using
>> >> Braille in crafts.
>> >> > I was once involved with a ministry with my former church
>> >> in Pompano
>> >> > Beach, FL.  We needed to make crafts and send cards and
>> >> letters to those
>> >> > on retreat and I made a cross with full Braille cells.  I
>> >> put it on a book
>> >> > mark and another time, I made the cross on post cards and
>> >> wrote a note on
>> >> > the back. People who received these little gifts really
>> >> liked them and
>> >> > were fascinated by them as they had never seen crafts made
>> >> from Braille.
>> >> > I think large Braille dots would make some nice crafts for
>> >> borders, etc.
>> >> > I never got the chance to experiment with this but I think
>> >> it would work.
>> >> > this could be achieved with a slate and styllus.  I used a
>> >> Braille writer
>> >> > for the crosses, though.
>> >> >
>> >> > Regards,
>> >> >
>> >> > Denise
>> >> >
>> >> > -----Original Message-----
>> >> > From: Lindy van der Merwe
>> >> > Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 1:46 PM
>> >> > To: List for blind crafters and artists
>> >> > Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Using braille in crafts,
>> >> was,Re: more
>> >> > picture info
>> >> >
>> >> > Yes, Terry, I am currently checking out the program to
>> >> figure out what
>> >> > it can do. I have to figure out some of the terms and
>> >> concepts since
>> >> > it has been a long
>> >> > time since I have done these type of calculations.
>> >> > If anybody manages a drawing, please let us know. Even if
>> >> it just prints
>> >> > on
>> >> > a normal printer, I am sure my husband and children will
>> have some
>> >> > comments about my attempts at drawing (grin).
>> >> > Related to the subject of drawing without sight, I have
>> >> actually used
>> >> > braille in the past in some of my crafts. I normally used my
>> >> > Perkins Brailler, for instance, to make a frame around
>> an a5-sized
>> >> piece of paper
>> >> > for a birthday card or for a photo frame. I would sometimes
>> >> use a straight
>> >> > line or a pattern, like the ie-ie- combination, or similar.
>> >> I have also
>> >> > drawn some basic shapes in braille for my children to
>> >> colour or decorate.
>> >> > Lastly I have used braille for texture when folding origami
>> >> boxes, for
>> >> > instance. I would either do the braille myself or use
>> pages of old
>> >> > magazines. Lindy
>> >> >
>> >> > ----- Original Message -----
>> >> > From: "Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]" <Terry.Powers at nih.gov>
>> >> > To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'"
>> >> > <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> >> > Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 8:57 PM
>> >> > Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] more picture info
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >> Lindi;
>> >> >> If we can get this working, Look at the patern world it
>> >> would open up
>> >> >> to
>> >> >> you.  Any one you know in your country or in the US
>> could mail you
>> >> >> diagrams of paterns, shapes... It would open up a new way of
>> >> >> shairing paterns and ideas!
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Terry P.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> >> From: Lindy van der Merwe [mailto:stephlin at iafrica.com]
>> >> >> Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 2:23 PM
>> >> >> To: List for blind crafters and artists
>> >> >> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] more picture info
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Thank you, Joyce.
>> >> >> I find this all very interesting. I find the idea of
>> being able to
>> >> >> draw with a computer program, and as a blind person, quite
>> >> fascinating. I am
>> >> >> sure there are all kinds of uses for such a program, e.g.
>> >> being able to
>> >> >> draw simple shapes/pictures of basic objects, numbers and
>> >> letters for our
>> >> >> children, card making, scrap booking, and of course for
>> >> crafts that may
>> >> >> become more accessible by using such a program, not to
>> mention the
>> >> >> possibilities for blind students and teachers. Here in South
>> >> >> Africa, as in other countries, braille
>> >> printers are quite
>> >> >> expensive for the average blind person and there are only
>> >> a few places
>> >> >> that will do braille embossing; normally it can take a
>> >> long time too, so
>> >> >> there is a waiting period.
>> >> >> So, I would be interested in other ways of making the
>> print into a
>> >> >> tactile format, which will enable one to do a drawing,
>> >> print or emboss,
>> >> >> or whatever, and feel what you have drawn.
>> >> >> I also like the idea of being able to write a line of
>> >> text. I can see
>> >> >> some possibilities for this too.
>> >> >> Lindy
>> >> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> >> From: <Blindhands at aol.com>
>> >> >> To: <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> >> >> Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 7:47 PM
>> >> >> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] more picture info
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>> OK I found out what PIAF is.  By the way in case
>> anyone wants to
>> >> >>> know P I A F stands for pictures in a flash.  The machine that
>> >> >>> basically produces this is a heating unit.  The price
>> for it is
>> >> >>> $1399 plus $45 shipping. This only can produce black and white
>> >> >>> photos.  That is what  I
>> >> was told by
>> >> >>> a company that sells these babies.  Professor Baldwin
>> >> also  mentioned
>> >> >>> that the paper used to produce these graphics with this
>> >> cost 80 cents
>> >> >>> per sheet.
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> So that is that information for us.
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> Joyce  Kane
>> >> >>> _www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
>> >> >>> Blindhands at AOL.com
>> >> >>> _______________________________________________
>> >> >>> Nfb-krafters-korner mailing list Nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
>> >> >>>
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>> >>
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>> >> h
>> >> >>> lin%40iafrica.com
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> -----
>> >> >>> No virus found in this message.
>> >> >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> >> >>> Version: 10.0.1410 / Virus Database: 1520/3912 - Release Date:
>> >> >>> 09/22/11
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> >>> Version: 10.0.1410 / Virus Database: 1520/3912 - Release Date:
>> >>> 09/22/11
>> >>>
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>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> > e.shai
>> > ble%40att.net
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> > woman%
>> > 40zoominternet.net
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
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