<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello, All,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>My name is Ann Edie, and I have just subscribed to this list. I am blind and have recently retired from working as a teacher of blind children. Although I have not made tactile art or graphics for sale or as a profession, I have been interested in drawing and sculpting using many different types of materials since I was a child. I have been following Ann Cunningham for a while and have heard descriptions of some of her work, which sounds quite wonderful. I haven’t had the opportunity to “see” it in person, but I would love to have that chance some time. I can’t wait to hear the discussions on this list. I don’t know whether I will have anything to contribute, but I would like to participate for my own education and pleasure. When I was working with blind children in schools, I always felt it was very important to give them many opportunities to both explore and create their own representations and artworks. Since pictures and art are such an important motivator and information source for sighted children, I have always felt that these are also important for blind children as well. And above all, tactile art and graphics are simply very attractive and pleasurable to me and they certainly stimulate creativity and fun.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I can’t wait to hear from this group!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ann Edie<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:annedie@nycap.rr.com">annedie@nycap.rr.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>