What sort of art can a blind person produce?
Whatever kind they want to, I should think. But concept is perhaps more challenging for the young, sighted or not. I wanted to make something familiar with P, something with a recognisable shape which she could recreate herself out of material we could easily source. 3D is easier for her to revisit, (important if the work is to be meaningful), so we're tending towards papier mache construction.
I had played around with cardboard teacups at home (the idea pleases me - a cup made from paper). I took in the one I had made, and also a plastic cup and saucer I had bought from a jumble sale (remember those?) to give her a reference point.
I had a template I'd downloaded from the internet, and P fixed it together with tape and then covered it with glue and wrapping paper. She worked at giving the cardboard total coverage, and smoothing the paper down as much as she could, and I made one too, to keep her company.
Afterwards, though, it seemed that more was needed to make it into a 'piece'. So we typed 't' in braille, and cut them up into individual 't's. We suspended P's cup from a wooden frame, made by one of our maintenance staff, using invisible plastic thread, and glued mine to the deck. Then we threaded the ts together and put them on so they were spilling out of the cups.
My photos are hurried affairs, but you get the idea?
Certainly do get the idea. I love the project. I'm very taken by things which reference everyday objects but which are taken to a place other than the functional. Lucky P to have the experience of making something of her own - I hope she takes it and runs with it.
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