Going by the speculations of many, it appears that there are limited opportunities for differently-abled artists. This school of thought is not in any way reliable, discard it. There is no limit to the forms of art to exploit as a differently-abled artist. Art exists as a world of its own, full of possibilities and opportunities.
There are many engaging activities that art offers and that you can involve yourself in, and these are all beautiful in their way.
Arts Shouldn’t Be Limited to Drawing Alone
The image imprinted on the minds of many people when it comes to the choice of craftsmanship for differently-abled individuals is “drawing.” That’s pretty shallow if you’d ask me. Art goes beyond inscribing some image on a piece of paper. Drawing is simply an expression of the big “world” of arts. There are many more expressions. Some of them include crafting, modeling, graphics designing, and even writing. Before exploring any form of art, it is essential to put all the aforementioned in mind.
As a differently-abled artist, you can exploit one or more of the many forms of art today. Technology has increasingly made it easier for artists to become ambidextrous. You can be so skilled in drawing and in many other art forms in the world we live in today.
Other Forms of Arts That Differently-Abled Artists Can Exploit
Sculpting
One exquisite form of art is the ability to carve out objects such as wood, metals, or rocks into different shapes and textures. Doing this is very possible today with technology. For example, wood sculpting involves cutting large planks of wood into smaller boards. Differently-abled wood sculptors have technological advancements to thank. For instance, the development of sophisticated equipment such as jointer planer machines to remove a thin strip of wood or to smooth out boards in a fraction can help them achieve exceptional results.
Music
Music is a significant and popular form of art. It involves making sounds with your voice (singing) or with other instruments. Research shows that music has a therapeutic effect on humans and can be soothing to the soul and the body. Music is one acceptable form of art to explore.
Writing
Arts is truly one big world to explore. Writing is as powerful as it can be when it is correctly done. With this craft, it is possible to create a world of your own, void of evil, full of darkness, or as you so wish. You can also express real-life situations that will engage the minds of readers.
Drama
Drama is a performing art that involves acting out written scripts. This genre of literature is fictitious. It requires your whole being. In ancient times, people performed in front of small groups of people. Today, the scope of this art has dramatically expanded, no pun intended. Drama works hand in hand with writing and is a widely accepted form of art to explore.
Oral Literature
Also known as spoken words. Oral literature has been in existence since the time of the ancient Greek famous author, Homer. Homer, a blind man, produced one of the most outstanding books of all time – known as “Odyssey” through oral literature. As drama, this genre also works simultaneously with writing. Oral literature, as the name implies, involves narrating a written text by speaking. Individuals with good diction, vocabulary skills, and fluent speech are more likely to succeed in oral literature. Oral literature involves narrating a written poem, a novel, a script, and many more.
Graphic or Interior Design
This form of art is the most similar to drawing. It involves imprinting images on an object, shaping, or crafting items to make them look more attractive. Almost everything that we do in the world today consists of design. Be it on fabrics, kitchen utensils, flyers and posters, walls, name it. More forms of art are suitable for differently-abled artists. As earlier stated, the world of creativity is full of thousands and thousands of expressions. All you need to do is discover what you do best and tailor your talents to any of these expressions.
Tools and Techniques That Are Useful for Differently-Abled Artists
In the world we live in today, things are vastly becoming more favorable for differently-abled artists. New inventions are popping out of the air daily. These inventions go a long way in enhancing creativity and, in the long run, productivity. Some categories of newly invented tools and techniques for differently-abled artists include:
- Assistive and Adaptive Technology which involves the use of adaptive and rehabilitative devices to help differently-abled artists improve their work rate
This invention dramatically enhances independence on the part of an artist. You virtually do not need to rely on every other person’s skills. Adaptive Technology is a subset of assistive technology. It ensures mobility and more astonishing performances for your craftsmanship.
- Studio Assistants are most useful for substantial scale artistry. It involves people who help to perform administrative duties and other functions such as scheduling appointments, answering emails, and many more. These individuals help to handle daily operations of the studio while you devote more time to your artistry.
Some studio assistants are also creative, and having them work with you promotes collaborations. Collaboration is significant in the arts. Having humans as helping hands usually improves productivity.
Famous and Successful Differently-Abled Artists
Michelangelo
Michelangelo was a differently-abled artist yet was famous for his impressive sculptures. He developed kidney stones and had significant issues with using his hands.
Paul Klee
Paul Klee was a painter, a poet, and a philosopher. He made a large number of widely recognized paintings and sketches despite suffering from “Scleroderma.”
Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya is one of the best portrait painters in history. He suffered from numerical problems, headaches, hearing loss, dizziness, and more. Still, the performance of his visual art did not deteriorate.
The world awaits men and women who will rise above their challenges and make positive impacts in the world.Art is full and is for all.
