Disability Without Limits

By Johnson Simons

This painting depicts someone with a disability, jumping from brick to brick defying their physical limitations, and overcoming the odds that life throws at them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Johnson Simon

I have always been interested in body movement and when an opportunity was presented to me to attend a dance recital exhibition nine years ago on the Western Michigan University campus, I was excited to attend.  Viewing the dancers and their freedom of movement inspired me to display movement in my painting.  I was stimulated to create my first dance focused expressionistic painting.  Dancing is to me, the art of moving lightly and quickly with the skill of communicating my emotion.  As someone with a disability, movement impacts me on a daily basis.   In order to help gain more knowledge of motion and movement, I used several sources of movement for research and to enhance ideas. I watch several videos of dancing to help in determining the type of movement I wanted to present in my painting.  I studied the movement of people: walking, running, swimming, and sky diving.  I then had my own walking and stepping up and down stairways videotaped. I discovered that my walking has a rhythm to it.  To further enhance my study of movement I attended several dancing classes to sketch the dancer’s movements for effect.  My painting is a representation of me dancing.  I am able to make broad and sweeping motions with my paint brush and transfer that motion and feeling of movement onto the canvas to express myself.  In my artistic work, I am able to move freely about without limitations.  I use bright colors to represent the body movement throughout the surface.  

My artwork is a way for me to express or transfer how I would move freely and uninterrupted. I can run, walk, jump, and I can dance without being bound to limitations when I paint. Zm and draw. I believe the paint brush is an extension of me and represents my idea of movement on canvas.

www.artbyjohnsonsimon.com

A man with medium brown skin, with short black hair, wearing glasses, and smiling broadly in front of a white background.

A man with medium brown skin, with short black hair, wearing glasses, and smiling broadly in front of a white background.

Online Community is Community

By Melody Miller

Image Description; Digital art of a sideview of an anime-inspired female. She has dark waving hair and wearing black clothes. She is sitting cross-legged on the floor, typing on a laptop computer. Her expression is of joy and peace. The background is pink with swirls and hearts. The words "You are not alone" are written on the background.

Image Description; Digital art of a sideview of an anime-inspired female. She has dark waving hair and wearing black clothes. She is sitting cross-legged on the floor, typing on a laptop computer. Her expression is of joy and peace. The background is pink with swirls and hearts. The words “You are not alone” are written on the background.

Quote from the artist, “In my art, I tend to focus on one subject to emphasize the individual experience and how complex every single person is. For this artwork, I wanted to show the importance of an online community and how even if you feel alone physically, there are always other people out there, whether online or in-person.”

ABOUT THE ARTIST: Melody Miller

Melody Miller (she/they) is an autistic queer person who has been familiar with disabilities all their life through friends, family, and their own personal experiences. Their favorite way to express the vibrancy of their inner world is through their art, where they tend to focus on one subject to emphasize the individual experience and how complex every single person is.

Embracing Life’s Challenges: The Journey of an Autistic Person with Epilepsy, Autism, and ADHD

Written and Art by Ash Ward

Image Description: A disabled trans male being told He's enough and the person saying that is making him feel important. Surrounded by the disabilities he has, the pain of having them are fading farther away once he hears those words of encouragement.


 Image Description: A disabled trans male being told He’s enough and the person saying that is making him feel important. Surrounded by the disabilities he has, the pain of having them are fading farther away once he hears those words of encouragement.

 Living with disabilities is a unique journey that shapes one’s perspective and invites a myriad of experiences. Today, I tell you my life story of navigating through the complexities of autism, epilepsy, and ADHD. It was a long process, and I surely struggled, but it became harder and the road to where I am today was, indeed, bumpy.

 • Discovering Differences

From an early age, I began to notice my innate differences from my peers. My initial encounters with autism manifested in distinct communication and interaction patterns. Socializing became an intricate dance that required both patience and understanding from those around me. Despite these challenges, I found solace in my burgeoning creativity and unique perspectives on the world.

 • Epilepsy’s Unpredicted Twists

As life unfolded, epilepsy unexpectedly entered the stage, adding another layer to my journey. Seizures brought forth uncertainty and fear, each episode altering their path momentarily. However, with resilience and support, I discovered ways to manage my condition, embracing life’s unpredictability with open arms. Medication played a huge part, but overcoming my fear helped.

 • The Dual Nature of ADHD

ADHD joined the ensemble, introducing a whirlwind of hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and difficulty concentrating. It challenged my ability to stay on task, especially in school, and sometimes made me feel restless in an environment designed for neurotypical individuals. Nevertheless, their ADHD became a catalyst for innovation, enabling me to approach my problems from unique angles and harness my boundless energy for creative pursuits.

 •The Obstacles

Life was far from smooth sailing, as societal stigmas and misconceptions surrounding disabilities often stood in the way of my progress. I faced educational barriers and workplace discrimination various points in their life. However, with determination, advocacy, and the invaluable support of friends, family, and mentors (staff in my previous and current homing situations), I overcame these obstacles.

 • Finding a Voice

In my quest for self-acceptance and resilience, I discovered an artistic outlet that allowed me to share their experiences. With writing, Drawing, or any creative medium, I was able to express my unique perspective on the world, enlightening society on the true nature of disabilities and eroding the boundaries between neurodiversity and the mainstream.

 • Embracing Neurodiversity

The journey towards self-acceptance led me to embrace the concept of neurodiversity. I became passionate advocates, fostering inclusivity and understanding within their communities. My experiences with epilepsy, autism, and ADHD gave me invaluable insights into the diverse tapestry of human existence and the beauty that lies within the differences we all possess.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ash Ward

I am Ash Ward. My pronouns are He/they and I am 23 years old. I enjoy drawing and listening to music. I like helping others and volunteering at animal shelters!

 

Image Description: Trans man with pink fluffy hair, hazel eyes and an anime shirt on Trans man with pink fluffy hair, hazel eyes and an anime shirt on


Image Description: Trans man with pink fluffy hair, hazel eyes and an anime shirt on Trans man with pink fluffy hair, hazel eyes and an anime shirt on

Masking Pains

G. Rice


 Image Description: digital drawing of a cartoonish person standing in a grey and plain landscape, looking up at the viewer with a hand extended forward, offering a hand shake. The person is wearing a polo shirt and long pants along with a mask showing a smiling face, all the same color as the background. The person is vibrant blue, their arms, hair, and exhausted eyes visible.

 

“Masking Pains” is about the difficulty in trying to get employment and housing when you’re forced to hide your symptoms as best you can in interviewing processes.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: G. Rice

 

I’m 23 years old and have been drawing digitally for around a decade now. I started drawing regularly after discovering anime at 12 but my current art and writing is more inspired by the humour and surrealism of the 90s and 00s cartoons I grew up on. I’m a very big fan of horror in multiple mediums (games, art, writing, movies, etc.) and am part of goth, punk, and metal head subcultures which have influenced the style and content of my art.