Ink Zentangle Highland Calf – Faerie Bear Art

An ink illustration of a highland calf who is galloping towards the right. This artwork contains an embedded words, "Productivity does not define your worth. Your worth is unconditional."
An ink illustration of a highland calf who is galloping towards the right. This artwork contains an embedded words, “Productivity does not define your worth. Your worth is unconditional.”

About the Art

I created this shortly after my chronic lyme diagnosis and after beginning the first several months of treatment.  As my ability to work and be “productive” in ways that are rewarded by capitalism have decreased, I’ve been struggling to disentangle self-worth from ideas of productivity.  This is valuable and important and hard. I’m learning to listen to my body more and trust my own emotions.  I used to ignore pain, fatigue, and my emotional state to force myself through work.  Now if I cry, I know it’s because I’m too tired and I’m reaching meltdown status.  I need to stop and rest. Let’s create a world together in which people are valued for their humanity, not their productivity.

About Faerie Bear Art

Faerie Bear Art is an art adventure by Skye Ashton Kantola (she/they) founded in late 2016. Skye is a fat, white, trans, queer, and intersex, chronically ill autistic person. Skye’s art focuses on trauma healing and uplifting marginalized communities. 10% of all art sales are donated to BreakOUT! Youth, a QTPOC youth lead organization focused on abolition and decriminalization in Louisiana. In some cases, the profits from certain pieces are also split with collaborators.

Ink Zentangle Mule Deer – Faerie Bear Art

A mule deer is facing left with a small butterfly settled on the deer's tail. The deer is designed with various zentangles throughout their body and along their ribs, text reads, "I believe you". There are also some watermarks directing people to Faerie Bear Art on various platforms.
A mule deer is facing left with a small butterfly settled on the deer’s tail. The deer is designed with various zentangles throughout their body and along their ribs, text reads, “I believe you”. There are also some watermarks directing people to Faerie Bear Art on various platforms.

About the Art

I started making this when I attended the Annual National Solving the Campus Sexual Assault & Dating Violence Puzzle Conference (Puzzles for short).  The conference had been partly delayed and the schedule derailed due to an unexpected snow storm along the eastern seaboard and I happened to be one of the few people able to attend both days as planned.  One of the keynote speakers wasn’t able to arrive until the second day and she ended up kicking off the conference then.  I was having a particularly challenging time with my health while attending this conference and was doodling as I listened to the keynote speaker present about solidarity, survivorship, believing and supporting survivors.  

I think about the valuing in believing people and what that means often, especially WHO is believed and who isn’t.  Whose stories are prioritized and who do those stories serve?  For example, what proportion of the stories about people with disabilities actually come from us? And when we do get to share our own stories, how often are we expected to fit within the able-bodied framework of inspiration porn? What happens to the stories that don’t serve dominant frameworks of our value to society or our “quality of life”?

About Faerie Bear Art

Faerie Bear Art is an art adventure by Skye Ashton Kantola (she/they) founded in late 2016. Skye is a fat, white, trans, queer, and intersex, chronically ill autistic person. Skye’s art focuses on trauma healing and uplifting marginalized communities. 10% of all art sales are donated to BreakOUT! Youth, a QTPOC youth lead organization focused on abolition and decriminalization in Louisiana. In some cases, the profits from certain pieces are also split with collaborators.

Ink Zentangle Sloth – Faerie Bear Art

An ink illustration of a sloth facing the 4th wall while hanging from their hands on a not-drawn branch or pole while their chubby legs dangle below them. Text on their tummy reads, "Slowing down is strength, too. Take rest. Hold space. Flap it out. You deserve your love." There are also several watermarks on the last photo linking people to other Faerie Bear Art platforms.
An ink illustration of a sloth facing the 4th wall while hanging from their hands on a not-drawn branch or pole while their chubby legs dangle below them. Text on their tummy reads, “Slowing down is strength, too. Take rest. Hold space. Flap it out. You deserve your love.” There are also several watermarks on the last photo linking people to other Faerie Bear Art platforms.

About the Art

This sloth resonates deeply with me as a chronically ill autistic person. I need the reminder – and maybe you do, too? – that slowing down is good.  It’s not strength to push through and hurt ourselves or exhaust ourselves.  Sloths are the queens of Slowing Down and I need more sloth energy in my life, including taking things at my own pace, enjoying my round tummy, and doing things for fun.

About Faerie Bear Art

Faerie Bear Art is an art adventure by Skye Ashton Kantola (she/they) founded in late 2016. Skye is a fat, white, trans, queer, and intersex, chronically ill autistic person. Skye’s art focuses on trauma healing and uplifting marginalized communities. 10% of all art sales are donated to BreakOUT! Youth, a QTPOC youth lead organization focused on abolition and decriminalization in Louisiana. In some cases, the profits from certain pieces are also split with collaborators.

Indiana Culturally Affirming Healthy Sexuality Education & Resources for People with Cognitive and Developmental Disabilities

This page will provide contact and program information for organizations in Indiana that provide healthy sexuality education supported by organizational policies:

AccessAbility

  • Type: disability services
  • Mission:   The result is that our communities are enriched through the full participation of ALL PEOPLE. Building advocates and inclusive communities.
  • Services: Provide individual consumers, governmental agencies, corporations and other non-profits with the tools necessary to ensure the acceptance, respect and inclusion of everyone. 
  • Location:  9105 East 56th Street Suite 308 Indianapolis, IN 46216
  • Phone:   (317) 926-1660
  • Fax:   (317) 926-1687
  • Email: info@abilityindiana.org
  • Website:  http://www.abilityindiana.org/

The Arc of Indiana

  • Type: disability services; Policy advocacy and direct services
  • Mission:   The Arc of Indiana is committed to all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities realizing their goals of living, learning, working and fully participating in the community.
  • Services: pooled special needs trust, advocacy network, support in applying for medicaid, medicaid waviers, SSI, SSDI, vocational rehab, career counseling, community living options, lifecourse framework, supported decision making, education for consumers and providers, health insurance education, audio and visual resources
  • Locations:  https://www.arcind.org/about-the-arc/local-chapters/ 
  • Phone: 800-382-9100
  • Fax: 317-977-2385
  • Email:   https://www.arcind.org/contact-us/ 
  • Website:  https://www.arcind.org/ 

Indiana Institute on Disability and Community (IIDC)

  • Type: disability services; advocacy, education, community services, research
  • Mission:   to work with communities to welcome, value, and support the meaningful participation of people of all ages and abilities through research, education, and service. 
  • Services: Interdisciplinary pre-service preparation and continuing education; Research, including basic or applied research, evaluation, and public policy analysis; Information dissemination; and Community services, including training, technical assistance, and model demonstration.
  • Location: 1905 North Range Road, Bloomington, IN 47408-9801 (https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/contact-us-map )
  • Phone:  812-855-6508
  • Fax:  812-855-9630 
  • Email:  iidc@indiana.edu
  • Website:   https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/ 

Self-Advocates of Indiana (SAI)

  • Type: disability services; Personal Advocacy
  • Mission:   Self-advocacy is important because it is a way for people to know that all people, including people with disabilities, have rights. We help people understand that we want to be treated with respect. It is a way for our voices to be heard.
  • Services: education, state and local advocacy, resource consolidation
  • Location: 143 W. Market Street, Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN  46204
  • Phone:  317-977-2375 
  • Fax:  317-977-2385 
  • Email:  https://www.saind.org/contact-us/ 
  • Website:  https://www.saind.org/ 

The Village of Merici

  • Type: disability services; direct services
  • Mission:  The Village of Merici, Inc  provides residential and community opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities that promote a strong sense of community. By creating a sense of community we will create a sense of belonging.
  • Services: provides residential supported living and community integration services to individuals with developmental disabilities. The Village of Merici is an approved provider through the Bureau of Developmental Disabilities (BDDS) Waiver programs and is accredited through CARF International.
  • Location:  5707 Lawton Loop East Drive, Indianapolis  IN 46216
  • Phone: 317-292-9408
  • Email:   colleenrenie@villageofmerici.org 
  • Website: http://villageofmerici.org/

Credit

Post written by Skye Ashton Kantola, Assistant Director, Multicultural Efforts to End Sexual Assault, kantola@purdue.edu and  Cierra Olivia Thomas-Williams, Prevention Specialist, Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV), cwilliams@icadvinc.org.