THESIS PROJECT

ARTIST STATEMENT

Dyslexia changes the way millions of people read and process information which then shapes self-image and confidence. As a dyslexic, expressing myself through writing has always been a struggle. Starting at a young age, I knew I had to learn differently than others because my peers were reading, writing, and speaking effortlessly while I had an incredible time trying to do any one of them. I learned over time that, though I had to work harder with reading and writing, I excelled at other things. Throughout my different challenges interpreting writing, creating art has always been the vehicle that helped me work through the problems. Though it was tough to overcome, I often had people who constantly encouraged and helped me, such as my parents, teachers, and tutors. In my work, I try to express these frustrations with dyslexia in different ways by creating a new form of visual communication. This new language breaks down the traditional writing components into three-dimensional planar forms by using fabrication and rearranged letters. 

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My own personal frustrations with language have driven my artistic ideas for a long time. The works in this exhibition are composed of materials such as sheet metal, various castings, copper wire, and wood. I am drawn to these materials because of the possible complexity and fluidity that each material is capable of achieving. By bringing all these materials together with my concepts, I have created various compositions that reflect some of the challenges associated with dyslexic learning. The resulting forms are intended to give the viewer the feeling of having dyslexia by creating a situation where they themselves struggle to read the writings presented. The painted and jumbled letters distract and confuse the viewer while the cut letters in the human forms express self-image and how complex, confusing, and difficult language can be for a dyslexic.  

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My work intends to bring awareness about not only my own trials with dyslexia, but also to others who deal with the affliction. It intends to depict the intangible, mental struggles which are not visible to the everyday person. For those people that do not exactly know what dyslexia feels like, I hope to reflect those frustrations and help create a better understanding for the viewer. The importance of bringing more awareness to this issue is so that hopefully one day society can better assist a person who needs intervention and accommodation.