NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table is hyperlinked to each article! WELCOME – by Martyn Sibley ...............................................................................................................................................................................................3 Differently abled through digital art .....................................................................................................................................................................................4 Viewing disability and difference through the eye of a lens ................................................................................................................................................7 Disability art and Turning Points ...........................................................................................................................................................................................9 Accessibility with style .........................................................................................................................................................................................................11 The British Paraorchestra: recruiting new talents ..............................................................................................................................................................13 Q&A with one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy .............................................................................................................................................................14 Q&A with Paralympic swimmer Hannah Russell ................................................................................................................................................................16 Invisible disabilities: small gestures and big impressions ..................................................................................................................................................18 Wheelchair pool and snooker: inclusive sports ..................................................................................................................................................................20 Disability products: really useful things from Such and Such Design ................................................................................................................................22 IN-abled.com: inspiration and disabilities...........................................................................................................................................................................24 Accessible New York.............................................................................................................................................................................................................26 Last minute accessible Christmas breaks ............................................................................................................................................................................29 Accessible Paris.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................31 Sponsored post: enjoying an accessible Mediterranean holiday .......................................................................................................................................33 Success in business: PA Pool and the Association of Colleges Gold Award .......................................................................................................................34 Accessible holidays in Tenerife ............................................................................................................................................................................................36 Rust and Bone: a film review ...............................................................................................................................................................................................38 Arlene on the Scene: disability and children’s books .........................................................................................................................................................41 News round-up: week ending 2nd November......................................................................................................................................................................43 News round-up: week ending 9th November ......................................................................................................................................................................44 News round-up: week ending 23rd November ....................................................................................................................................................................45 DISABILITY HORIZONS – Our Vision and Structure .............................................................................................................................................................46 WELCOME – by Martyn & Srin Welcome to this exciting first edition of our e-newsletter. Disability Horizons has been running for over 18 months now with a wealth of positive, practical and perfect articles written by you, the DH community. Our website is reaching an amazing 20,000 people every month. However, we know there are many more disabled people, friends/family and disability professionals who would benefit from, and bring even more to our next generation view of disability. We have also seen a brilliant shift in the attitudes of non-disabled people towards disability since the Paralympic Games. Therefore, we know there's an even larger group of people with whom we can share the love. By grabbing all of our articles at the end of each month, packing them into this e-newsletter and sprinkling a few extras on top, we hope you can devour the goodness of Disability Horizons a little easier. Please do subscribe to the Disability Horizons weekly email by clicking HERE, email your friends/networks, share the link on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc to ensure everyone can get involved. 2013 is looking bright, so stay tuned for more amazing articles, Twitter discussions and some awesome new projects, just for you! DISABILITY HORIZONS: NEWSLETTER - December 2012, Page 3 Differently abled through digital art Published 5th November 2012 I developed an impressionistic painting style resonates extremely well with my audience; because ‘dabbing motions’ were physically some of my most popular pieces have that easier for me to do than actual brushstrokes. South Florida-beachy theme. I mainly worked with acrylics and was heavily I have tried experimenting with some inspired by Monet. As I began to lose the use autumn settings this year and have been of my hands I was forced to come up with a pleased with the results, so that is A rising star, digital artist AJ Brockman different way to be productive and express something I might continue to develop. I’m creates traditional and modern art using myself. I found the answer at high school constantly dabbling in other styles and computer software. We asked AJ to talk us when I took a course called Commercial Art subjects. through how he started creating art, his Technology and learned to use computer influences, and the success he has had. software for graphic design. Can you start by telling us a little about Once I mastered the tools and programmes, yourself? the transition from using brushes to using a My name is AJ Brockman and I’m a digital computer was seamless. I create all of my artist. I also have spinal muscular atrophy artwork by manipulating the computer I try to have at least one piece that (SMA), a progressive neuromuscular disease, touchpad with literally one finger on my left everyone can relate to, but again, I paint and have been using a wheelchair since the hand. Creating a full work of art is an what I’m in the mood to paint, which is age of two. My disability definitely influences extremely time-consuming process, but actually the biggest reason I decided to who I am but it does not define me either as through it I am able to achieve maximum pursue fine art. I was tired of the an artist or as an individual. I view myself as precision and detail. I then use sophisticated commercial art industry and having to being ‘differently abled’ rather than printing methods to put my work onto canvas strictly adhere to an art director’s or client’s ‘disabled’ and I live life to the fullest every and even metal. vision. I have started to accept more day. commission work lately, everything from What inspires your work? pet portraits to client-directed landscapes. How did you get into digital art? I usually just paint what I am in the mood to With every new project I do a lot of It was probably out of necessity more than paint. That said, for me, living in South Florida research into the emotional connection the anything else. As a kid I still had fairly good is like living in paradise, so I draw lots of client has to the subject, historical use of my hands and was able to paint inspiration from the beachside lifestyle here. significance and/or reason for the chosen traditionally using a paint brush. Not only is this something I truly enjoy, but it subject matter. (cont.) DISABILITY HORIZONS: NEWSLETTER - December 2012, Page 4 Differently abled through digital art (cont.) Published 5th November