In this presentation, Ranae Lee-Nasir reflects on the development of adults with disabilities over twenty years and now envisions how to create more person-centred art-making experiences.
This submission is a live experience of a freelance visual arts educator in Singapore. I reflected on the development of adults with disabilities over twenty years and now, I envision how to create more person-centred art-making experiences.
My observation is that the change in the education for persons with disabilities is an influential environment because the school setting is one of the few community-based support systems.
As an artist-teacher when I start a workshop for persons with disabilities. I learned that to be mindful of their educational background and adjust my content and delivery to meet the profile before interest.
Between 2001 - 2015, workshops for adults with disabilities over 25 years old. I noticed that I had to design projects that were simple by way of content and skill were focused on skills such as filling in a space. Many were fearful to make decisions and preferred to copy an existing piece or follow my lead.
From 2015, a shift where adults with disabilities were willing to put forth an original idea, focused on a medium to help themselves sharpen their interest in art making. This resulted in strong creations and even merchandise by the adults as a form of income.
This presentation was given at The Next Chapter: 2nd Artist-Teacher in Adult Community Learning Conference in 2024.