Friday, June 11, 2021

Cripendy Contest First Place: Blind Date by Carol Farnsworth


I am a blind artist. I rely on my memory and sense of touch to knit, shrink and produce felted art pieces. I have made felted animals for many years, but recently I have used animal figures to display challenged individuals. My art is to start a conversation with a humorous tableau. The second goal is to have an art piece that is touchable by blind and sighted persons.

The photo is "Blind Date". The figures are two pink pigs on a date. There is a leader dog in harness at the feet of the girl. While a white cane is located at the feet of the boy. Both pigs are talking and seated at a table with drinks and a lit candle. This shows that blind people can participate in normal activities. This art won first place in the craft division of the In Sight Art Contest in 2019.

Other art pieces I have exhibited, pictured age-related dementia and deaf/hard of hearing animals. Both have been in the In Sight Art Contest.

My work of felted wool makes the art easily explored by touch. This allows the blind and visual to experience the art with a different sense.

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Biography (in first person):  I was born with glaucoma but have become totally blind in the last four years. I have a teaching degree in regular and special education and a Master’s degree in Speech Pathology. I worked with mentally disabled adults (many were nonverbal). I learned to use many techniques to elicit communication.

Similarly, I will use many tools to deal with blindness. I will use braille, voice over, and Seri to assist me with writing.

Other interests include gardening, listening to audio books, and riding a tandem bike, which my husband John and I have been doing for 22 years.

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