LSSU welcomes in artists in Disability Art Gallery event

Dozens of pieces of artwork were on display Tuesday afternoon at Lake Superior State University’s Kenneth J. Shouldice Library as part of the inaugural Disability Art Gallery which the LSSU Accessibility Services hosted.

It was part of the day’s events where at 1 p.m., Lucia Rios, who was born with spina bifida, talked about her journey as a first-generation college graduate, navigating life as a person with a physical and invisible disability, and how her passion for access and inclusion has shaped her life in ways many didn’t think possible.

Then from 4 p.m.-6 p.m., artwork from those with various disabilities was on display. Visitors came to view art by created by talented artists who also answered any questions about their work.

Hannah Burton-Parrish, the Accessibility Coordinator at LSSU, organized the events.

“I’m extremely grateful for the support we have from the LSSU community and the Sault Ste. Marie community to support our artists. We have had a lot of positive feedback,” Burton-Parrish said.

A handful of artists, all with varying disabilities, proudly displayed their work and took time out to answer any questions.

“All of our artists are standing in front of their art and as I walked by, I just heard a lot of positive feedback.  It was heart-warming to come together and share in the positives of disabilities, community, and togetherness.  Everybody has their own style and their own story. It’s been great,” Burton-Parish said.

One artist, Shyann Strong, who is a freshman at LSSU, has numerous disabilities two of which are fibromyalgia and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).  

Strong said she started drawing as far back as she can remember being only a few years old.

“It’s a way I can express myself within a way that I only can. I did track and field for six whole years. I can’t do that anymore. There are a lot of things I can’t do right now but I can sit down and just put my feelings into something productive,” Strong said.

One picture she composed, an eye with the outer edges of the printer shattered, says it goes deeper than one might think.

“When you look at something, it may not be completely broken. For instance, when you look at me. I may look completely normal, but in a way, I am not broken even though my body is not put together properly.  You may not realize that until you start talking to me as a person so you can only see what you know,” Strong said.

Despite Strong’s disabilities, she maintains a positive attitude.

“I have to. I have days where I am just done. I can’t do it anymore, but then I start doing this (art) or I talk to Hannah, and after a couple of days, I get myself back up,” Strong said.

Lucia Rios, the guest speaker earlier in the day, also attended the Disability Art Gallery and talked with the artists.

Rios has spina bifida and uses opportunities like these to reach out to those who have disabilities or those who know people who do.

“I think it’s great that Hannah was really big in moving this forward.  I think it’s important to get the conversation going, especially at a university because there is such a stigma about disabilities and what they are,” Rios said.

Burton-Parrish says the art was from 12 different local artists, including one as young as six years old who has autism, and one artist from downstate in the gallery. Each artist had a story to tell through their work.

“I think it’s extremely important to show positives. I think when people think of the word ‘disability’ they automatically associate it with deficits and what you can’t do. They don’t think about what experience they bring, what unique perspectives they have, the ingenuity they have, and the creativity they have. We also need to focus on what people with disabilities have to share, and what they have to enrich our community, and art is just one of those things,” Burton-Parish concluded.