Image description: A high contrast digital image. The background image is an abstract photo that has been flooded with colour – bright pink and dark grey, a person is just visible in the centre of the image. In the top-right corner a white flower is overlaid over the other image with transparency allowing the background colours to show through. In the bottom-left there is a blue image overlaid of a tulip with bright yellow accents. Braille dots have been overlaid over the image reading:
‘Better to be blind and see with your heart than have two good eyes and see nothing.’
I’m Millie-Jayne, I’m from Yorkshire and I am a university student. I was born with Nystagmus and a rare condition called Septo Optic Dysplasia that affects 1 in 10,00 people. I am blind in one eye and have 15% light perception left in my left eye. Before losing a lot more of my sight I loved art and photography, but after losing my sight I thought I’d have to give up my creative side forever.
I am design student at university as you can imagine this prompts a lot of questions.
A blind artist? You can make art while being blind?
The answer is yes I can!
I work with digital art, working with multiple exposure, layering different images together while using high contrast colours and braille. I use different accessible apps as well as voice over on my laptop to help me create my work in a way that is accessible for me.
I’m still glad I’m able to do some form of art and don’t have to give up all the creative artsy stuff I love since being registered blind. I just have to adapt and find new ways to do it. Being blind doesn’t change who I am just how I do things.
Image description: A high contrast digital image of three black kittens huddled together on a bright pink background. In the bottom left is black silhouette of a castle-like building. Braille dots have been overlaid over the image reading:
‘It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.’
Image description: A high contrast digital image. A male who wears glasses, has no hair and wears a collarless shirt and braces smiles to camera. The image of two other heads facing in different directions are overlaid over a mottled background. Braille dots have been overlaid over the image reading:
‘Don’t stop thinking bout tomorrow.’
Image description: A high contrast digital image. The background is a gradient of colours from yellow, to orange and purple. A high contrast image of fairground rides – a swing ride and a big wheel. Braille dots have been overlaid over the image reading:
‘Peace.’
To see more of Millie-Jayne’s art and follow here posts you can follow her on social media.
Instagram: @the.way.i.see.it.mj and Facebook: The Way I See It
