Thanks to kindness and commitment, 24-year-old Jody Hanna has been able to expand her creative abilities.

Born with optic nerve hypoplasia, Hanna is blind.

A stem cell procedure in early 2012, funded in part through community funding, failed to return Hanna害羞草研究所檚 sight, but the irrepressible young woman has found a way to use her fingers to 害羞草研究所渟ee害羞草研究所� her artistic creations come to life at Inclusive Arts on Hudson Avenue.

害羞草研究所淭his is a small business so I couldn害羞草研究所檛 offer employment, but I said if she wants to come in and make things, I害羞草研究所檒l give her a section to sell her stuff,害羞草研究所� says owner Barb Belway of her response to Employment Service Centre job developer Carol Albrecht害羞草研究所檚 request. 害羞草研究所淪he started one day a week for a couple of hours and now comes in twice a week.害羞草研究所�

Hanna has her own little section, with her artist statement on the wall, and sold several items before Christmas.

害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 super outgoing and friendly and likes chatting with people,害羞草研究所� says Belway. 害羞草研究所淗er things are quite beautiful and intricate; she takes a stretch canvas and applies items to create collages 害羞草研究所� very mixed media.害羞草研究所�

Belway says Hanna害羞草研究所檚 creations are dependent on her song of the day.

Related:

害羞草研究所淗er very first one was a tribute to Michael Bubl茅害羞草研究所檚 It害羞草研究所檚 a Beautiful Day,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淪he took beads, buttons and paper. It害羞草研究所檚 very tactile and you害羞草研究所檙e supposed to feel it because it害羞草研究所檚 Jody害羞草研究所檚 expression of it.害羞草研究所�

With clay donated by Belway, Hanna is making her own buttons and beads in colours she chooses.

害羞草研究所淚 ask how does it make you feel? That害羞草研究所檚 the way she chooses, the way she experiences the concept of colour,害羞草研究所� Belway says.

害羞草研究所淲e discuss what would you like the project to feel 害羞草研究所� cool, wintry or hot summery, of sun and the beach? That害羞草研究所檚 kind of how I understand she views colour.害羞草研究所�

Belway encourages people to support Hanna by buying her various creative pieces of work.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not a charity; you害羞草研究所檙e getting something beautiful with a lot of love put into it.害羞草研究所�

The store does not take any of the proceeds from Hanna害羞草研究所檚 work. She takes home 75 per cent of her sales, with the remaining 25 per cent going to the Canadian Institute For the Blind.

For her part, Hanna is happy to report she is no longer bored and, while she likes working with clay, she much prefers her collages.

Related:

害羞草研究所淭hey feel good, textured. There害羞草研究所檚 all sorts of textured things on it, with lines, ridges, stripes, bumps and pom pom balls, puffy bumps, sparkles, grooves and divots,害羞草研究所� she says with enthusiasm. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been staying happy.害羞草研究所�

And that encourages Belway, who says a big part of what she does is to offer a place for people with special needs, who are under-represented, to enjoy creating art.

She has clients from Kindale, Shuswap Association for Community Living and Canadian Mental Health who are having fun and developing self-worth through projects that include painting, working with clay, ceramics, handicrafts and making seasonal objects.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 always something you can do.害羞草研究所�

Albrecht meanwhile, says Belway is helping people with various barriers and giving them 害羞草研究所渙ne more step害羞草研究所� to find employment.

害羞草研究所淯nless you害羞草研究所檝e met Jody and seen her work, it害羞草研究所檚 hard to know all the things she can do,害羞草研究所� Albrecht says, praising Belway for her generosity and willingness to teach Jody new things. 害羞草研究所淏arb is phenomenal, so giving of herself and her talents.害羞草研究所�

Belway, a longtime artist, says she enjoys many aspects of art, including painting, sculpting, stained glass, pottery and drawing.

And anyone can take advantage of the art opportunities available at Inclusive Arts: daytime and evening pottery classes (hand-building and wheel), walk-in ceramic painting, weekly craft/seasonal projects, Kid害羞草研究所檚 Club, daytime classes for home-schooled kids, Saturday morning kid crafting, coffee and colouring with weekly prizes, along with a coffee and tea bar.

Inclusive Arts is also a gift shop featuring products and works by local artisans, pottery made on-site in the studio, art supplies, art colouring books, jewelry and novelties.

newsroom@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on