Comments on: Disabled Art – Interview with Digital Artist Andrew Reach http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/disabled-art-interview-with-digital-artist-andrew-reach/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=disabled-art-interview-with-digital-artist-andrew-reach Motivating and Inspiring People with Physical Disabilities! Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Andrew Reach http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/disabled-art-interview-with-digital-artist-andrew-reach/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Andrew Reach Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:29:49 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=271#comment-33 Hi Jill, Thanks so much for contacting me. You have been through so much. I'm sorry about the loss of your beloved husband. I applaud your bravery to persevere. If I hadn't become disabled I don't know if I would have found the art either. So, like you, I look at it as a blessing, a silver lining to the dark clouds. When I do my art, the pain doesn't go away but it travels to a place at the periphery of my brain. There are fleeting moments, that I forget about the pain and those are golden. I hope you get to the Tate someday and keep up the painting on the good days. Please email me some pics of your work if you have any to andrew.reach@gmail.com. I'd love to see it. Peace, Andrew Hi Jill,
Thanks so much for contacting me. You have been through so much. I’m sorry about the loss of your beloved husband. I applaud your bravery to persevere. If I hadn’t become disabled I don’t know if I would have found the art either. So, like you, I look at it as a blessing, a silver lining to the dark clouds. When I do my art, the pain doesn’t go away but it travels to a place at the periphery of my brain. There are fleeting moments, that I forget about the pain and those are golden. I hope you get to the Tate someday and keep up the painting on the good days. Please email me some pics of your work if you have any to andrew.reach@gmail.com. I’d love to see it.
Peace, Andrew

]]> By: Jill Smith http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/disabled-art-interview-with-digital-artist-andrew-reach/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Jill Smith Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:02:40 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=271#comment-29 Hi Andrew, l just got this article on a google allert and had to get in touch. I have been disabled in a chair for 26 yrs with RSD as it wasn't discovered early enough to help me. I used to do art when l was 4 and went to a big art collage later but till this happened l hadn't done a lot but am so glad l am paintng again now. I was soangry with the world and in the middle of it l lost my husband in 6 weeks, went to the Docter came back with 6 weeks to live. Now ljust get on with my life as best as l can, l haven't transport as am not allowed to drive so am in a lot as l can't get further, my dream is to see Tate Modern but can't finf anyone to go with me and it will be hard onmy own, like you am in pain most of every day and you won't believe me but you get used to it as l can't now remember when it wasn't there. Its hard to describe but l feel the same as others but in a chair. A lot seem to think if your in a chair you must be stupid and you see in there faces the shock when you talk to them, l just laugh to myself but it does take a while to get to that point. I am an artist to and even though l painted since Maybe if l hadn't been disabled l wouldn't have gone back to art so that is a good plus point. Your art is wonderful so do it when you have good days, l plan the weekend to paint but they have to be good days. When your doing art does the pain ease a bit as it does me, its better that having someone give you a massage. Keep your beautiful art right in front of your good days because it will be so good for you. Remember this, When you change things the things you see will change. Jill xx UK Hi Andrew, l just got this article on a google allert and had to get in touch.
I have been disabled in a chair for 26 yrs with RSD as it wasn’t discovered early enough to help me.
I used to do art when l was 4 and went to a big art collage later but till this happened l hadn’t done a lot but am so glad l am paintng again now. I was soangry with the world and in the middle of it l lost my husband in 6 weeks, went to the Docter came back with 6 weeks to live.
Now ljust get on with my life as best as l can, l haven’t transport as am not allowed to drive so am in a lot as l can’t get further, my dream is to see Tate Modern but can’t finf anyone to go with me and it will be hard onmy own, like you am in pain most of every day and you won’t believe me but you get used to it as l can’t now remember when it wasn’t there. Its hard to describe but l feel the same as others but in a chair. A lot seem to think if your in a chair you must be stupid and you see in there faces the shock when you talk to them, l just laugh to myself but it does take a while to get to that point.
I am an artist to and even though l painted since Maybe if l hadn’t been disabled l wouldn’t have gone back to art so that is a good plus point.
Your art is wonderful so do it when you have good days, l plan the weekend to paint but they have to be good days. When your doing art does the pain ease a bit as it does me, its better that having someone give you a massage.
Keep your beautiful art right in front of your good days because it will be so good for you.

Remember this, When you change things the things you see will change.
Jill xx UK

]]> By: Luc http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/disabled-art-interview-with-digital-artist-andrew-reach/comment-page-1/#comment-19 Luc Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:24:40 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=271#comment-19 Hi Mark, It has been such a pleasure and an inspiration to me to be able to interview Andrew. Being disabled myself I can very much understand what Andrew has gone through when he became disabled. But it just blows my mind how his disability has led him to this amazing form of art and how good he is with it! His art is just beautiful. What a talent he is! The next installment will be up shortly. Hi Mark,
It has been such a pleasure and an inspiration to me to be able to interview Andrew. Being disabled myself I can very much understand what Andrew has gone through when he became disabled. But it just blows my mind how his disability has led him to this amazing form of art and how good he is with it! His art is just beautiful. What a talent he is! The next installment will be up shortly.

]]> By: Luc http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/disabled-art-interview-with-digital-artist-andrew-reach/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Luc Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:09:37 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=271#comment-18 Hi Kathie, I can very well understand that you have had great joy spending time with Andrew. I hadn't really talked to Andrew till I interviewed him over the phone, but just from talking to him for a while I could sense that Andrew is a very special man. It has been an honor to be able to interview such an amazing guy like Andrew and I enjoyed every moment of our conversation. Actually, the more I heard about his story, the more fascinated I became and I almost didn't want the interview to end. Hi Kathie,
I can very well understand that you have had great joy spending time with Andrew. I hadn’t really talked to Andrew till I interviewed him over the phone, but just from talking to him for a while I could sense that Andrew is a very special man. It has been an honor to be able to interview such an amazing guy like Andrew and I enjoyed every moment of our conversation. Actually, the more I heard about his story, the more fascinated I became and I almost didn’t want the interview to end.

]]> By: Mark Dorfman http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/disabled-art-interview-with-digital-artist-andrew-reach/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Mark Dorfman Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:45:08 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=271#comment-17 Thanks for sending the link to the interview. It was very good. In fact, it gave me more of a window into Andy’s life and disability than I ever had before. I guess part of me resists fully accepting the pain that Andy suffers on a daily basis probably because accepting it means acknowledging my own vulnerability to potential disability. By that I mean I’m human, so even though I’m healthy now, anything can happen at anytime to completely change the life I am used to... the life I take for granted. It’s too much to contemplate. Realizing how difficult it is for me to even contemplate how my life might be as a disabled person makes me so much more respectful and in awe of how Andy manages to stay such a kind and generous soul despite the body he is housed in. I think both of you must have come into this life with the goal of not only learning some hard lessons yourselves on your own road to enlightenment, but also be a source of inspiration to others. I hope this interview, and Andy’s art, reaches many disabled people because they are rich with positive energy. I look forward to reading the next installment. Thanks for sending the link to the interview. It was very good. In fact, it gave me more of a window into Andy’s life and disability than I ever had before. I guess part of me resists fully accepting the pain that Andy suffers on a daily basis probably because accepting it means acknowledging my own vulnerability to potential disability. By that I mean I’m human, so even though I’m healthy now, anything can happen at anytime to completely change the life I am used to… the life I take for granted. It’s too much to contemplate. Realizing how difficult it is for me to even contemplate how my life might be as a disabled person makes me so much more respectful and in awe of how Andy manages to stay such a kind and generous soul despite the body he is housed in. I think both of you must have come into this life with the goal of not only learning some hard lessons yourselves on your own road to enlightenment, but also be a source of inspiration to others. I hope this interview, and Andy’s art, reaches many disabled people because they are rich with positive energy. I look forward to reading the next installment.

]]> By: Kathie Grossman http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/disabled-art-interview-with-digital-artist-andrew-reach/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Kathie Grossman Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:46:07 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=271#comment-15 I have known Andrew all his life. I was there when he was born because he is my nephew. He has always been my favorite nephew and although I hate his handicap I am very proud of his accomplishments. He and Bruce have always been a joy to spend time with and we miss the oppurtunity to see them since they moved away from Miami. His art is amazing and it has become more and more amazing in recent years. Andrew is an unbelievable example of someone with a disability that has risen above it and let his talent shine through the pain. I have known Andrew all his life. I was there when he was born because he is my nephew. He has always been my favorite nephew and although I hate his handicap I am very proud of his accomplishments. He and Bruce have always been a joy to spend time with and we miss the oppurtunity to see them since they moved away from Miami. His art is amazing and it has become more and more amazing in recent years. Andrew is an unbelievable example of someone with a disability that has risen above it and let his talent shine through the pain.

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