Local specialist training organisation SWAD (Sex With A Difference) has taken an unusual route to raising awareness of issues facing people with disabilities and their right to sexual expression – through the medium of pottery!
The organisation, based in Poole, has been involved in disability rights activism since 2007. The topic of disability and sex continues to be quite a taboo in society, which can pose challenges to SWAD in reaching the people who need them the most.
Founder and CEO Lorraine Stanley said: “We’re really excited that my pottery has been chosen by national charity arts organisation “Outside In” to be featured as their “Artist of the Month” for September. Several of my pieces have adult themes, and deliberately highlight body features in a tactile way. The reason I do this is so that people with low vision/no vision can “see” the pottery through touch.”
“Most pottery relies on coloured glazes to engage with its audience; I take a more “universal design” approach. A sighted person can close their eyes to feel my art, whereas a totally blind person can’t differentiate between 20 vases that are the same shape but just have differently painted surfaces.”
Co-Founder of SWAD, Michael Ballard said: “I am really proud of Lorraine’s creativity, and of her ability to maximise opportunities to promote our not-for-profit training organisation. There is an opportunity for her to enter Outside In’s upcoming 2023 national exhibition. If she is chosen to be one of 80 Outside In artists exhibiting, her pottery will be on view at Sotheby’s in London 9–27 January 2023.”
You can read the article about Lorraine being “Artist of the Month” here: https://outsidein.org.uk/news/artist-of-the-month/aotm-september-2022/
Visit https://www.swaddorset.org/ for more details of how SWAD can help you.
Outside In is a catalyst for change. Founded in 2006, it is now an established national charity that aims to provide a platform for artists who face significant barriers to the art world due to health, disability, social circumstance or isolation. More information available here: https://outsidein.org.uk/about/
PICTURE: “Peek-a-Boob” by Lorraine Stanley. A tongue-in-cheek sculpture of a beautiful mermaid who is completely oblivious to her admirer. His eyes are out on stalks trying to catch a glimpse of her, hence the title's play of words on the phrase "peek-a-boo".