Connections in Sight, a new coalition made up of several Milwaukee-based organizations dedicated to enhancing the lives of residents with changing vision and vision loss, launched an art exhibit and a new web portal designed to support area residents with various degrees of vision loss.
The exhibit, “Through the Lens of Others: A Tribute to the Mind’s Eye, is on display at Discovery World, and features visually compelling work from local and national artists with varying degrees of sight loss.
Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement (ABLE), Vision Forward Association, Beyond Vision, Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, Inc., and the Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library partnered to form the Connections in Sight coalition.
“Research tells us that there are close to 60,000 members of our community who are in need of vision support services,” said Cheryl Orgas, executive director of ABLE. “It can be very frightening, when you are diagnosed with vision loss and don’t know where to go for help. Connections in Sight is here to help.”
According to Orgas the coalition plans to reach and educate the estimated 60,000 area residents in need of services; educate the general public on the breadth and depth of services provided by coalition members and to underscore the message that people with vision loss or vision impairment can live productive and fulfilling lives.
The web portal, located at www.connectionsinsight.org , provides visitors with information regarding a host of specialized services and support, resources and training so people can maintain jobs and or develop new careers, a link to employment opportunities, and advice on maintaining quality of life.
“We are so excited to share this critical resource with the tens of thousands of members of our community who are living with vision loss,” said Orgas. “We want people to learn about our services and to rely on them and stay active, contributing members of our society.”
Dena Fellows, director of marketing at Vision Forward Association, helped to organize the art exhibition.
“People may think it’s a contradiction that blind people can create visually appealing art,” Fellows said. “However, you will see that art is made by people who are either totally blind and or have low vision. Consider that only about 10 percent of people with blindness can see absolutely nothing at all. Most people with vision loss can, in fact, perceive some level of light and form. Both visually impaired and totally blind people are able to produce not only intelligible art, but art that truly is inspired by the Mind’s Eye. Our art exhibition debunks the myth that people who are blind or visually impaired can’t see or lead productive lives.”
