WEBVTT 00:01.200 --> 00:03.633 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% (calm music) 00:22.166 --> 00:23.500 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% - [Interpreter] I remember when I was little 00:23.500 --> 00:26.033 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% and the Sunday newspaper had that comics insert 00:26.033 --> 00:28.033 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% and they were called the funnies back then. 00:28.033 --> 00:30.766 align:left position:12.5% line:5% size:77.5% I always looked forward to the newspaper arriving on Sunday. 00:30.766 --> 00:32.266 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% And when it would come 00:32.266 --> 00:34.533 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I would open up that big section of the newspaper. 00:34.533 --> 00:36.200 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% And even as a small child, 00:36.200 --> 00:38.533 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I would lay on the floor and take it all in 00:38.533 --> 00:40.933 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% fascinated with the colors and the storylines 00:40.933 --> 00:42.133 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% that the strips showed. 00:44.533 --> 00:48.433 align:left position:12.5% line:5% size:77.5% Growing up I would observe how people interacted around me. 00:48.433 --> 00:49.800 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% After becoming a parent, 00:49.800 --> 00:53.000 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I saw those interactions play out in my own life 00:53.000 --> 00:55.300 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% and some funny situations would occur. 00:56.633 --> 00:58.966 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I wanted to take that humor and put it on paper 00:58.966 --> 01:01.333 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% as part of showing what my life is like 01:01.333 --> 01:02.733 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% as a deaf individual. 01:04.266 --> 01:06.533 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% When I think of art and how I use art, 01:06.533 --> 01:08.700 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% it's powerful and visual. 01:09.766 --> 01:12.733 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% The stimuli comes in and we experience it. 01:12.733 --> 01:15.933 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% Of all the information we get through our eyes visually 01:15.933 --> 01:18.500 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% it comes across in vibrations in our body. 01:18.500 --> 01:20.166 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% So how I think about the world 01:20.166 --> 01:22.766 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% and how I view art is so much different. 01:25.000 --> 01:27.933 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I think the key theme for me is communication. 01:29.266 --> 01:31.233 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I struggled to communicate when I was growing up. 01:31.233 --> 01:34.100 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% It became then a reoccurring theme in my life and in my work 01:34.100 --> 01:36.766 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% because of my desire to want to connect with others. 01:38.233 --> 01:40.100 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I want to communicate visually. 01:41.400 --> 01:44.666 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I feel the direct impact that visuals have on my life. 01:44.666 --> 01:47.900 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% My work is intended to reflect this impact to others 01:47.900 --> 01:50.900 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% so that they can experience it for themselves as well. 01:50.900 --> 01:52.833 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% When I started out drawing comics, 01:52.833 --> 01:55.233 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% the dialogue bubbles or word balloons 01:55.233 --> 01:58.733 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% would be filled with English text and this felt jarring. 01:58.733 --> 02:01.633 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I don't walk around in my daily life speaking English. 02:01.633 --> 02:03.500 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I speak American Sign Language. 02:03.500 --> 02:05.833 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I tried drawing ASL inside the panels, 02:05.833 --> 02:08.500 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% but the frozen words took up too much space 02:08.500 --> 02:09.900 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% and it wasn't enough. 02:09.900 --> 02:12.733 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I wanted the same conversational ease that English has 02:12.733 --> 02:14.133 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% within those word balloons. 02:14.133 --> 02:15.666 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% After some time researching, 02:15.666 --> 02:18.666 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I came across a potential method of written ASL 02:18.666 --> 02:20.333 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% that fit what I was looking for. 02:20.333 --> 02:22.400 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I spent some time learning that method. 02:22.400 --> 02:24.133 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% It wasn't fully developed then. 02:24.133 --> 02:26.266 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% So I worked with the written ASL community 02:26.266 --> 02:27.966 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% to develop a stable version 02:27.966 --> 02:29.300 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% that would be on equal footing 02:29.300 --> 02:30.800 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% with the English in my comic. 02:30.800 --> 02:33.400 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% I feel so much better now being able to write in ASL. 02:34.666 --> 02:36.600 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% It doesn't matter what language you're thinking of, 02:36.600 --> 02:39.166 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% there's always different nuances. 02:39.166 --> 02:42.666 align:left position:12.5% line:5% size:77.5% As an English user, you have your own traditions, thoughts, 02:42.666 --> 02:45.500 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% worldviews based off the language that you use. 02:45.500 --> 02:46.933 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% It's the same idea for a person 02:46.933 --> 02:48.733 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% that uses American Sign Language. 02:48.733 --> 02:52.266 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% It doesn't have the same structure as English whatsoever. 02:52.266 --> 02:54.733 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% (calm music) 02:55.833 --> 02:58.733 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% Many people reach out to me and ask, 02:58.733 --> 03:00.666 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% "How do you work with a deaf individual?" 03:00.666 --> 03:04.566 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% If you're hearing, don't impose your expectations on us. 03:04.566 --> 03:06.366 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% If you're reaching out to a deaf artist, 03:06.366 --> 03:08.300 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% you need to be seeking for equal footing, 03:08.300 --> 03:09.633 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% seeing us eye to eye, 03:09.633 --> 03:11.566 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% try to communicate with us 03:11.566 --> 03:14.000 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% and we can grow a relationship from there. 03:21.633 --> 03:24.033 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% - [Announcer] This program was produced in collaboration 03:24.033 --> 03:25.800 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% with the Center for the Art of Medicine 03:25.800 --> 03:28.300 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% at the University of Minnesota Medical School. 03:28.300 --> 03:31.633 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% And funded by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund 03:31.633 --> 03:33.466 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80% and the citizens of Minnesota. 03:34.366 --> 03:36.833 align:left position:35% line:5% size:55% (calm music)