Interactive Tactile Art

PRESENTATIONS

Our interactive presentations are designed to inspire, educate, and heal by bringing art to life through the sense of touch. Each presentation combines Linda's unique storytelling with handcrafted tactile art to explore profound and relatable themes.

Our Signature Presentations

Our programs are tailored to a variety of audiences and can be booked for schools, businesses, and community organizations across Minnesota.

HUNGRY LITTLE

MONSTERS

A flat white circular base, representing a visual field, fills most of the photo. A pair of eyeballs are in the center, Six hands are reaching in from all sides. The hands are placing the little whimsical toy monsters around the periphery.
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A Story of Loss

In this interactive program, handcrafted, whimsical toy monsters represent the fear and anxiety associated with vision loss. Linda shares a personal story about these "monsters" nibbling away at her vision, making her journey relatable to anyone experiencing loss. This presentation provides a safe and lighthearted space to explore the emotional journey of loss.

I’M GOING

WHAT?!?

Centered on a basket is a stacked rock cairn. Two cutout cartoon bubbles are leaning against the rocks. One bubble says: "I'm going WHAT?!?" The other says: "I feel like I've turned to stone." Linda's posture represents exhaustion and dispair.

A Story of Diagnosis

This presentation uses symbolic art to address the overwhelming feelings of receiving a life-altering diagnosis. Participants will interact with a rock cairn that represents a person, and use handmade speech bubbles to fill a basket, which visualizes the flood of thoughts and feelings that come with the news. This program is a powerful tool for promoting empathy and understanding.

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“From the moment Linda entered my classroom with her guide dog, she captured the hearts of my fourth-grade students. It was a wonder to witness my students experience the feeling of losing their eyesight through interactive play with her tactile art. I recommend this artist’s storytelling program to any class teacher who wants their students to experience empathy and understanding of eyesight loss through art.”

— Rosie Cole, Artist and Educator, at City of Lakes Waldorf School, Minneapolis, MN

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! YIKES !

A pair of hands are wearing ladybug finger puppets. Above is a wild colorful bundle of toy tires, chained together. They're descending on the ladybugs, nearly crushing them. One hand is trying to grab a tire, the other appears startled.

A Story of Fear

! YIKES ! is an engaging tactile art presentation focused on confronting fear. We use playful, tactile objects like toy tires and ladybug finger puppets to re-enact anxiety-inducing scenarios. By providing a hands-on way to explore these emotions, the program empowers both sighted and visually impaired individuals to navigate and overcome their fears.

I FEEL

STUCK

A big silly toy goldfish is stuck in a fishbowl that's too small for it. It's shoved headfirst into the bowl with its tail and fins extending out the top. It has bulging eyes and a crooked mouth expressing discontent. Two hands are feeling the fish.
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A Story of Isolation

This presentation explores the feeling of being trapped or isolated. Linda shares her personal experience with this emotion, using a compelling model of a goldfish in a bowl it's too big for. Participants are encouraged to handle the tactile models while discussing their own feelings, helping to build a sense of community.

SPINNIN’ DOORS

A wooden model of a hall with four doorways along the sides, runs through the photo. The walls and rooms are left to the imagination. The doorways are cocked at goofy angles. Eight hands are interacting with the model. They're holding baby shoes.

A Story of Adapting

This presentation explores the process of adapting to blindness. Linda shares a story from her own life about navigating a changing world, using an interactive model of a hallway with unexpected spinning doorways. The program helps participants understand that with training, resilience and a new perspective, obstacles can be overcome.

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Why Our Presentations Are Different

Our programs are not just a one-time workshop; they are artist-led experiences that use a blend of professional design and personal storytelling. Linda's background in theatre and her own journey with vision loss make each presentation a truly unique and transformative event for both sighted and visually impaired audiences.

MY

LIGHT AT THE

END OF THE TUNNEL

A textured image of a tunnel shows the path of a wide-angle view and narrowing as it reaches the rounded opening. Sunbeams shine on a path and walls. A silhouetted person walking with a guide dog has reached the light at the end of the tunnel.

A Story of Hope

Based on Linda's journey with her guide dog, this presentation shares a powerful message of hope and regained independence. Linda uses a highly textured piece of textile artwork to symbolize the journey toward a brighter future, demonstrating how a new perspective and support system can provide light even after a period of darkness.

SPIRAL PATHS

A pair of hands are feeling a stylized eye made from a coil of clay. A central spiral creates the pupil, then wraps under for the lower lid. A point shapes the tear duct. The coil sweeps above and beyond the pupil, creating the mascara line.
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A Story of Healing

A deeply personal and inspiring presentation, Spiral Paths uses tactile art to illustrate Linda's winding journey of healing and growth. Through a series of storytelling subjects accompanied by tactile art, Linda shows that the path to emotional recovery is a continuous process of self-discovery and moving forward.

INCLUSION

A pair of hands are tearing a Do Not Touch sign in half.

Stories of Helping

This presentation is a unique look at how innovators are creating new ways for people with blindness to experience art. Linda will use a series of storytelling subjects and tactile art to guide a discussion on current accessibility efforts. We will explore how museums now offer touch tours, how 3-D printers are turning famous paintings into reliefs, and how theatres are providing sensory stage tours with audio-described performances. The goal is to show the many possibilities for a more inclusive future and inspire everyone to find ways to help.

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