{"id":17237,"date":"2012-01-16T00:01:36","date_gmt":"2012-01-16T05:01:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=17237"},"modified":"2012-01-16T07:30:10","modified_gmt":"2012-01-16T12:30:10","slug":"in-her-artwork-a-deaf-woman-finds-her-voice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/01\/16\/in-her-artwork-a-deaf-woman-finds-her-voice\/","title":{"rendered":"In her artwork, a deaf woman finds her voice"},"content":{"rendered":"

In her artwork, a deaf woman finds her voice<\/strong><\/p>\n

J.R. ORTEGA, Victoria Advocate<\/p>\n

January 02, 2012<\/p>\n

VICTORIA, Texas \u2014 The chilly winter air flutters tufts of short, mousey
\nbrown hair away from Laura Lang’s face as she dabs a brush into a paint
\npalette.<\/p>\n

“Muh,” the 44-year-old groans as she mixes soft and hard paint strokes onto
\na picnic table at Dad’s RV Park – an artistic talent she recently tapped
\ninto.<\/p>\n

Reds transition into yellows and gradually the parrot that Lang has been
\ndrawing and painting since the morning is brought to life.<\/p>\n

Staring at her mother, Lang signs and uses facial expressions to communicate
\nwhy she likes birds.<\/p>\n

Lang breaks into a hearty laugh and claps. Her mother cracks a smile.<\/p>\n

“Cause they’re pretty” her mother translates.<\/p>\n

Lang was born partially deaf and by the time she was 5 years old, she was
\ncompletely deaf, her mother Wanda Wilson says.<\/p>\n

Today, Lang pretty much takes care of herself.<\/p>\n

The family has moved around most of their lives and last lived in Des
\nMoines, Iowa.<\/p>\n

Lang graduated from Nebraska’s School for the Deaf, where she learned most
\nof her American Sign Language. Now, she’s tweaked some sign language to fit
\nher needs.<\/p>\n

Lang has been drawing for about five years, but it was not until three
\nmonths ago that she expressed interest in drawing and painting for others.<\/p>\n

Sketching floral arrangements with chalk was what Lang first picked up on.<\/p>\n

“She’s very proud of them (paintings),” her mother said, smiling. “As are
\nwe.”<\/p>\n

In the past three months, Lang has painted picnic tables with lighthouses,
\nfloral arrangements, landscapes but more specifically, birds.<\/p>\n

She has drawn pheasants, blue jays and cardinals.<\/p>\n

Her painting is bright, detailed and vivid.<\/p>\n

Lang was born partially deaf and by the time she was 5 years old, she was
\ncompletely deaf, her mother Wanda Wilson says.<\/p>\n

Not only is Lang communicating through sign language, but also her painting
\nshows her overall mood – she’s just plain ol’ happy.<\/p>\n

Lang may not be able to hear the high-pitched tweets of a bird, but that
\ndoes not make the detail in her paintings less powerful.<\/p>\n

“When God takes one sense from us, he gives us another,” her mother says.<\/p>\n

Lang hops off a slow moving golf cart and walks between RVs.<\/p>\n

Seven picnic tables with her art illustrations are sprinkled throughout the
\npark; and like any good artist, she knows exactly where each one sits and
\nthe drawing it displays.<\/p>\n

“Well, I think we’re going to another one,” her mother says as Lang hops
\nback into the cart.<\/p>\n

Lang’s mother passes by a table with a single parrot that was auctioned off.<\/p>\n

Outside one of the RVs is Becky Watts, whose decor clearly shows her
\naffinity for ladybugs.<\/p>\n

Lang has painted a picnic table for her in the past.<\/p>\n

The table sits in front of the RV with painted lady bugs and red trim.<\/p>\n

Watts appreciates Lang’s talent and is amazed by the work she does.<\/p>\n

“She’s fantastic,” she says. “She really does great.”<\/p>\n

Lang smiles – a gesture that is universally understood.<\/p>\n

Lang and her mother stare and silence ensues as they sign back and forth.<\/p>\n

“What do you think about being able to draw for people?” her mother signs.<\/p>\n

After a couple of seconds, Lang’s mother sighs, smiles and translates.<\/p>\n

“She just thanks God that she can,” Lang’s mother translates.<\/p>\n

Source:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.therepublic.com\/view\/story\/34e61bae3ce74f3cbd93d9274f96e6ff\/TX–Exchange-Speaking-Through-Art\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In her artwork, a deaf woman finds her voice J.R. ORTEGA, Victoria Advocate January 02, 2012 VICTORIA, Texas \u2014 The chilly winter air flutters tufts of short, mousey brown hair away from Laura Lang’s face as she dabs a brush…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[1629,372,4621,9205,23,12135,24,12136,12131,12133,12132,8217,17,6781,12134],"class_list":["post-17237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-american-sign-language","tag-art","tag-article","tag-artwork","tag-asl","tag-becky-watts","tag-deaf","tag-j-r-ortega","tag-laura-lang","tag-nebraskas-school-for-the-deaf","tag-nsd","tag-painting","tag-texas","tag-victoria","tag-wanda-wilson"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-4u1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":21319,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2013\/01\/05\/paint-paramedics-deaf-owned-painting-business-north-texas\/","url_meta":{"origin":17237,"position":0},"title":"Paint Paramedics: Deaf-owned painting business – North Texas","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"January 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Paint Paramedics: Deaf-owned painting business - North Texas Paint Paramedics Deaf-owned painting business - North Texas Home office: Plano, Texas Ron Bledsoe has been painting for over 22 years in the Dallas area. He started out strictly as a residential painter, but has expanded his business to include decorative faux\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Master-Screen-Paint-Paramedics","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Master-Screen-Paint-Paramedics.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":27641,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2014\/06\/04\/painting-with-a-purpose-for-live-your-legacy-6714-greenville-texas\/","url_meta":{"origin":17237,"position":1},"title":"Painting with a Purpose for LIVE YOUR LEGACY 6\/7\/14 – Greenville, Texas","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"June 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Painting with a Purpose for LIVE YOUR LEGACY - Greenville, Texas Come paint with a Purpose! June 07, 2014 4pm-6pm Greenville, Texas Please log in to http:\/\/www.paintingwithatwist.com\/events\/viewEvent.aspx?eventid=243033 To register. The cost is $35 - half the proceeds are given to support \"Live Your Legacy\" Saturday, June 7, 2014 4:00pm -\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17615,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/02\/10\/chuck-baird-noted-artist-and-ritntid-alumnus-dies\/","url_meta":{"origin":17237,"position":2},"title":"Chuck Baird, Noted Artist and RIT\/NTID Alumnus, Dies","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"February 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Chuck Baird, Noted Artist and RIT\/NTID Alumnus, Dies FEBRUARY 10, 2012 Chuck Baird, a famed artist who helped establish De\u2019VIA, a type of\u00a0painting depicting the life of a deaf individual in a hearing world,\u00a0died this morning in Austin, Texas, after a four-year battle with\u00a0cancer. He was 64. \u201cThe RIT\/NTID community\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"chuck baird","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/chuck_baird.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12051,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2010\/10\/13\/deaf-church-town-meeting-101610-goliad-texas\/","url_meta":{"origin":17237,"position":3},"title":"Deaf Church Town Meeting 10\/16\/10 – Goliad, Texas","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"October 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Deaf Church Town Meeting - Goliad, Texas Hey! We are a REAL church!! Services have been great!! More details later... But please spread the word to anyone who might know anyone Deaf (kids or adults) or who can sign in Beeville, Goliad, Kennedy, Cuero, Refugio, Victoria, Port Lavaca, Rockport, etc\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1688,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2007\/05\/26\/deaf-awareness-week-san-antonio\/","url_meta":{"origin":17237,"position":4},"title":"Deaf Awareness Week \u2013 San Antonio","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"May 26, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Deaf Awareness Week \u2013 San Antonio will host the 30th Anniversary DAW Banquet in San Antonio, Texas in February 2008. We need your IDEAS and Assistance. We need your artwork make it similar to an EMBLEM. * Need artwork no later than September 15th. * A symbol of a emblem\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33661,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2016\/06\/02\/painting-class-for-the-deaf-community-with-asl-interpreter-san-antonio\/","url_meta":{"origin":17237,"position":5},"title":"Painting Class for the Deaf Community with ASL Interpreter – San Antonio","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"June 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Painting Class for the Deaf Community - Interpreter Provided We will have an interpreter coming in to help out with a painting class we are offering that day. Here is the link to our event. Please share with anyone you think might be interested. https:\/\/www.paintingwithatwist.com\/events\/viewevent.aspx?eventID=750638 We are very excited. Have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"paint with twist logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/paint-with-twist-logo-300x188.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17237"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17244,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17237\/revisions\/17244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}