Heather Lawson is an emerging artist.
and, at times, unforgiving, I knew that if
Born Deaf, she could see, and due to Ushers
we kept upholding the art and its role in
Syndrome, a genetic disorder, became blind
this project, more project partners would
in her twenties. Heather had to learn how
come forward.
to use a cane, read braille and navigate the world in new ways. A well-known advocate
At our inaugural workshop, I asked
for Deafblind Australians, she has always
Heather and Michelle, why do you want
had a keen interest in the arts.
to make a show?
In 2012, Heather and Michelle asked me
I wrote their responses down in our
to direct them in a show about being
workshop notes.
Deafblind. I think because I was fluent in tactile sign language and they trusted
’We need to make a theatre show that tells
me with the task of creating a work with
the truth about being Deafblind. We want
them. It was indeed an honour and I knew
to share our humor, grief and our profound
an important story to hold. Even with the
isolation. To highlight the importance of
knowledge of Auslan (Australian Sign
human touch and tactile communication
Language) already fluent in my own hands,
for Deafblind people‘.2
a language and culture transmitted to me
- Heather Lawson & Michelle Stevens 3rd
by my own Deaf family, little did I know
March 2013
what it would take to make this theatre show a reality. My roles in the first three
Throughout 2013, I facilitated with them
years included directing, producing,
a program with over thirty workshops
interpreting, advocating, supporting,
exploring a range of creative arts including:
collaborating and fundraising. Challenging
movement, piano, puppetry, storytelling,
(Photo Left) Heather Lawson (left) meets an audience member through touch. (Photo Right) Audiences meet one another through touch. Photography by Bryony Jackson
20