Burning Tears includes a series of workshops hosted by Tangled Art + Disability and facilitated by Collin van Uchelen.

Resonance in the Presence of Art

In Workshop #1, we explore how description can convey the emotional impact of art. Collin introduces the topic through a story about witnessing fireworks after having lost his eyesight, then invites participants to share their own experiences of resonance inspired by art. Participants also work in groups to describe a complex firework shell burst in words.  

Cross-Sensory Translation and Poetic Forms

In Workshop #2, we use poetry as a framework to dive deeper into describing art. We experiment with cross-sensory translation to describe light in non-visual terms. We review several examples of descriptive poetry and create collaborative poems of our own in response to pyrotechnical art.

Beholding the Visible Characteristics of Light

In Workshop #3, we examine the visible characteristics of light as revealed in fireworks. These include colour, movement, brilliance, sparkle, and how these characteristics change over time. We explore strategies for describing these qualities in accessible terms to people who are blind or low-vision.

Describing Dynamic Art

In Workshop #4, we discuss the challenge of describing art that is constantly changing, such as pyrotechnics. We explore strategies for being selective in our attention and “layering” in the descriptive process. We close with a review of the techniques covered in the previous sessions.