[Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Article: Student has a feel for her art

[Shelley L. Rhodes]

Phillyburbs.com, Pennsylvania
Sunday, June 19, 2005

Student has a feel for her art

By JASON BODNAR

MANSFIELD - Jordan Ortiz reaches for the ceramic plate and runs her fingers 
around its surface, over the paint-brushed swaths of color.

A few of her other ceramic sculptures sit in front of her, but Ortiz is 
obviously most proud of this one, which she calls "Colors Lost but 
Remembered."

The title has great personal significance. Doctors discovered Ortiz had 
cancer in her eyes when she was 2. By 7, she was blind, so colors are now 
just memories to the Northern Burlington County Regional High School 
sophomore.

"I remember them, but as I get older, it's starting to fade," Ortiz said.

That hasn't stopped Ortiz from using colors to create. She likes hands-on 
activities, so two years ago Ortiz decided to take a ceramics class at 
Northern Burlington. Art teacher Pat Proniewski said she initially thought 
that would be impossible.

"She changed me," Proniewski said. "I was very apprehensive in the 
beginning. As it's gone along, she's shown me that she can do this."

It has not been easy.

Most students use two hands on the potter's wheel and their eyes as a guide. 
Ortiz has to use one hand as a guide, leaving only one for the wheel.

Most students learn techniques by listening to and watching Proniewski. 
Ortiz has to use her hands to follow along as Proniewski demonstrates.

Most students can see exactly how their sculptures turn out. Ortiz has to 
rely on her sense of touch and her ability to listen to what others tell her 
about her work.

They said good things earlier this month when the 16-year-old was inducted 
into the school chapter of the National Art Honor Society.

"I finally got a big hint that people enjoyed my artwork and I was doing 
something right," she said.

Ortiz does some sculpting on her own at home. She also enjoys horseback 
riding, wall climbing and hanging out with her friends. She wants to go to 
college to become a teacher. She said sometimes the fact that she's blind 
just knocks her over emotionally, but it's only a temporary feeling.

Ortiz said she doesn't use her disability as a crutch, and by her choice of 
activities she certainly doesn't seem to think of it as something that 
restricts what she can do. She even plans to take a two-dimensional art 
class, where she would paint and draw, before she graduates.

"You've got to work with what you've got," Ortiz said. "Everybody sees, just 
in different ways."

Email: jbodnar at phillyBurbs.com

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/112-06192005-504547.html


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