Did you know that over two billion people in the world are considered visually impaired?
Now, this fact may seem out of place considering this is a clay site, but for me, it goes hand in hand. As one of those two billion people, I’m here to tell you: vision loss doesn’t mean you have to stop creating. Your limits are only obstacles; ones that can lead you to find better, more accessible ways to keep claying.
My Experience with Vision Loss
I was lucky to have had full vision growing up. I didn’t begin to lose any until I was sixteen. What I came to realize is that no matter the challenges you face, you can still do the things you love if you're willing to adapt and put in the effort.
My blindness might not be what most people picture when they hear “vision loss.” It’s not total darkness. I lost the peripheral vision in both eyes; what most would call tunnel vision, though mine is more of a C or bean shape. Vision loss is a spectrum. Some people experience fogginess, reduced clarity, the reverse of my condition, and more
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For me, the change came gradually over several months. Suddenly, something that once brought me joy, creating, became daunting. I couldn’t see an entire piece at once. I’d drop tools because I couldn’t spot where they were. I was scared. What else would I do if I couldn’t create?
Understanding and Embracing Limitations
Over time, I learned to accept and embrace the changes in my vision. Feeling grief over losing the full ability to do what you love is completely normal.
At the time, I was heavily into illustration along with clay work. The more vision I lost, the less I could draw. I just could not see the lines as well. So, I leaned further into clay. It made sense. With just a bar of clay, I could create anything—any size, any form.
Clay is an incredible medium for the visually impaired because it is so tactile. Even when you can’t see the details, you can feel them. In fact, clay became more therapeutic for me than ever. On days when my vision is worse, due to pain or fatigue even, just conditioning clay can be relaxing and rewarding.
Learning to understand and work within your limits is one of the most valuable things you can do, whether you have vision loss or not.
Accessible Clay Tips: Tools and Tricks That Help Me Create
You’ve probably heard the classic tip: keep your desk clean. (Let’s be honest, mine never is!) But after nearly 17 years of working with clay, I’ve found a few other tricks that really help:
• Use high-contrast tape on sharp or important tools. It helps them stand out against your workspace.
• Lighting is everything. A well-lit space can make the difference between creating and not creating, especially if you're visually impaired.
• Wear rings. This might sound odd, but they help me track my hand placement. The way light reflects off them gives me visual feedback, especially helpful since my left-side vision is worse.
• Set up your workspace based on your vision. I keep my most used supplies on my right side to avoid knocking over tools on my blind side. Before I figured that out, I was constantly breaking or losing things.
The key? Know your body. Know your limits. And then adapt in ways that serve you.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Others Define Your Ability
If there’s one message I want to leave you with, it’s this:
Don’t ever let what others call an “inability” define you.
We are more than our limitations. We are creators, artists, and problem solvers. Sometimes, what seems like a limit can lead you to discover new ways of working that are even more meaningful.
So keep claying. Keep adapting. Keep creating.
