Their Voice: Creating art through accomodation – Daily Herald

Often terminology that seemed perfectly appropriate for a period of time seems to be replaced by something more acceptable. Words and labels continue to evolve with changes that take place in our culture. For example, until recently, the word handicap was the word of choice to describe people with disabilities. As society has become more knowledgeable and these individuals more inclusive, it has been replaced with the word disability.

However, the word disability doesnt even seem to fit someone like Jon Westling. If you look up the word disability you find it defined as a physical or mental condition that limits a persons movements, senses, or activities. Jon has a condition called cerebral palsy, often called CP.

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term that refers to a group of disorders affecting a persons ability to move. It is due to damage to the developing brain either during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Cerebral palsy affects people in different ways and can affect body movement, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. Although cerebral palsy is a permanent life-long condition, some of these signs of cerebral palsy can improve or worsen over time, according to cerebralpalsy.org.

In Jons case, the cerebral palsy creates a lot of uncontrollable movements and has required the use of a wheelchair for mobility.

However, when Jon was notified about an upcoming art show presented by the Melisa Nellesen Center for Autism at Utah Valley University, he decided to use the abilities he did have and just accommodate for the ones he didnt. Using his mouth to control his paintbrush and his friend Drew to lay out the paint and supplies, Jon created his three-piece work Get Out of Your Head, which he will submit to the event.

Finding a way to create art is just one way that Jon works around the challenges that come with his condition. Over the last couple of years Jon has experienced camping, painting and skydiving. Despite his difficulty with speech he is a motivational speaker, sits on the Division of Services for People with Disabilities Advisory Board and does stand-up comedy in Salt Lake City.

In his comedy, Jon presents the reality of his condition in a fun and understandable way. In his life, he continues to raise the bar on what is expected from people with cerebral palsy and how those expectations can be exceeded. Although many people with cerebral palsy accept the fact that they will not have meaningful relationships, Jon continues to reach out in search of his own. Other than the ones expressed to him through others, Jon does not limit the expectations that he has for his own life.

Other artists, like Jon, who enjoy creating art that expresses their struggles as well as triumphs are also encouraged to submit their work to the upcoming art show. The center welcomes all artists with disabilities to submit work in any medium including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, textile, installation, mixed media and digital film. The deadline for submission is Sept. 1. The art will be showcased at the Melisa Nellesen Center for Autism on Sept. 28. For more information about this show, email laurie.bowen@uvu.edu.

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Their Voice: Creating art through accomodation - Daily Herald