Lavaun Benavidez-Heaster

About

Hello, sharing my “vision” with you. I enjoy creating vibrant art, and want to inspire people to ask things like "what does color mean to someone who has never seen it?" , and why do I, as a legally blind artist, like bright, contrasting colors; while other low vision artists, like Monet, created muddled, blurry images?”. 

Before 2012, I’d made yearly paper collage-image calendars for Holiday gifts as thank-you’s for all the support and generosity I’d received through dialysis and my transplants. That year I helped plan a multicultural community art event, (Colored Pencils), in Portland, OR. 

As I started creating larger art for the exhibit, a friend saw a piece I made with multicultural fairies watering seeds in a bold & bright flower garden; and I had my first sale! Very exciting, and I actually got paid. When I’d lost my position as a Medical Social Worker, it seemed the long-term health concerns and my limited vision would hinder my path back to a good job. ..but by stumbling into an opportunity, I found a place to invest my curiousity and passion for creating conversation through beauty…It’s been a 
surprising evolution. 

When I first began, I made “touch paper collages”, thinking it would appeal to my blind friends. As it turned out, the tactile mature of the layered paper was too subtle and didn’t really engage any blind friends, but what happened was it opened up a conversation with sighted folks. 

Now people who’d never considered (or were afraid to ask) about art in relation to blindness began asking about it. It felt like some invisible path led me into art as a career, and I’ve started opening this portal where dialogue can spread. All that and I get to create bright, vibrant art and teach sometimes too! I love my work and continue to be excited to share what happens when I put scissors and paper in my hands!

Shop

https://www.redbubble.com/people/lavaun13/shop