Jason Tang: Vivacity of ASL

Deafhood and Art

Katie Roberts


Paddy Ladd has a vision.  He often shares with his audience a story about a large and corpulent museum.  He gently guides us towards a smaller, hidden back room. As we brush off the dust and shake out the drop cloths, another world begins to emerge.  The people who pictures are on the wall tell us stories of where we had been, and where we could be. 

 Tolstoy wrote“What is Art”, and he tells us that Art is a means of communication, an important means of expression of any experience, or of any aspect of the human condition. Art is a form of expression, and it is those works on the wall of the museum that help us not only to remember, but to create new visions.

With an enchanting BSL accent, Paddy asked the audience to imagine what our future would be. Hillary Clinton once told us it takes a village to raise a child, and I agree. In an ideal world, what role would Art play in Deaf children’s lives? I’d like to see bright, open schools where Deaf children meet and play under the sun before they head in their classes where they play with language and metaphor, English and ASL, to create their own worlds, either on print or in sign. Art classes would be offered at least twice a week for every grade, and other creative projects would be done in every class– whether it is computer science or math.



  When they are adults, they would be comfortable with their own medium of expression and feel free to share their thoughts, feelings, and opinions.  “A truly healthy nation requires creative, social and artistic input from all its members”*

Deaf artists have great need of local and national structures that provide funding as well as a community to draw support from. We in Seattle are lucky to have local artists such as Ann Silver who creates iconic and timeless art in the tradition of Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns. Her art tells us a story – of the movement from our experience as an oppressed population to one that is just beginning to push off those shackles and dream for something better. 

When Paddy Ladd wrote “Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search for Deafhood”, he talks to us about the process of being, of becoming – Deafhood. We are both individuals and part of a collective, and our support of deaf artists bring in their voices as part of the conversation.  

ASL narratives such as “Birds of a Feather” by Ben Bahan or “Dandelions” by Clayton Valli bring to us themes of belonging and resistance.  I’d like for us to think beyond De’Via for a broader, more encompassing vision – to embrace our Deafhood in all its’ aspects, to resist the forces of division. Writing? Signing? Painting? Making glass sculptures? All of those creative endeavors are equally valuable. 

As an author, I’ve found that my work on Deaf Spotlight has provided me a way to create new pieces and challenge myself, and I’m discovering a new part of myself. I feed it every month with sunshine, water and fertilizer because it nourishes me.  I want to see deaf artists grow and thrive, for the Deaf community to support them in their endeavors and welcome them.  That’s why I write those articles month after month, because I believe in what Deaf Spotlight aims to do. We need art to think, to share, and to grow.

Also, there’s just the fact that Paddy Ladd is a very likeable guy.  He’s always made me smile, and he’s one of my Deaf heroes.  It’s always an honor to be in his presence.  Seattle will always welcome you back, Paddy!

*Ladd, P. Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search for Deafhood, p.445

November 2012 Letter from the Editor

I'm really excited about this month's edition - when I arrived back from Europe, I was caught up in a whirlwind of events during the weekend of the Deaf Expo.   I found this cool video with John Macuere from ASLized. There was Ann Silver's book signing on Friday night at the Seattle Public LIbrary - Ryder's sharing his experience with us about that. Then after the ADWAS auction, there was Ryan Schlecht's "Vivacity of ASL" performance at the Theatre Off Jackson.

Credit: Jason Tang

I also finished that article about Paddy Ladd's visit to Seattle. He asked all of us to imagine a better world, and you'll read my response here. 

The end of the month didn't go out easily - Hurricane Sandy had us huddled around Facebook and our phones to keep in touch with loved ones. We are more than thrilled that the storm has passed, and we can begin to repair the damage.  I've also spent the last few days cracking up over the sign language interpreter jokes.  Lydia Callais, a CODA terp did a terrific job and gosh darn it, her interpreting WAS eyecatching.   I personally think it's hilarious, but here's another perspective on it.

Now, then there's the Presidental Election coming up next week! I think this may have been the most exciting fall I've had for a while. Oh, and it was Halloween yesterday.

That's in addition to all the other goods I have to share with you this month. Loren wrote about her Spotlight Studio, and I have two movie reviews to share with you along with a restaurant review!  deafREVIEW's submitted something about Madonna.  What a treat to attend one of her shows! 

I hope to be adding more things of interest this month :)


If you'd like to submit something, get in touch! :) 

whatsupblogds@gmail.com

Katie Roberts
Editor, What's Up Blog.

Restaurant Review: Pine State Biscuits

Joshua Jones

If you want to get out of Seattle for a getaway weekend but want to have a good old southern style breakfast then this place is for you!

     A couple months ago, my partner and I were watching one of Food Network programs, “Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives” and they showed this restaurant, Pine State Biscuits in Portland, Oregon. They discussed about how the owner of Pine State Biscuits is originally from North Carolina which is known for great biscuits and how he wanted to bring and share it with anyone in Portland. My partner and I decided to stop by and check it out while on the way to Central Oregon to visit my relatives. When we arrived, they had really long line of people waiting for their turn to order.  We spent little over an hour of waiting for our turn to order.  
     I decided to test their basic biscuits to see how good it is by ordering to build my own biscuit sandwich: bacon, egg, and cheddar cheese which is my favorite biscuit sandwich while I was growing up.  Morever, when I took the very first bite of that biscuit sandwich, I was in heaven! Let me tell you why it is that good because it is very rare that a restaurant can actually make a biscuit perfect instead of burning it or leaving it too dry. The biscuit was very soft and melted in my mouth.  The way they made the egg for my biscuit sandwich was also perfect and very well seasoned.  The bacon was very well cooked and moist.  I couldn't stop eating after I took a first bite. Well done, Pine State Biscuits!

     I also tried my partner's dish, the "Reggie Deluxe" which had fried chicken, eggs, bacon, cheese topped with gravy.  I was blown away by how good their gravy is and it bought a lot of memories when my grandma Mary (she used to own a diner before) used to make the best gravy in the whole world.  Pine State Biscuits made exactly same gravy as my grandma made.  They nailed it!  I also loved their fried chicken because it was moist and well seasoned not too greasy or dry.

     I rate this restaurant 4 1/2 stars.  I highly recommend for you to check this place out.  You have to be prepared to wait longer because of long line due to limited seating area space.  Pine State Biscuits has two restaurants in Portland area but newer one is little bigger than original restaurant.  The one we went to is the newer location on Alberta Street.

eyes on the stage

PULLMAN PORTER BLUES

Oct. 20th, 2012

Bagley Stage

Interpreters: Dave Morrison & Rhonda Cochran

Coach/Feed Interpreter: Pam Parham

deafREVIEW: Save the Date: FCC Internet Captioning Deadline Coming UP

reposted from deafREVIEW

Save the Date: FCC Internet Captioning Deadline Coming Up

Posted by: dR_ Staff

 Are you tired of being left out from all the video programming offered on the Internet? You’re not alone. With over 35 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the U.S., the mostly un-captioned state of the Web is a source of frustration for many.

But beginning this fall, deaf and hard of hearing viewers can finally enjoy captioned Internet video. That’s when the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), which was signed by President Obama, will begin to take effect. Very deaf-friendly move on your part, President Obama!

Bowing to pressure from the National Association for the Deaf (NAD), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has finally ruled video programming shown on the Internet (within 45 days after being shown on television) must have captions based on the following schedule:

September 30, 2012: Prerecorded programming that is not edited for Internet distribution. Examples: Television drama series, Family Guy, shows on the Discovery Channel, and so on.

March 30, 2013: Live and near-live programming recorded within 24 hours of broadcast on television; Examples are the Academy Awards, local weather forecasts, and Seahawks games. Near-live examples: The Tonight Show and "Late Night Show with Conan O'Brien”.

September 30, 2013: Prerecorded programming that is edited for Internet distribution. Examples: Deleted scenes, bloopers, or changes to musical scores (changes to TV advertisements not included).

Internet captioning is the latest of many hard-won milestones for deaf and hard of hearing audiences in America. Why, and how, do these victories come about? Because organizations (like NAD) and individuals whom stood up for their rights and paid attention to FCC “Take Action” features like this:

... and because stars like Marlee Matlin have tweeted, urging 10,000 followers to pressure Netflix to bring captioning back:

It's also because of you, you, and you – all your actions, comments, and complaints combined have a powerful effect on companies and policies that would otherwise remain in the Dark Ages. It’s all part of creating a more accessible world for ourselves and those we love.

What does the FCC ruling mean for you, dear viewers?

• Not having to ask hearing friends, co-workers or family to transcribe funny viral videos for you
• Being able to watch your favorite shows - like Glee or Switched at Birth – captioned on video hosting sites like Hulu or Netflix
• More accurate captions, compared to the current speech-to-text transcription or speech recognition software available on some internet videos
• Captions on ALL kinds of IP distribution devices, including mobile smartphone apps, websites, DVD players and gaming consoles (Source: www.closedcaptioning.net)
• Quick turnaround between the time a show is broadcast on television, and distributed with captions on the Internet: 45 days. In four years, mandated time will be even faster: 15 days

However, there are a few things that will remain uncaptioned. According to a corporate blog for VITAC (one of the largest U.S. closed captioning and media access companies):

Notably exempt from this list are "clips" or short form programming usually posted on program providers' websites. Examples of exempt clips include individual news stories on CNN.com, outtakes of your favorite TV show, and pre-show interviews with reality contestants."

Still, Internet captioning is a watershed victory - and it’s not just the deaf and hard of hearing who think so.

Ironically, hearing friends and family may rely on the “CC” button, too. Sometimes they can’t understand thick accents in British movies. Sometimes they need to mute their laptop so they don’t disturb roommates at night. Other hearing people may have auditory dyslexia (which means that even though they can hear, the words blur together). Lastly, hearing people struggling to remember awesome quotes from their favorite show, like House, can use Hulu’s Search Caption feature:

These are all examples where hearing people can benefit from Internet captioning as well.

Do you remember the shows you watched in 1993? Most likely, they included popular shows like Seinfield, Home Improvement, Roseanne, Frasier and 60 Minutes. That year, the FCC required all U.S.-manufactured analog television receivers with +13 inches screens to be CC-compatible. In 2002, the FCC also required captioning for digital television (DTV) receivers; in 2010, Spanish shows were required to be captioned.

Now, it’s 2012, and with the new internet requirements, the future of captioning has never looked so bright! We want to take this moment to THANK all of those people and organizations who go to fight for the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing community. Our access to the world would not be the same without you!

International Week of the Deaf

Here's a terrific video from the Phillipines about Deaf Awareness Week. I've never had the opportunity to visit the Phillipines, but I've heard about their use of a different style of ASL. Interesting to see in person!

ASL Art Walk: September

Jena Floyd

8 of us met at Occidental Park. We strolled near the Puget Sound with the slightly red sun settling down for the evening. There was a space (in the park) where various artmakers displayed their masterpieces, many of them colorful, novel, and innovative. We started our evening by hitting this gallery that held black and white grainy photos reflecting the realness of people in various cities. Some of us had a bit of wine provided by the photographer -- which was a nice way to start our evening.

Then we strolled over to Stonington Gallery where it houses a lot of Native tribal art, mostly locally made. We were amazed by the size of some works and how they carved wooden things... Some are made of glass, some come in various mediums such as fabric and handmade paper. Some of us ended up standing before a huge wooden totem pole titled "Raven, Brown Bear and Dragonfly" created by Scott Jensen. We were awe-stricken by the size, so colossal that it touches the floor and almost to the ceiling of the spacious, stark-white gallery. This piece of work deserves deep, genuine appreciation so I am going to extrapolate from what I’ve learned about

What fascinated me is that the totem is still in process.  Yes, the artist has been carving it for 12 to 14 hours per day since early September. It’s like a living, breathing art piece in a gallery that houses mostly finished art pieces. The recently-carved totem pole celebrates an Alaskan Native tribal group known as Tlinglit. To further celebrate and the culture and tradition of the group, the artist replicates the process of carving that was done by the actual tribal members in 1850’s.

Speaking of the appearance of the pole, it is all wooden and no color has been applied. It’s actually up for sale, costing $75,000. The price tag itself, unsurprisingly, caused strong (and reasonably nonchalant -- appreciating artist’s laborious, meticulous work) reactions in our group. One attendee remarked with a light banter note, “I could just call Tom Cruise to purchase this thing for me.” Another said, “No kidding. That price makes much sense. It’s all hard work. It so deserves a good home somewhere.” The totem pole pretty much steals the show from other works given its size and detailed carvings. You could see how amazing it looks.

 

Regardless of the price tag, the conversation led us to ponder the actual value of works themselves, may they be based on the passing of culture, stories, history from our ancestors to us to our future generations, despite the origin of our nationalities.

After admiring Scott Jensen’s "still-in-process" totem pole, we moved on to few other galleries and peeked through a window of a glass-making studio as it was closing. We were bummed but knew there’ll be another artwalk coming in October.

Various works that we saw prompted good conversations based on our experience as art appreciators and artists. Some of us have traveled across Europe and saw centuries old masterpieces; one spent 6 months at an art school in France; other browsed several art museums (free admission!) in Washington, DC.

The event ended the evening with hugs and knowing nods, agreeing that some of us will be at next month’s artwalk.

The Vivacity of ASL

Katie Roberts

 

Other than being an all-around nice guy that is well liked, Ryan Schlecht is well-known around Seattle for his work with theatre productions, being a director for the ADWAS’ special performances in 2010 and 2011. It was much to my delight to discover that he is reconnecting with his acting roots by creating a one-man show to be presented.  I had already witnessed his performance during Epic Jam II, during which he shared some new snippets that he had created. His performance will be entirely new material, entitled the “The Vivacity of ASL”. This is a new adventure for him to embark on. We spoke about how delightful it is to take advantage of new opportunities that present themselves within Seattle.  Deaf Spotlight, as an organization, hopes to create new opportunities in the Pacific Northwest for all types of Deaf artists. With that being said, both Ryan and Deaf Spotlight decided to create an exciting partnership to help further their endeavors, in terms of broadening the artists’ opportunities to show their amazing work! Not only will he be the director of Deaf Spotlight’s first theatre production in the Fall of 2013, the organization is sponsoring his one-man show, to come later this month. It is both exciting and humbling experience for him. This performance will be held on Sunday, October 21, of 2012, which falls on the weekend of both the Deaf Nation and the annual ADWAS Hope and Justice Auction.

 

 

His show will have ASL storytelling with a variety of genres that will glue you to your seat. He looks to Peter Cook as his inspiration who possesses different elements of amazing ASL storytelling. He also looks to Troy Kostur who is known as one amazing actor that projects abundance skills and knowledge onto Ryan while working together for years while he was in California, working in different productions with Deaf West Theatre. With that being said, Ryan will bring his own ideas, combining different aspects of his craft over the years to the stage that will be nothing but pleasure to watch. A successful show is one where the performer will connect with the audience, to take them on a journey throughout the evening to a place where they never thought such.

During my interview, I learned that Mr. Schlecht is a professional actor with years of experience, both as an actor first and director since 1999. I asked him about his directing work – how does he find this experience as an actor to be different from his directing experience? From what he told me, it was clear that he believed both the director and the actor to be vital to the final production.

 

 

As an actor he focuses on character development and preparing for the production which entails as supporting the production developments, and the director’s vision for the work itself. As far as directing goes, Ryan, as a director is to bring the actors together to create a strong ensemble work to create a vigorous teamwork that will show itself in the play.

 

When combining the two, acting and directing requires different types of skills, but the keyword to this is team work. Since he started acting in 1999 until 2005, in different cities - being on tour which earned him a Tony Award! After attending college which earned him his Bachelor’s degree that led him to a 9-5 job, he realized his undying passion to act has not gone away which leads him to create new endeavors when it comes to showing his craft. He decided to start in Seattle and is forever grateful that Deaf Spotlight agreed to partner with him to see this come to fruition.

 

 

Looking ahead to the “The Vivacity of ASL”, he has invested his best work in this show. He is always determined to optimize his skills through American Sign Language and portray the beauty and complexity of ASL itself, for everyone to enjoy. It does not alter his work if the person is deaf or hearing.  
Big River: 2004 Tony Award

 

Deaf Spotlight is honored to work with Ryan Schlecht for our first theatre production, namely known as one man show. Together, we are making the steps necessary, such as finding a location, providing resources such as advertising, recruiting staff/volunteers to help increase the knowledge about both Ryan’s one man show and Deaf Spotlight.  This experience is especially different, as Deaf Spotlight is entrusting Mr. Schlecht in this this new creative endeavor. Deaf Spotlight hopes to continue finding and offering opportunities not just for acting, but artists of all types – performing, painting, writing to name a few.

 

Being an actor, an artist - is an act of faith, to have courage to step into the spotlight – to work throughout those butterflies in his stomach – is to bare himself. Kudos to Ryan!

 

October 2012 Letter From The Editor

Yes, it's Deaf Awareness Week! Who knew? :) Thanks to deafREVIEW for tipping me off. In addition, I attended Paddy Ladd's lecture of the University of Washington, and that experience also left me full of thought.  I will be following up on that...

 



Versallies
Katie Roberts

September was a glorious month, as many of us from Deaf Spotlight took off for sunny Tuscany climes. (Naples, actually).  I'll be sharing a few pictures, just because I think they're so lovely. Patty, Buddy and Libby from Deaf Spotlight were all great companions, and we have many stories to remember. Jena Floyd did stay here in Seattle, and she wrote about the ASL Art Walk this past month. There's just one more this year - the next one will be led by Rob Roth on October 3rd.

 

 

Street Artists in Florence (Chalk)
Patty Liang

Our postings this month is a bit light, but I've got great material to share with you.  Did you know that September 30th is the date at when all prerecorded vidoes are required to have captioning available?  I will definitely be keeping an eye on my Netflix account..



Ryan Schlecht, Age 5

The first thing up is my  article about Ryan Schlecht and his upcoming one man show, "Vivacity of ASL". I've known Ryan for several years, but finally had the opportunity to sit down with him and pick his brain a bit, dig through his history as an actor.  He has a show coming up, and I'm eager to see what he has to offer all of us. This is the big thing that we all are excited about this month - see you there!

Joshua Jones also has the Restaurant Review - he took a detour and visited Portland.  What a terrific city, although my heart's in Seattle. Sorry, Portland - but I'll visit often. You're welcome here, too.

Venice
Katie Roberts

Please remember to contact me if you are interested in submitting something - we want the opportunity to showcase the talent out there in the Pacific Northwest. Please email us with the required information - your name, contact info, city/state, attachment of your work with a title, and a website if you have one at whatsupblogds@gmail.com. We will screen and select for the upcoming month's online edition. The deadline is October 25th, if you wish to submit something to the next edition.

Note: I have a new email address beginning this month - please contact me there from now on. whatsupblogds@gmail.com


See You Next Month,
Katie Roberts
Editor