[accessibleimage] Student has a feel for her art

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@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

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

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