Meet Casey Brynes, a practicing artist at Creative Growth since 2013. Skilled in textiles, Byrnes began in braiding and knitting, quickly moving on to innovative and complex Saori weaving designs, often translated into dramatic capes and caftans worn on the runway at Creative Growth’s annual Beyond Trend fashion show. You can visit his piece in our exhibition, Into The Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD on view in our Great Hall through January 21, 2024.

OMCA invites you to experience Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD celebrating a myriad of works from contemporary artists with developmental disabilities. From painting to sculpture to multimedia, these world-renowned artists are producing artworks of incredible power, exuberance, humor, complexity, and joy.

Get Tickets: https://museumca.org/on-view/into-the...

[Video description:
Black and white video of Casey Byrnes signing his artist statement. White text captions appear to the left. Colorful animated bursts appear around his body, accentuating his signs and feelings.

[Transcription of captions:
I’m deaf and CP, and gay. ta da! And an artist! As you can see, My hands are my tools. I work through my hands. Sometimes I’m depressed and angry. I’m fastidious. I want things perfect. I grew up in Iowa. From the age of two to fourteen I was sent to a Residential School for the Oral Program. My teachers were strict. They abused me and the other deaf children. I was afraid. I asked, and they said, You can’t sign. I had to sit on my hands. They forbid that. They kicked me out. The teachers lied to me and to my parents. I went to The School for The Deaf in Iowa Residential School. From the age of 14 to 20. I learned ASL sign language. In the past I enjoyed reading magazines and books And I’d look at women’s beautiful clothes. Men and women using women’s clothes. haha! I felt imprisoned. I design things, draw, anything. I do many things to express. Through my hands. In the past I was angry. I sculpted with clay. Sculpting. And I felt resolved. Things calm down. And become peaceful. Peace! When I’m creating and making. I feel like a dream. My mind is connected to the art. I enjoy expressing my art, and giving it to the world all over. I’m an artist. Successful. Expert. I can do many things. I can’t hear, I can’t speak, but it doesn’t matter. I’m an expert with my eyes and I catch everything. I’m proud of myself. And when I share my art, I feel like.. famous, successful. Who am I? Casey Byrnes Ta da!

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