Renowned deaf artist and activist Nancy Rourke visited the University of Wyoming Thursday, April 11 and, in partnership with 7220 Entertainment, hosted a painting workshop for students and other members of the UW and Laramie community.
About 20 participants, many of whom were also either deaf and/or speaker’s of ASL, attended the workshop, and were provided painting materials for its duration, which included brushes, paints, tracing pens, canvases and easels.
Before any brush strokes were actually made; however, Rourke gave a short, 10-minute presentation during which she detailed her long career as a painter. She returned to the field following a 20 year stint as a graphic designer. Her art plays a role in the Deaf View/Image Art (De’VIA) movement as well as within her own personal activism, or as she refers to it “artivism”.
During the presentation Rourke also explained the use of unmixed primary colors in her paintings, a style which has been dubbed Rourkeism, and the meaning held behind each of those colors.
“Red stands for empowerment or just power in general. Yellow represents hope for a better future, the darker blue is representative of oppression and discrimination, and the lighter blue is deaf identity or deafhood.”
Rourke ended her presentation by showing a short portfolio of her past work, including some of the permanent exhibits that host her paintings like the one in the Silesian Museum in Katowice, Poland.
Following the presentation’s end, Rourke led participants through a step by step recreation of one of her paintings, a four-paneled piece, with each panel containing a hand doing sign gestures for the letters L-O-V-E.
From 7 p.m. until 10 p.m., the workshop’s participants followed Rourke’s instruction, and quietly worked on tracing, painting and detailing their canvas, all the while using the motifs of Rourkeism: unmixed primary colors that celebrate and express the truths of deafhood.
As for her future endeavors, Rourke spoke on an upcoming commission at Gallaudet University which will involve the painting of a 56 by 19 foot mural that features a land acknowledgment of the native tribes that once called the land home, as well as her role as the curator of art for an inaugural native artistry event also hosted by Gallaudet University.
“They have several artists participating in a variety of mediums. There’s some pottery, there’s some beadwork, there’s rugwork, paintings obviously, woodworking, carving and whatnot … I’m really looking forward to that event, that’s the biggest thing on the horizon for me.”
For those interested in Nancy Rourke’s art and/or activism, you can visit nancyrourke.com for a more complete overview of her career as an artist, her art, and any upcoming showings or events.
