A STUPID BRILLIANCE
A Pictorial Essay By Heather Briggs
ARTIST STATEMENT
When I was ten years old I was assessed with severe dyslexia. No matter how hard I tried, I could not spell the word cat. In addition, it was impossible for me to read “a,” “and” or “the,” and I was constantly flipping letters. Words always seemed to be my enemy.
To portray theses struggles in a visual way, I assembled crafted objects displayed in hand built, cardboard boxes. Building the boxes and finding the objects helped me bring my abstract emotions and memories to life in a way that felt original and personal. The objects such as books, paper, letters, words symbolize the mountain top and deep valley moments I went through on my journey.
In spite of the horrible experiences, I also had victories in the battle. For example, when I read my first chapter book by myself, earned the top grade in my Biology class, and discovering my enjoyment of intriguing words. Most importantly, the way I looked at myself changed. Instead of seeing myself as stupid, I saw myself as special and unique.
In the future, I would like this body of work to inspire others who have learning disabilities. By discovering one’s strengths, and through prayer and perseverance, we can overcome our weaknesses to find hope and to thrive.