Teaching Pottery Without Sight: My EYE-DAS Visit Featured in the SGV Examiner.

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY EXAMINER

EYE-DAS Welcomes Don Katz, Braille Institute Pottery Graduate and Instructor

Creative clay animals and pots.

By Marsha Edwards Mason

GLENDORA - The Glendora EYE-DAS meeting at La Petra had Don Katz speak about his life and his struggle after losing his sight when he was in his 20's.

Don went to college to be a chef and earned a degree in Restaurant Management. He worked in fine restaurants in New York City. He was on his way to his dream career when the unthinkable happened to him. Two days before the September 11th disaster in 2001, Don came down with Meningitis. He spent the next two months in a coma in the hospital. When Don awoke, he was paralyzed and blind.

He spent many years in recovery and therapy. Don went to the Braille Institute and learned pottery and sculpture. He speaks about his experience and brings with him a pound of clay in a baggy for each guest and listener to try their talents with clay.

Don describes how to mold and sculpt by feeling the clay in your hands without seeing it. He expresses feeling the texture of the clay while being creative. After describing the art of molding and sculpting by feeling and not by sight, Don invited everyone to begin expressing their own creativity by molding the clay in front of them.

Every table had expressive attendees anxious to try their talents. Don went from table to table and talked to everyone about feeling the texture of the clay and expressing themselves. He was encouraging and gave ideas for others to express. People made animals, plates, bowls, vases, signs. More animals, cats, dogs, elephants and turtles were among the creative ideas.

Don Katz is a fine example of resilience, determination, creativity and strong will. Through all the trials that life has thrown him, his heart encourages him to share with others and give back to humanity.

EYE-DAS (Eye Diseases Are Serious) is an organization dedicated to helping the visually impaired in the San Gabriel Valley. Membership is open to any adult with impaired, partial, or no vision. Sighted individuals are welcome. EYE-DAS encourages those with visual problems to become more independent and lead a more productive and satisfying life.

Cheers,

DK