Month: April 2023

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WHAT A SCREAM

The Final Assignment for my ASL course required telling a 5-minute narrative in ASL. As true stories are easier to remember than made-up ones, I told the story of when I was trampled by a cow when I was ten (without breaking any bones).

Applying the course lessons with a story also teaches more than memorizing words for a test. It involves learning new words to correctly tell the story, including the hand sign for Scream/Yell/Call Out. A cartoon of a 10-year-old me (who thought she could scare a cow out of a manger by yelling and yelling at her) shows the ASL hand sign for YELL.

The C hand sign over the mouth arcs forwards and upwards Once.
A visual of the loud noise coming from the mouth, the facial expression matching the intensity

#ASL #signlanguage #yell #scream #roar #cartoon #myasldictionary

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DIGITAL PRINT

While preparing to contact the Library and the presentation at the up-and-coming “Pursuit of Passions” Exhibit, I finished the printed brochure to introduce and promote my ASL Dictionary. It presents a brief description of the book, a sampling of its artwork, the QR code for the Author’s website, and the logo of its publisher, Tellwell Publishing. How ironic I’m using print to sell my digital book.
#ASL #signlanguage #brochure #tellwell #cartoon #myasldictionary

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BIONIC EAR

I always enjoy showing off my artwork, especially to family. At last week’s family reunion, I had the opportunity to meet my Great-uncle Paul, who was interested in my ASL studies. When he told me about his cochlear implants, I grabbed my phone and opened my ASL Dictionary to show him my illustration of the ASL hand sign for the Cochlear implant. He liked the picture but was even more intrigued by the short biography of the electronic device beside it. Being family, I offered to send him a free copy of my book, but he insisted on buying one.
A Cochlear Implant is a surgically implanted electrical device that stimulates the auditory nerve. The illustration is a cartoon of Australian Professor Graeme Clark, who developed the multi-channel cochlear implant, and the side view is a cartoon of Rod Sanders, the first to wear it. Fingerspell CI or the bent fingers of the V hand sign poke the head behind the ear, the visual of the cochlear implant’s location on the head.
#ASL #signlanguage #cochclearimplant  #CI #cartoon #myasldictionary

 

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PICTURE PERFECT

Today I was interviewed for Schlegel Villages upcoming “Pursuit of Passions” Exhibit  I answered questions about my Passions in Art, American Sign Language, and my published ASL Dictionary that blended them both. A makeup artist did my face for the photo session as I joked the only makeup I apply is for Halloween and the cartoons in my book. The photographer Chris wanted photos of me drawing, so instead of just posing with my pencil, I surprised everyone by drawing a quick cartoon of her with her quote, “Every picture is beautiful”, her hand posed in the ASL hand sign for I love you. Chris really loved it, so I gave it to her as a gift. Later on, I’ll get copies of their pictures and see how I look doing my artwork in makeup. It was all very exciting.
Pursuit of Passions Gala will run from June 1 – June 29 in several different cities.
June 1 – 1 p.m. The Village of University Gates, Waterloo
June 8 – 2 p.m The Village of Taunton Mills, Whitby
June 14 – 2:30 p.m. St. Clair College, Widndsor
June 21 – 2:30 p.m. The Village of Erin Meadows, Mississauga
June 29 – 2 p.m. Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton

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EASTER

Instead of visuals for eggs and Easter baskets (which my dictionary also has) this April 9th, I’m posting an earlier Canadian variant of the ASL hand sign for EASTER taught to me in class.
I used a cartoon of Jesus to illustrate this Easter hand sign. With the palms facing to the sides, both hands cross over the middle of the chest as the S hands open up into 5 hands, Twice.
I remember this variant for its similarities to the hand signs for LOVE (crossing both hands over the middle of the chest) and MIRACLE (S hands thrust forward into open 5 hands).
Together the perfect visual for the resurrection of Christ.
Happy Easter!
#ASL #signlanguage #easter #jesus #cartoon #myasldictionary

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APRIL FISH!

To celebrate April 1st, I sidestep last year’s April Fools to focus on France’s Poisson d’Avril. Like April Fools Day, April Fish follows the same playful tradition of pranks, jokes, and hoaxes (but includes taping a paper fish to someone’s back). A fish is also a term for people easily hooked or fooled. My dictionary’s one-armed Merman shows the ASL hand sign for FISH. The hand swings back and forth as it moves forward, like a fish swimming in the water.
#ASL #signlanguage #fish #merman #cartoon #myasldictionary