National Park College art student Garret Lyon was recently featured in the annual Student Art Showcase hosted by the Communications
and Arts Division. Lyon had six pieces in the exhibit which included three digital
advertising designs, two landscape works and a self-portrait.
He began taking courses at NPC last fall after graduating from the Arkansas School
for the Blind. He lost his sight at the age of three following surgery for a brain
tumor. He loves cooking and is interested in learning more about a career as a food
critic.
Lyon said it was very exciting to be selected to participate in the showcase. His
three digital advertising designs were part of a project that required students to
draw two words at random. He drew “lobster” and “toothpaste” and was then required
to develop ads around the product. Lyon ordered a plastic lobster online, spray painted
it and photographed it. He then used the images to create his design.
For the landscapes, Lyon used wax coated string to create lines that he used to paint
the scene. He said, “They help me stay inside the lines, kind of like how you would
stay inside the lines of a picture in a drawing book if you were a little kid.”
“My fascination with art first took off when I started going to the Texas School for
the Blind in Austin, Texas. That’s when my curiosity kicked in and it continued through
when I moved to the Arkansas School for the Blind in Little Rock, Arkansas.”
When asked how he manages to create art given his visual impairment, Lyon said, “I
start off with an image in my mind and go from there.” Lyon also credited his parents
and Art Instructor Lana Taliaferro for assisting him.
Taliaferro said no exceptions have ever been made for Garret to meet the requirements
and deadlines of the course. “He has always produced work that meets all assignment
guidelines and is finished on time or early,” she said.
“Garret has such an amazing outlook on life and is so positive and excited to start
any new adventure in art making. When I introduce a new project to the class, he will
spend some time thinking about what tools he could use to meet the project challenge.
His work shows critical thinking, creativity, and a great understanding of spatial
relationships. His processes and his motivation, along with his generosity and kindness,
have made him an inspiration to anyone who has had the opportunity to share a classroom
with him. Garret has taught me a lot more than I have taught him,” said Taliaferro.
