Clarksville, TN – Kayla Cross, a freshman studio art major at Austin Peay State University (APSU), is on a mission to create a tactile art movement so visually impaired people can engage with the medium in a new way.
The project was inspired by Cross’s blind best friend, freshman education major Maliyah Green, who asked if she had any tactile paintings she could feel. This gave Cross a new perspective on how people experience art.
“I feel like blind people are left out in this world too often,” said Cross, who is legally blind but can see well enough to read standard print. “They don’t get to see the beauty in art unless it’s tactile or a sculpture, and I want to give them the sensation of what a visual person is seeing.”
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In addition to being more inclusive, tactile artwork can strengthen the connections between people who experience it together.
Cross creates her tactile artwork using materials like hot glue, puffy paint and pipe cleaners. The compositions are influenced by pop and abstract art but feature simple geometric shapes that are easy to follow by touch.
“I’ve taken a lot of these and made a coloring book for Maliyah,” Cross said. “Because the designs are simple, she doesn’t need any supervision or help and can do these easily by herself. She likes to color, so she loves it.”
Green was especially excited to receive the book because coloring is one of her lifelong hobbies. She picked it up as a safe alternative to painting and because of the sensory experience it provides.
“I had a lot of coloring books as a child, but of course, I didn’t feel the pictures, and I didn’t know where the lines were,” she said. “To actually be able to feel it almost doesn’t seem real, but it’s an amazing experience, and I can’t thank Kayla enough.”
Green uses adaptive tools like scented markers to tell different colors apart, and tactile elements allow her to feel where the lines are and fully experience the pictures, similarly to how a person with vision would.
“I feel like coloring brought me a step closer to the art world and gave me a way to enjoy art safely and independently,” she said. “People have helped me paint in the past because I can’t do it on my own, but when I color there’s a sense of independence. I don’t have to ask anybody to schedule – I can just do it.”
Cross may produce more coloring books for visually impaired people, but she primarily wants to inspire other artists to contribute tactile works to galleries worldwide.
Her commitment to inclusivity in art forms the core of Cross’s mission, breaking down barriers and challenging artists to expand their horizons.
The Artist behind the movement: Kayla Cross’s Creative Journey
Although her tactile artwork is a recent project, Cross has been drawn to the art world since her childhood in Illinois.
Cross was assigned a project to create a miniature art gallery and discovered the works of pop artists Keith Haring and Romero Britto, which motivated her to pursue her career.
“That project made me blossom into a whole different person and changed my imagination completely,” she said. “[Haring and Britto] truly brought me into the art world and inspired me to find my own style in pop or abstract art.”
Cross said Austin Peay State University’s welcoming campus environment and accessibility made it the perfect place for her to pursue an art degree. She recently completed her first year of study and looks forward to the rest of her time as a Gov.
“It’s been going well, and I’ve had a lot of opportunities to get involved in activities on campus,” she said. “I’m in the art club and also participated in the art market where you can sign up and sell your work. I’m starting my first major art class next semester, and I’m excited about the possibility of being featured in a student exhibition in the future.”
After graduation, Cross plans to travel the country and explore artist-in-residence programs that will allow her to share her creations with wider audiences. To keep up with her artwork and professional journey, follow her on Instagram @krcross02.
