We were lucky to catch up with Summer Braddock recently and have shared our conversation below.

Summer, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

From a young age I’ve had a love for all things art. Born with a rare disability and unable to use my arms or legs, I taught myself how to write, draw, and paint by using my mouth. I took a few classes, and enjoyed creating art in my spare time—but as I got older, helping people became my true passion. After receiving a dual Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis employment was hard to find because of my limitations. I had sold some paintings and done custom work for others so I decided if no one would hire me, I’ll just focus on my art. In 2015, I designed my website and began making custom artwork and selling watercolor greeting cards. In 2019, I found a wonderful non-profit organization dedicated to helping artists with disabilities right in my town. I was thankfully able to sell much of my art through them and they encouraged me to try my ‘mouth’ at Ceramics- an art I had never explored. I’m now not only painting beautiful scenes, but also creating unique pieces of 3D art, something I never thought possible if it wasn’t for this local non-profit- Artists’ Open Studio- for giving me a chance.

Summer, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born alongside my identical twin sister, though we looked the same there was one notable difference between us- I was born with a rare physical disability and she was not. Growing up I wasn’t able to do many of the things she could. While she was great at physical things like sports, I excelled in the creative/visual arts. Creating art and writing short stories was something I loved and was good at. When I realized people wanted to purchase my art, I decided to pursue a career as an artist. On top of creating pieces of all mediums, I recently began facilitating painting workshops and teaching others the basic painting techniques. My workshops are unique in that not only are those in attendance learning to paint, they are also learning about my disability and have the option of painting their piece by mouth, like me.
I’m most proud of stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new forms of art. For now, my writing may have taken a back seat, but I hope to accomplish writing and illustrating a few children’s books as well as a memoir one day soon.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Having a pretty severe physical disability, many doctors assumed I would not be able to live a full, independent life. The school system wanted me to be in a special classroom because I required too much help, but my parents fought for my right to be in school with my sister. Occupational therapists tried to get me to write with the use of hand assisted devices that just didn’t work for me. Seeing my peers write their name on their work, I decided to teach myself to write by mouth. Over time I began to draw and then paint. My whole life people have told me what I can’t do, and oh how I’ve loved proving them wrong.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My main goal behind my art is to inspire and educate others who may think their own limitations stop them from trying something new- especially younger kids who may be unfamiliar of those with differences. When watching me paint or taking one of my workshops, individuals get to see that even though I can’t use my hands, I’m still able to create art— I just do it differently.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.paintingsbysummer.com
• Instagram: @paintings_by_summer

Image Credits

N/a