People with disabilities could be at a disadvantage when it comes to creating art. However, with the additional help that technology provides, artists with disabilities can widen their range of creative outputs.

According to the arts magazine Cascade A&E, the constant evolution of art through technology strives to give artists with disabilities the chance to engage in art activities like other artists.

When it comes to interior design, architecture, and sculpting, Cascade A&E emphasizes that constant improvements in technology are prompted by the urge to help those in need. Additionally, there are adaptors that allow users to draw using their head, teeth, and eye movement. Junior Gina Dige of Howell mentions her opinion on technology for artists, saying that technology is very flexible when it comes to adjusting to the needs of every artist.

“There’s plenty of softwares available to create digital art that are very hands on and allow artists to have just as much control over their work as they would doing it by hand,” Dige said.

A concern for artists, especially with technology, is pricing. Junior Kara Petrosino of Colts Neck said that the benefits of technology are not worth the hefty price of purchasing design softwares.

“When you add up the cost of good equipment and software, prices can get very high very fast,” Petrosino said. “Of course, this can become a problem for anyone, but I feel that it may be a larger issue for artists with disabilities. If an artist with a disability already relies on expensive technology and resources in their day to day life, they may not be able to splurge on a luxury like expensive equipment or software for art.”

Though some artists believe there are limitations to art through technology, others, like junior Giulia DeFabritus of Freehold, argue that technology is beneficial because of how easy-to-use it is.

Mad Design Works, a company that utilizes technology to create a customized workspace for artists, specifically those with disabilities, explains that having a company like itself is important in our modern world. The founder of Made Design Works, John Lash, founded this company with his passion for serving the disabled community and his interest in giving others the opportunity to achieve good design.

Together, Lash and his crew gathered by visiting their clients in their households and examining their situation to create a personalized creative workspace.

Despite difficulties in creating art, the community of disabled artists continues to grow and pave the way for others. While they develop in their own creative journeys, Dige said she believes that artists of all kinds should show off their abilities.

“Artists need to be able to use their own imagination because originality is essential,” Dige said. “There will always be something special.”