Low Vision, High Art

Washington, D.C.–based visual artist Erika York ’12 was in elementary school when she was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a genetic disorder that causes progressive vision loss.

That’s why York favors oversize canvases, bright colors, bold lines, stark contrasts and large figures. This way, she says, “If somebody’s visually impaired, they can still see it.” York, who sells her abstract acrylic paintings on Etsy, shares this excerpt from her artist statement:

My work centers around the human experience. Experiences such as mothering, platonic and romantic intimacy, family and spirituality are all very common themes in my work. The work that I’ve done thus far pulls influences from both social and cultural experiences such as othering and constructs of gender and race. I want the audience to see themselves in the work just as I see myself in the work. I work hard to convey a human connection from the piece to the audience.

This story appears as part of the Smithies Create column in the Fall 2020 issue of the Smith Alumnae Quarterly.

Erika York ’12 with her painting Teal Faces.