Kate Adams is an Indigenous Vermont artist with multiple disabilities, and in this episode of the show, she sits down with CDCI Academics Coordinator Winnie Looby. They talk about Kate's work with her horses on disability and trauma, the messages carried by geese, and Kate's life as an artist with ADHD.




https://youtu.be/kh-UXBCa2MU




Content notes: this episode contains brief mentions of domestic violence, and adult child death. Please decide how best to approach those topics for yourself. A full transcript of the episode appears below.





Winnie Looby: Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your relationship with disability?



Kate Adams: My given name at birth was Katherine Mary Adams, and then I grew up being called Kathy as my nickname. But then when I was finally at a point of realizing I needed to get out of an abusive marriage, and I realized that every time I saw in writing or heard someone say Kathy, that I cringed. I realized I need to change my nickname for a new beginning. And so I changed it to Kate. And so that is what I used when I signed my art.



At the time, I didn't know I was disabled, so to speak. And I became acquainted with Vermont Inclusive Arts Council because I do love the outdoors, and taking photos, and images, and sharing them. And I saw so much awful stuff on Facebook and all this other media that I said, "Well, at least I could share some good things."



And also that was important to my daughter in the last three years of her battle with three rare aggressive breast cancers. She says, "Mom, send me photos of my boys of the horses, of the sunrises, of the ducks." And at the time I thought she just needed it as a distraction, a break from her work, or a distraction from the pain.



But I eventually realized that it not only was an expression of my love to her, knowing that though I couldn't be with her in person through this new technologies, I could send images of her of things that we both loved. And so it was like expressing my mother's love.



And I wanted to find more ways to share my images. And I have tried in the past to do exhibits and sell photography, and I was privileged to be honored as to do an exhibit for the gallery here in Springfield on the photos of the Lakota and Abenaki peoples. But I find that it's very hard to sell things that way. Plus, if you don't have the money to pay for good matting and frames, and I do it thrift store style. Okay?







So when I saw this notice in the weekly flyer that came that said, "Still accepting entries for this exhibit," which was called Masked, I thought, "Here's another way." And so I inquired, and of course it said people with disabilities.



And so I contacted Heidi [Swevens, of Inclusive Arts Vermont] and she, I want to say is such a blessing. And for anyone that is listening to this and has some of their own challenges, I want to just encourage you that the folks at Inclusive Arts Council understand, and they're very wise and kind.



And so we had a number of phone conversations because I qualified on their terms of disability, three ways. PTSD. Well, I have more than simple PTSD. I have complex PTSD, which let me tell you, it is more complex. I have ADH, which I didn't know till about 15 years ago. And so you could now call me ADH late diagnosis, which I'm learning. From what I'm learning through Zoom stuff, that's even more complicated, and being indigenous.



And these were all in the category. And I said, okay, first of all, I don't like the word disabled, because it's been used and the images, and the stereotypes, it's been used so much in our culture in a very negative way. And I learned through my horses. My horses are family generation bred. They're the old type Lippitt Morgans, which really connect with people. They're very wise. They are healer teachers if you're willing to be open to learn what they have to share.



And I have two of my horses are ADH.

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