I Am Beautiful, Disability & All
Nila Morton (@nilanmorton)
When I was young, art became one of my greatest talents. It gave me the ability to expand my creativity and drawing and painting helped me gain strength in my hands due to my disability. I knew I wanted to pursue a career that involved art but because of teachers, society, and some family members, I believed that being an artist wasn’t enough and not seen as a “respected” profession. However, my grandpa believed in me so much and was one of my biggest supporters with my artwork. He believed in me so much
In the spring of 2020, I wanted to start painting and drawing again because it brought me joy in my childhood, something I needed more of especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. I bought paint, canvases, and a sketchpad to build my artistic skill back up due to not drawing for a long period of time. I practiced almost every day and was determined not to give up. My grandpa encouraged me to start selling my artwork and to my surprise, many people were willing to pay for my work after I started to promote my artwork on social media. I remember telling my grandpa about it and he was so proud of me. That moment was one of the last experiences I shared with my grandpa before he passed away last August. I battled grief and nerve-wracking thoughts about taking the leap of faith and building my art business but I did. As time passed, my business slowly started to grow and I found more peace during my healing process.
'Date Night' Digital Art. 2020.
CONTROLLING MY OWN NARRATIVE
My business is still growing and my art has brought many people joy. Being an artist is a respected profession and career. I am proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone because I rarely saw black disabled women in arts and want to change it. Art is needed and my art helps remind the world that people with disabilities are beautiful instead of social stereotypes. I know how much my art brought my Grandpa joy so I aim to share that joy with the rest of the world. As time passes, I find more peace in making both him and myself proud. Taking his advice and believing in myself is helping me to overcome my beliefs about being an artist every day.
“I am who I am and I am no mistake. We live in a society where we feel we need to fix any and everyone but have no reason why we want to do that. If we are uncomfortable around someone, instead of learning them, we judge and try to fix them. That's how I see art. Art is different, not one particular way. Art comes in multiple shapes and forms, no one can really tell if art is beautiful or not. People are art. I am art. ” – Nila Morton
About The Artist
Nila Morton is a 22 year old disabled artist and advocate based in South Carolina. She uses her voice and art to speak out about the ableism that the disabled community, especially the Black disabled community, faces on a daily basis. Through painting, drawing, and creating digital art, Nila aims to inspire individuals to embrace their true selves without worry about judgment.