Are you an Art type with Aphantasia? (Musician, Artist, Writer, Dancer) I’d love to hear your stories!

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Hello everyone!

my name is Victoria Blue I play the French Horn am currently studying for my masters in music performance.

I learned I was Aphantasic just a couple of years again and ever since discovering this portion of my life, I’ve became more and more curious. This curiosity led me to choosing to pursue research into the effects of artistic studies on students with Aphantasia and a lack of an inner monologue. With this gained knowledge, I wish to forge a new approach to pedagogical practice to be more inclusive to these students and all students alike.

I am planning on focusing on this for my DMA cognate and would love to find Artist’s/Musician’s/Dancer’s/Writer’s/etc. that are Aphantasiac. I am also looking for others that are interested in the education and pedagogical side that would like to speak with me about any research they have come across. (Or even just to talk about where are good places to look into the subject!)

I look forward to hearing from anyone that would be interested in sharing their stories with me!

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ye, i’ jestm aphantas i jestem aktorem teatru lalek. Jeżli masz jakieś pytania pisz – ksiadzyn@poczta.onet.pl
MOD TRANSLATION:
yes, i’m aphantasic and I’m a puppet theater actor. If you have any questions, write to us – ksiadzyn@poczta.onet.pl

Hello!

I would love to discuss your artistic journey!

Before I email you, what is your preferred spoken language so I may translate correctly?

Thank you!

Hi, I’m surely not a professional or anything, but I do like to create art. I’ve always known I had aphantasia, but it wasnt until maybe three years ago I learned of this term for it.

You can email me if you have any questions: sarahemea@yahoo.com

I wouldn’t describe myself as a musician, but I enjoy playing & LOVE listening to music – passionately.

Almost to the point of obsessional. I love some forms of art – I enjoy looking (19th century French impressionists, for example). I love words, reading? Less so (reading doesn’t really ‘work’ with aphantasia), but I think, (though I never have actually tried!!) I could write. Cannot draw anything – especially from memory! Am a very self-conscious dancer – though have in recent years lost a few dancing inhibitions – here’s hoping to losing a few more!!!

Hi,

I am a professional photographer and an amatuer writer.

Like yourself, I also learned I have aphantasia a couple of years ago.

My full time job is photographing ancient art / antiquity and have been writing a novel, on and off, for many years.

I enjoy reading (both actual and audio books) but am terrible at drawing or any other forms of art. I like listening to music but have never had any noteworthy experience of playing music myself. In regards to dancing, only occasionally and after a few too many drinks.

Don’t know if this would be any use to you?

Hi Victoria,
I come from a line of artists, however I cannot draw or paint. The best I can do is stick figures unless I am copying directly and with extreme concentration.
I am however creative in other ways, I studied dancing (ballroom and rock& Roll), music (including violin, piano and guitar), writing (mainly poetry), acting and singing. I am also creative in the kitchen. I have been a sound engineer, lighting designer, a vision mixer and cameraman for live events.
I love/hate reading (I have Dyslexia) and mainly use audio books (since their discovery).
Feel free to reach out at simon.g.garner@gmail.com if you have any questions.

I’m an artist with my MFA and I’m a professor of graphic design and fine art. I have Aphantasia. I never imagine pictures in my head. They just are. I feel like the information and creative flow are so fast that there is no need for images. Ever have someone secretly looking at you and you can just feel it and you turn and look? Thats how I imagine things. It is that quick and its like an understood energy that just is. If I slow it down to explain my thought then it is a verbal experience but without words when it is described to myself. So tell me to create a 4 eyed dragon , orange with 10 spikes, etc… and I never see it, as it just is – I can draw it too with no struggle.

Hello Victoria, I am Kristylynn. I’m currently working on a degree in New Media Art at SUNY Purchase. I’m also very interested in meeting other artists/musicians/writers who have aphantasia, and I’m open to sharing my experiences and stories. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find much research in my personal studies, though if you’re doing future research I’m willing to help as a participant.

I learned of aphantasia a few years ago and it was a shock. I thought exprecions like "picture this" or "counting sheep" in your head was just sayings. I have been into traditional art most my life, though never taking a formal art class, I am self taught. I have dont countless commitions for people, painting and drawing things.

I never thought about how this has or could affect my creativity (other than how neat it would be to be able to paint inside my head without having to take out a paint brush). I was explaining this condition to a friend a week or so ago and something they said was striking, "You must be better at creating and brain storming because you are not held back by preconceived images or ideas that pop to your mind". I do wonder about that. At this moment I am doing a paper for college over aphantasia and creativity. This is how I found this site.

Now my creative process involves a lot of web searches for images to study before I start a project. I get as much knowledge in my head about something before I atempt to create it. Before I had much web access I worked almost exclusivly from a photo, copying it exactly. I didnt do much on my own because it was too hard to come up with something, and have it turn out the way I wanted it to.

I will stop here, or my tendancy to babble will dominate.

You are most welcome to contact me: everchange268@hotmail.com

I learned of aphantasia a few years ago and it was a shock. I thought exprecions like "picture this" or "counting sheep" in your head was just sayings. I have been into traditional art most my life, though never taking a formal art class, I am self taught. I have dont countless commitions for people, painting and drawing things.

I never thought about how this has or could affect my creativity (other than how neat it would be to be able to paint inside my head without having to take out a paint brush). I was explaining this condition to a friend a week or so ago and something they said was striking, "You must be better at creating and brain storming because you are not held back by preconceived images or ideas that pop to your mind". I do wonder about that. At this moment I am doing a paper for college over aphantasia and creativity. This is how I found this site.

Now my creative process involves a lot of web searches for images to study before I start a project. I get as much knowledge in my head about something before I atempt to create it. Before I had much web access I worked almost exclusivly from a photo, copying it exactly. I didnt do much on my own because it was too hard to come up with something, and have it turn out the way I wanted it to.

I will stop here, or my tendancy to babble will dominate.

You are most welcome to contact me: everchange268@hotmail.com

I learned of aphantasia a few years ago and it was a shock. I thought exprecions like "picture this" or "counting sheep" in your head was just sayings. I have been into traditional art most my life, though never taking a formal art class, I am self taught. I have dont countless commitions for people, painting and drawing things.

I never thought about how this has or could affect my creativity (other than how neat it would be to be able to paint inside my head without having to take out a paint brush). I was explaining this condition to a friend a week or so ago and something they said was striking, "You must be better at creating and brain storming because you are not held back by preconceived images or ideas that pop to your mind". I do wonder about that. At this moment I am doing a paper for college over aphantasia and creativity. This is how I found this site.

Now my creative process involves a lot of web searches for images to study before I start a project. I get as much knowledge in my head about something before I atempt to create it. Before I had much web access I worked almost exclusivly from a photo, copying it exactly. I didnt do much on my own because it was too hard to come up with something, and have it turn out the way I wanted it to.

I will stop here, or my tendancy to babble will dominate.

You are most welcome to contact me: everchange268@hotmail.com

Hello,

I have known I couldn’t visulize for years….. didn’t ever really think about and only found out "it" has a name….who knew! I can’t draw, colors are an issue, designing is… iffy. So I have modified my art…. I do paper, jewlery, beading…basically I take items and combine them to make things, and they are beautiful. Photography I am very good at, I can see through the lens how I want to frame things. Please feel free to contact me, this is fasinating!

Linda beadmom@icloud.com

So I found this at past midnight local time and I’m really tired but I wanted to put down a reply in case you’re interested. I’m a writer (I’m doing a creative writing degree) and I’m happy for you to get in touch. 

mwhittern11@gmail.com

 

Hey 🙂 I am Graphic Designer and Photographer with Aphantasia. And I am studying art also. I am happy if I can help you and answer some questions or whatever you need :)! Just contact me on my Instagram: Linditaymas if you wanna get in touch. 

 

 

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Hi Victoria

I’m Jing sen from Singapore, you can call me J. I’m a musical theatre performer and I sing, act and dance.

I’m actually doing my dissertation on the pedagogical aspect of actor training and would absolutely love to support you in anyway possible.

I have managed to come up with multiple different creative processes that work for me in terms of dance, singing and acting. The singing process that I use is the most effective one as of now. I am still looking for more effective ways for dance and acting

You can find me @hjsless on Instagram 

Hi Victoria, 

I am a semi-retired graphic artist who has designed everything from billboards to TV animations to t-shirts to a custom doghouse. I have also written three books and designed an adult coloring book which are all for sale on Amazon. 

I have total aphantasia but don’t feel it has held me back in any way from my creative pursuits. I do rely more heavily on reference images to spark my initial imagery but, like a jazz musician, I riff off of these elements to make something that is my own in the end.

I feel my brain works as a giant web with all of these free-floating concepts connected in various ways, often to multiple other points. This allows my mind to race along from point to point, sometimes zooming off on odd tangents that lead me to especially inventive results.

I’d be happy to answer any questions you have.