How do you work with someone who is deafblind? Sense Scotland Arts Tutor James Gow explains how he’s been building a plane, and a relationship, with young Bo as part of our ARTiculate project…

I have been working on a woodcraft project with Bo, who’s 10 and who has a dual sensory impairment; he is blind and has some residual hearing. 

After meeting online to introduce ourselves, we decided it was best to work face to face in the family back garden. I took a variety of woods, nails and screws as well as some tools for Bo to explore them through touch. 

Bo took his time exploring different types of wood, feeling the different textures and asking what each were used for. He also started to discuss his plans for what he would like to build, the first build being either a bi or tri plane. Bo took the time to describe this to me and asked if I could use my phone to look at a picture of the Red Baron’s World War One plane. Bo is studying the First World War at school. 

As Bo has ‘acquired blindness’ and had sight up to the age of 17 months. He often asks me for visual information and makes reference to colours. I described the colour of the triplane and Bo told me this was a Fokker and that he would like this to be the first thing we make together. 

He started to select pieces of wood that he felt would work for sections of the bi-plane and took time to discuss his plans. Bo also showed me a plane has built using Lego which helped me visualise the ideas Bo wants to create in wood. 

Throughout our sessions, Bo has been cutting pieces of wood using his hacksaw. He then cuts the pieces and sands them, plays about with where pieces go and, once he has the correct size, attaches this using either nails or screws. 

With my support, Bo uses drill to create holes, then independently secures pieces using hammer or screwdriver. I help Bo to secure sections for cutting, help him start sawing and, when required, supported him with attaching pieces together.  

He is always reminding me to take pictures, so we can document his progress. At the end of the sessions Bo helps to tidy up tools and materials.

Bo hopes to complete his plane over the next few sessions as he already has plan for creating a tri-plane then a quad-plane. 

Find our more about our Creative Scotland-funded ARTiculate project here.