David Abrahams. 

David Abrahams.    Photographer & Director.    



Dyslexia Project.

To thoes who applyed..

This was going to be a project in its self. but after a lot of deliberation I decided to put this idea on hold. I quickly became aware of the hardship and struggels that people have to deal with day to day. I feel very fortunate to of been able to channel my Dyslexia into creativity but for lots like myself this can or has been traumatic for a lot of people.. and although i know its important to shed light on subjects like this, I didn’t want to get into “selling” trauma. 

I wanted the project to inspire people, not to look backwards and pick holes. However, was quite happy with how this resorces section was filling out, so im going to keep updating this section.

For me Dyslexia was (is, it didnt go away) awful. however it tought me not to worry to trying and failling. or trying and promle solving untill you get it to a point that you like it.  To be honist, I never got anything right, so its wasnt really an option. As i grew up, slowly getting better and better. I knotised these A* students starting to stuggel when they didnt quite get it right. when they started to platto at colage or uni, they really stuggeled and then quit. 

I honistly dont really belived in this idea of right or wrong.  I belived you just keep working untill you do understand and get it right. ( unless your a surgen or anyone else who my do harm in there carrea choice.) ;)

11thSept2024


Resources

Malcolm Gladwell tipes in creative writing. Malcolm is so intresting, in my mind writers and anyone really who was good at english writing or anyother subject for that matter, in my mind they all knew exactly how to struchtour something and they would start “Once apone a time..” and they would just nail what they need to write start to finish. now, it was only a few years ago when looking into Malcolms work where he talks about how he starts with a story and not only that, but the end. so then you know what to write and where you need to exactly start it and take it. Wild.  obvious really. Well no one told me that. i was just getting all in my head about how shit was and how i cant do it, and it was so thoughtfull for the class bully to regually remind me how shit I was. normaly in front of the girl i liked or my mates i was trying to hang any thread of decancy left in me.  not only that but malcom talks quite alot about structour, almost planning out a story like a visual mind map. you know the one, where you start by writing you topic in the center and then draw lines off this and brake that subject down, and you do that again and again tuntilly ou have a fully worked out range of point and topics you like that are linked to the main subject. 





Sir Ken Robinson - A funny and interesting Talk about education and seeing potential in everyone - not directly about dyslexics but about intelligence of all kinds.

https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_learning_revolution

www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity

Sir Ken has several TedTalks check them out. Some have really helped me realize that I wasn't the problem, it was the system or education I was in was the issue. At high school I was bottom set for most subjects. Then I moved to art college and I was the top for everything. So you can see that with effective education everyone will be able to grow their confidence while learning. One of the numerous things in this talk that strikes me, is now all the years of being wrong actually is now one of my strengths. I am not scared to be wrong. And what he's saying in this talk is that people lose the capacity of subjects because they think they're not good at something, and this is an amplified point when it comes to dyslexic kids.



Rick Rubin - Music producer - Transformative influencer - Not dyslexic but an interesting mind. Who verbally describes the process and fluidity to creativity. - Not letting your pre-presumed ideas hold you back, and to let the ideas of Flow take over.

www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/broken-record/rick-rubin-2

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QReC6tvrARA

Rick had a very wordy, spiritual book too. If you like how he talks about ideas check out his other stuff on creativity. I find I relate to the way musicians and how the music industry talks about the creation of ideas.  there is a James Blake Podcast link belwo aswell.



Flow State - Not to do with dyslexia but over the years I have become more intune with my gut instinct and some of my best work was made in the dazed, out of body mind state, called FLOW!

https://www.ted.com/talks/ted_ed_how_to_enter_flow_state

Flow state is a strange one, and interesting that I've added it to the list. For me the world is built without me in mind. But over the years I've become reliant on not thinking about whatever the task is in hand, and just doing. Entrusting myself and my gut reaction in the moment and not having to articulate it beforehand. Obviously an interesting one when you have to convince a client to trust you. But over the years it has proven time after time to work. And flow state is when its really hitting. You lose all sense of the world around you and in that moment of transcendence you wake up to see some of your best work. Try it. Or try to find it.


Barbra Corcoran,  - How to kill your negative self-talk & use your dyslexic thinking to succeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIo6q6BTAkE

A recently found video of the Shark tank entrepreneur and the Queen of real estate.



James Blake. Going back to Rick Rubin in conversation with. Now, they are talking about music, but if you subtract the musical production out of the equation, there is a lot of self discovery, learning about what you like as an individual and ignoring what other people are creating or doing and going on your own journey to discover how you make things. I'm relating this to me making work as a photographer but Barbra is talking about the same thing - making your own business. Realizing your strengths and not letting the hurt and the upset of learning your stupid, ignoring that and creating something outside the rule book that normally minded people have created.

www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/broken-record/james-blake#play

It's an amazing moment when he talks about being laughed at by his peers for singing a song that he loves. Being embarrassed and ashamed. I had a similar thing, I mean I'm sure all dyslexics are all laughed at, and picked on for not being able to read. But I also had a similar thing happen to me liking art. Lots of homophobic undertones and remarks towards this idea of me being stupid or having lack of ability in reading and writing. -  how you are going to do well in art if you're stupid.. I think some kids either don't know what they are saying to you, and the damage it creates, or there is a culture of holding each other back or othering people who like certain things that's different to them. I can't talk about racism, sexisem or homophobia but this is the same mechanism of ignorance and unwillingness to let others be themselves. I don't know why we do this to one another, imagine a world of pure encouragement and non judgment.