Artist Talk: Navigating Neurodivergence In Academia with Sculpture & Expanded Practice graduate Ray Brady.

Graduate Ray Brady presents an artist talk on navigating neurodivergence in academia, with invited speaker Una Buckley, the esteemed founder of Blossom for Life, specialising in neurodivergent learning disabilities such as dyslexia.
In this talk, in reference to his graduate work titled, 'Dyslexia and Spiritual Strolls on Grafton Street' Brady will delve into his personal journey as a neurodivergent artist thriving in an academic environment.
Brady describes his practice of walks or 'spiritual strolls' as transformative, providing a space for him to visualise and confront his stressors - as stress can overwhelm and compromise the ability to think clearly. During these routine walks, he gathered his jumbled words, thoughts, and emotions, to shape them into mental constructs. For Brady, these constructs, like ethereal entities, exist outside the body, where his struggles can be deposited. While walking Grafton Street and its environs, he unravelled emotional knots through vsualising each obstruction and barrier. With each step, the grip of stressors lessened. This technique Brady employs aims to transform stress into an ally that supports, guides, and nurtures him through life's challenges—where nebulous thoughts morph into friendly, furry companions, forging a newfound relationship with stress. A companion, offering guidance and comfort during turbulent times.