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ABLE Voices Ep 90: V Walt
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We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is Carly "Car" Reigger.
"Carly “Car” Riegger is a chronically ill and disabled artist, writer, curator, and advocate from Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. They utilize porcelain and installation artworks to express inner feelings and narratives of disability. Riegger has organized several important exhibitions for artists with disabilities through the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) including #CripClay in Cincinnati, OH in 2023, and Outpour in Detroit, MI in 2026. Riegger is also the recipient of the 2024 Midwest Artists with Disabilities Award. They hold an MA in Disability Studies from The City University of New York and are currently pursuing an MFA in Studio Art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Both Riegger’s artwork and career goals involve disability inclusion and rights. They are working to expand how the arts communities work with artists with disabilities and how disability communities utilize art to express complex disabled ideas. Today, Car will be speaking to Victoria "V" Walton.
V Walton is a Maryland-based interdisciplinary artist and educator. Walton creates sculpture, installation, and video work centered on Black embodiment and ecology. V draws from her own life: reflecting on the intersection of his identities, their chronic illness-disability, and queerness. Their work illustrates the societal and interpersonal dynamics that build and break us down simultaneously, making multi-layered connections between clay[terra], nature, and the body. They are part time faculty at Maryland Institute College of Art.
Follow Car on Social Media:
Website: www.carlyriegger.com
Instagram: @carlyriegger
Follow V on Social Media:
Website: https://www.victoriawaltonstudio.com/
Instagram: @victoriawaltonstudio
The ABLE Voices podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was written by Kai Levin and the ending song was written by Sebastian Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the Arts Education Programs at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education.
For more information about our programs visit us at https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE
Follow us for more weekly updates at:
Instagram: @BIAAE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE
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Transcript
Introduction to Able Voices Podcast
00:00:14
Speaker
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Able Voices Podcast. I'm Dr. Rhoda Bernard, founding managing director of the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education and the assistant chair of the music education department at Berklee College of Music.
00:00:28
Speaker
And I am proud to present this podcast featuring disabled artists and arts educators. We are inviting artists with disabilities to be guest hosts for the Able Voices Podcast.
Carly Carr Rieger's Artistic Journey
00:00:38
Speaker
Today, you'll meet our next guest host, Carly Carr Rieger. Carr Rieger is a chronically ill and disabled artist, writer, curator and advocate from Ann Arbor, Michigan.
00:00:51
Speaker
They utilize porcelain and installation artworks to express inner feelings and narratives of disability. Rieger has organized several important exhibitions for artists with disabilities through the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, including Crip Clay in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2023,
00:01:11
Speaker
and Outpour in Detroit, Michigan in 2026. Rieger is also the recipient of the 2024 Midwest Artists with Disabilities Award.
00:01:21
Speaker
They hold an MA in Disability Studies from the City University of New York and are currently pursuing an MFA in Studio Art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
00:01:32
Speaker
Both Rieger's artwork and career goals involve disability inclusion and rights. They are working to expand how the arts communities work with artists with disabilities and how the disability communities utilize art to express complex disabled ideas.
Introduction to V Walton
00:01:53
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Able Voices podcast. This is Kar. I'm back again, um this time with Vee. um and I'm going to introduce V now.
00:02:03
Speaker
V Walton is a disabled Maryland-based interdisciplinary artist and educator. Walton creates sculpture, installation, and video work centered on Black embodiment and ecology.
00:02:15
Speaker
V draws from their own life reflecting on intersections of her disabilities, his chronic illness disability, and queerness. Their work illustrates societal and interpersonal dynamics that build and break us down simultaneously, making multi-layered connections between clay terra, nature, and the body.
00:02:36
Speaker
V. Walton received their MFA in ceramic art at Alfred University and their BFA with a concentration in ceramics at Townsend University.
00:02:47
Speaker
They serve on the board of Cabo Clay Collective, National Council on the Education for Ceramic Arts. They are faculty at Maryland Institute College of Art and Morgan State University. Welcome, V. Hello, thank you for having me.
00:03:04
Speaker
Thank you so much for being here. I'm so excited to talk to you. i'd like to start off by asking you to tell us your story as an artist.
Walton's Early Art and Fashion Interests
00:03:11
Speaker
How did you start as an artist and how did you get here today?
00:03:15
Speaker
My story? Okay. I have always been an artist. It's something that just was a natural inclination. so even as a child being and primary, secondary school, I was known as the artist kid, you know, the person doing people's portraits or always sketching. And at that time, i had a fascination with fashion design and illustration.
00:03:47
Speaker
And so that was actually my first um per creative pursuit. And I ended up going to the Fashion Institute of Technology right out of high school and into the whirlwind of fashion. And it was a time and I learned a lot.
00:04:04
Speaker
Probably more I can say about that another time. but I really kind of struggled with the lack of sustainability within the field. And it's funny, I didn't really have a connection to, i don't know,
00:04:20
Speaker
I wasn't really thinking so much about extractive materials and um kind of like material excess in that way, the way that I am now. But even at that time, I was uncomfortable with it.
00:04:33
Speaker
And so I was really passionate about making clothes, but I felt like the field wasn't for me. And so I left and I traveled and I lived in a different country and I did that for And then I returned back to the States and I'm originally from Maryland.
00:04:53
Speaker
And that's when everything really changed for me in so many ways. One of the core ways that it changed is that I got hit with a ah ah diagnosis out of nowhere.
Life-Altering Diagnosis and New Perspectives
00:05:08
Speaker
It felt like a train hit me, I started to have really adverse symptoms, just really debilitating symptoms. And I wasn't sure what was going on.
00:05:21
Speaker
And then um I ended up, it's it's funny, a lot my peers experience have experienced like similar things. You go to a doctor's appointment, not knowing that everything's going to be different after that. And then they're like,
00:05:35
Speaker
It was such an emergency moment. They're like, if you don't go to the yeah ER right now, like you gotta go to the ER right now. and i went and they confirmed that I had this really rare condition.
00:05:48
Speaker
And at the time i was at in a hospital system that was really unfamiliar with my condition. And so I was not receiving any of the care that I needed during that time.
00:06:03
Speaker
So I ended up at Hopkins in a clinical trial a few months later. And they were like, so you have one of the rarest versions of this thing. We have to like act now. And so within a year of me being back in the States, my life went from I mean, it was unrecognizable to me. And so as an individual, disability had already been ah conversation in my life.
00:06:34
Speaker
I have a brother who is autistic and has more pronounced needs. And so being the oldest sibling to him particularly in the ninety s and really facing overt ableism and seeing how, as a Black disabled person, how society treats you. Like my whole life was viewing that interaction. And so um i I kind of like to say, you know, the disability community, like those are my people, right? And so that really...
00:07:17
Speaker
started from like, again, like my earliest memory. So here I am and my mid to late twenties getting hit with this like wild diagnosis.
00:07:30
Speaker
And i was like, so I'm fam, like, you know what I mean? Like I, you know, just kind of grappling with a different side of the coin.
00:07:41
Speaker
from more of a medical industrial complex side of things where I am now on medication to live. I am now needing medical intervention.
00:07:53
Speaker
I am now dealing with persistent debilitating pain. And so that was, there's there's no real words for that transition, but I think Some things had prepared me before that moment for me to like live this reality.
00:08:15
Speaker
And so, yeah I have a progressive condition, so it's not necessarily going to get better. And so I am kind of, I just am in a place where it my condition and in that way.
Rediscovering Art through Clay and Ceramics
00:08:34
Speaker
And so it it came to a point where I was like, i need a purpose.
00:08:41
Speaker
I need a purpose. I need to remind myself of of my place and art really saved me in a lot of ways. And it was funny before any of that was happening, um when I returned back to the States, I was like, I'm gonna go back to school.
00:09:02
Speaker
I'm gonna go back to school. And i ended up getting pretty much like a full ride to go back to school. And so I said, you know what? I'm disabled and I don't know how I'm going to like, this is this is gonna really like be the unknown, but I'm gonna try to go back to school.
00:09:21
Speaker
And yeah, everything changed again because that's when I, as I was taking studio courses, got reintroduced or really introduced for the first time to clay.
00:09:33
Speaker
And i really consider it that without my fashion degree and my understanding of the body and proportions and pattern making, through pattern making, I was able to kind translate my skills into slab building the figure.
00:09:53
Speaker
And yeah, I dedicated the rest of my BFA to focusing on figurative ceramics. And then I shot my shot. i shot my shot at one of the best ceramic MFA programs.
00:10:07
Speaker
And I got in. And my life changed again. and um i went to Alfred University. And so I, at that time, knew that i was like, OK, I feel like I've been given a chance. And if I'm pursuing my chance, does that mean?
00:10:27
Speaker
I really... I think it's because I was always working at like a human scale, you know, making clothes. Like to go smaller than that just felt like a little strange. And so I wanted to kind of bring life like scale into my work. And so that was the pursuit.
00:10:50
Speaker
And the focus of my time at Alfred and also getting into installation are working across mediums. I started creating environments using soil and ceramics and other natural materials. And so that was really the beginning of me finding, i would say, like my my real language.
00:11:16
Speaker
And yeah, and then, you know, in the time Since graduate school, I've further descended into just being obsessed with ecology. i just, i it was present in my graduate work, but I was like, I'm taking the full leap. This is what Black embodiment really thinking about.
00:11:41
Speaker
kind of healing this connection or like the severance that has happened between Black people and land due to systems of oppression and loss and thinking land as hopeful and regenerative and everlasting. And so that has, yeah, that's the place that I'm in now. And It's just, it feels that there's so many different ways I can approach it through video and performance, through, yeah through installation, through ceramic sculpture. and um
00:12:26
Speaker
yeah, it took time coming to that place, but I feel like this is, this is I feel like I'm in my groove and my and my element.
Intuitive Learning and Mentorship
00:12:38
Speaker
And yeah, and now I teach ceramic art. as a, as a, as faculty, as adjunct. so Yeah, wild story. No, that's great. Like your work is just like so rich and so profound and like how you've stumbled on it.
00:12:57
Speaker
Like, i I also believe that like disabled people, like sometimes it just takes time, but then you like, bam, there you are. So like, I, that was such an interesting thing for me to hear also laid out.
00:13:10
Speaker
And we've kind of touched on this a little bit, but can you talk about how you learn in the arts and how you continue to learn in the arts? Yeah, because I had, or I have a unconventional background I've had to really not catch up, but it's just been a different experience.
00:13:32
Speaker
learning about fine art, learning about sculpture, learning about ceramics. It's been much more intuitive, much more self-guided and continually expands and I'm always learning. and I know that I am on a lifelong journey of learning more about these disciplines. But um yeah, I learned a lot from the artists around me, from mentors. I have been fortunate to have worked with some really amazing artists and seeing their practice. And so it feels much more relational and less academic sometimes like the way that i learn about these things or expand my knowledge.
00:14:17
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. And I mean, you're also involved in like in Sika and Cabo Clay, which is just so exciting to see that you're in those spaces now.
00:14:30
Speaker
Yeah, no i'm I'm really grateful for the opportunities that I've had and also to work with other amazing ceramicists um really advocate for the ceramic arts and in different ways. Sometimes I feel like more so in my practice, I've almost veered into this like purely the sculpture realm, like it feels in some ways, more focused than that. And so having these other opportunities to be in my field, like the field of ceramics, it it's it's very grounded. And I'm i'm glad to, yeah. Yeah.
Navigating the Art World with Invisible Disabilities
00:15:12
Speaker
So I think another one of my questions is like, how does your disability affect like your artwork and practice? And has it affected like your growth or career path?
00:15:23
Speaker
Yeah, for me, i think one of the dis the difficulties I've had is because my disability is not visible to the outside viewer, that there's been like a level of skepticism.
00:15:40
Speaker
And if like me having to overcompensate for the fact that you it's invisible. And so that has been like pretty pervasive um even when I was in school. And so I've had to kind of not get ahead of it but be really vocal about this the severity of the situation.
00:16:07
Speaker
and my And my needs slash accommodations, just being really clear about like in a best case scenario, everything's okay. And this scenario, this is what might happen. And um I've kind of had a you know ah mix of experiences in some ways. And had...
00:16:29
Speaker
I would say when my disability like flares and is at full scale, it's kind of like, oh, whoa, like where did this come from? It's like we talked about it, you know, and I and I think there's some difficulty in terms of meeting the moment.
00:16:47
Speaker
and And other opportunities, there's been people that, you know, take me at my word and and are really gracious and like understanding.
00:16:57
Speaker
But I do think that the more um um prominent the opportunity or the the the larger the opportunity is, the more difficult it can, it it comes with its nuances, right? Of figuring out How do i fulfill like my responsibilities as an artist while also knowing that I can't predict what my body is going to do or how it's going to show up? And I i don't know if that will ever change. And so the the thing that I know that I can control is to be direct and to so that everyone's aware.
00:17:42
Speaker
and And yeah, and to provide alternatives, to provide like, not alternatives, but provide like options in terms of how we move forward or what things look like.
00:17:56
Speaker
But I think that's something that all disabled artists either need to adopt or do or do on on certain levels. And that's part of the practice now is, all and also me considering, you know,
00:18:11
Speaker
what anticipating my needs ahead of time and trying to make sure that those things are arranged. But yeah, I could want to continue to have amazing opportunities where i make really large scale work and I don't know, be able to do exactly what I want, but I know that I'll have to prepare on my end. And i also, you know, it's all just relational and working with whatever institution or organization I'm partnering
Advice for Disabled Artists
00:18:49
Speaker
with.
00:18:49
Speaker
Right. I've had somewhat similar experiences where mine is also usually invisible and I feel like I like really have to fight people sometimes, not every instance, but like there's been times when I have to really pester people to get something done, which takes just like so much energy. So yeah, yeah a lot of it's relational and also like getting people to listen to you and convincing them in a lot of ways.
00:19:21
Speaker
Yeah. Cause I think the other side of it too is at least I'll just speak about myself. When I'm flaring at my worst, I am nowhere to be found. I'm not doing that in public. like you know like i am in the comfort of my home. And so I think i think people just have like this interesting perspective around invisible disability. like It's all happening in public all the time. And it's like, usually when we get the warning signs, we know what we got to do.
00:19:56
Speaker
and And yeah, it's it's it's not a falsehood. It's not a separate reality. We just have systems in place so that we are where we need to be and we're comfortable and we have the things that we need.
00:20:13
Speaker
What advice would you give to artists with disabilities? That is definitely loaded. um I would say that...
00:20:27
Speaker
unfortunately the world of art is ableist. And so we have to contend with that. It's a reality that exists and that our presence like pushes against.
00:20:41
Speaker
And so, yeah, you're not making it up. You're not making it up. i sometimes, I wish that I was making it up even in my own experience, like things that have happened. And so what I just try to do is just have patience for yourself as you navigate spaces.
00:21:05
Speaker
And i think really building connections with other disabled creators and artists is really vital, like having those networks, because at times they can feel isolating. And so just knowing that you are not alone and there's a bunch of other people who are making pathways and innovating and pushing against, you know, expectations and all these things, like we're not, we're not alone. And so that, um and I would say to really prioritize your health,
00:21:43
Speaker
because the field's not going to. So if you don't, who is? And that's also a message to myself. I'm um talking to myself right now. So I just, I think we, as just a community, like that's the biggest thing that we can do to really be like, what's expanding my capacity and what's like And really having an honest conversation about that.
00:22:14
Speaker
And that whatever you come to, like, it's okay. Like, you know, I think, I think we can be hard on ourselves. And there's a grace that has to also be extended and and saying like, okay, like,
00:22:31
Speaker
you know we can meet the goals but to what end like there needs to be some like reverence for ourselves and like um and the dynamics for experiencing so yeah yeah i 100 agree especially with my experience too yeah prioritizing health is just so so important um but i also get competitive and also compare myself because I think a lot of us do. Can you tell us about your current projects that you're working on?
Walton's Current Projects and Future Plans
00:23:11
Speaker
This was kind of a this was a big year for me. I had some pretty large projects going on. And so I, in some ways, you know, welcome a little pause, welcome a little time of
00:23:27
Speaker
of recentering, but yeah, i've I've been in a mode of constantly making video work. And so really thinking about the next project.
00:23:41
Speaker
So a lot of my video work is about me interacting with a natural environment, embedding myself into the environment. So I'm already kind of planning the next thing.
00:23:54
Speaker
And also I've pitched some ideas to explore my disability more overtly as well. um Because in some cases i do talk about my experiences as a disabled person less in my work at this at this current point. it's It's really, it's always present. it it will never go away, but it's um it's less of just like the in the forefront than it used to be. And so finding projects where I'm like, no, this is the everything I'm talking about.
00:24:33
Speaker
Yeah, I'm looking forward to to finishing some of those things. Yeah, I'm so excited. And again, making more sculpture. Yeah, you know, it's like, it's the balance because I, ah it's like, don't, don't make, don't do too much of any one thing. Like constantly be in the flow of like mixed media, like interdisciplinary projects. Like, I think that's what really gets me excited, so.
00:25:02
Speaker
Yeah, i I also just kind of think that's where so much of art is going is interdisciplinary and people experimenting with so many things. And so, um and and also conceptually intersections. And so I think that your work is doing all of that and it's really exciting.
00:25:20
Speaker
Well, thank you. Yeah. Can you tell our audience where we can follow your work online? Yeah, so my website is Victoria Walton Studio at dot com And then on Instagram, it's Victoria Walton Studio.
00:25:40
Speaker
I might, you know, a little disclaimer, I might drop it to V. Walton. I might. I was like flirting in 2026 with dropping Victoria 100%. So I do professionally and like in my name, but like on my platforms as well. So anyway, you can find me either way.
00:26:01
Speaker
Cool. Yeah. um Thank you so much for spending time with us today. thank you for having me. Appreciate it.
Podcast Credits
00:26:20
Speaker
Able Voices is a production of the Berkeley Institute for Accessible Arts Education, led by me, Dr. Rhoda Bernard, the founding managing director. It is produced by Daniel Martinez del Campo.
00:26:32
Speaker
The intro music is by Kai Levin, and our closing song is by Sebastian Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the arts education programs at the Berkeley Institute for Accessible Arts Education.
00:26:45
Speaker
If you would like to learn more about our work, find us online at berkeley.edu slash B-I-A-A-E or email us at B-I-A-A-E at berkeley, that's L-E-E dot E-D-U.