Wild and mysterious. Two words that Kyleigh uses to define her artistic style. She’s been creating since she was eight years old. “My art is crazy and calm,” said Kyleigh. “It is bright and sunny when I am feeling good, but it can be dark when I am in my head.”
She paints with acrylics on canvas. Many of Kyleigh’s pieces have been created with a brush in her mouth to add varied, colorful brushstrokes and textures. She prefers bold colors to express herself. This palette mirrors her personality and perspective. She also paints commissions, customizing art for a person or event.
Kyleigh also uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) on an Accent® device as her primary voice. She selects buttons in her vocabulary through the eye tracking access method. She’s remarkably fluent, capable of saying whatever she wants to say . . . with humor and sarcasm, too. She’s also savvy with all the software features that her speech-generating device provides.
Last year, she started driving her powered wheelchair with Ability Drive®, an add-on to her Accent device. “When I was young, I drove my chair in a different way,” shared Kyleigh. “I had a surgery and after the surgery I couldn’t drive anymore. Ability Drive gave me back my ability to drive. And my Accent gave me my voice. These two things are some of the most important things in my life to give me independence.”
The Ability Drive app on Kyleigh’s Accent senses her gaze on virtual buttons and sends directional movement commands to the corresponding Ability Drive hardware attached to her powered wheelchair. Kyleigh describes it this way:
“There is an app on my device and Ability Drive plugs into my device. I have a blue box that connects everything, and a blue light comes on when it is working. My eye gaze on my Accent lets me drive my wheelchair. I can also raise and lower my wheelchair, change the speed, and tilt my wheelchair forward and backward. It’s very easy. I was able to work all the controls on the very first day I had it.”
As an ever-growing artist, Kyleigh experiments with her art. She’s started involving her powered wheelchair in the creation process. “Somebody puts a paintbrush in the footrest, and I can move my chair to paint,” commented Kyleigh. “I can go left to right, forward and back, and even tilt my chair forward and backward to get the results I want.”
Controlling her movements with Ability Drive lets her apply paint in a different way and at a larger scale.
If you are new to Ability Drive, Kyleigh offers this advice: “Start slow and don’t be frustrated with yourself. Just be patient and you will get better over time. It is fun and you will become more independent.”
Ability Drive offers many beneficial features. “I like to change the speed on my wheelchair,” noted Kyleigh. “I also use the tilt function a lot to reposition myself.” She’s been pleasantly surprised by a few features as well. “I can see behind myself if I want to drive backward. I sometimes drive backward through doorways to protect my hands. I can close doors with my feet.”
Now in her twenties, Kyleigh enjoys a fun life of freedom and independence. Assistive technology lets her do more of what she loves. Kyleigh participates in races, too. She’s known to get up in the wee hours of the morning to be at the starting line before dawn. With Ability Drive, she’s completed more than 50 races including 5K, 10K, half marathons, and full marathons and planning even more!
Curious to learn more about Kyleigh’s art? Check out her Kyleigh Creates Facebook™ page.
Curious to learn more about Ability Drive for Accent? Ability Drive is compatible with Accent 1400 devices with Look® eye tracking module. This responsive Tolt Technologies product gives the power to be independently mobile in your powered wheelchair—whether moving in a chosen direction or adjusting seat positioning. Explore your options with your regional PRC-Saltillo AAC Consultant.
About the artist: Kyleigh Kramlich, a 22-year-old woman, is a cat lover and owner of her very own cat, Bobkitty. She is a runner and has participated in many marathons throughout the south. Kyleigh has a boyfriend, Connor. She loves animals and is an artist. Kyleigh has been using an Accent communication device for a long time, and she helps a little girl use her own device. She is a good friend. Kyleigh will be participating in the AAC Mentoring Training Pilot Program. She will be learning how to be a paid mentor to other inexperienced AAC users for PRC-Saltillo.