About Us
The Mission:
The mission of our business is to provide a better and more tangible medium for reading American Sign Language (ASL). It is well known the sign languages around the world do not have a written form. Currently, the ASL dictionaries use pictures with arrows to show how to move your hands to make a sign. It is often challenging to understand how to read the arrows to make the sign correctly. Videos and CDs are good resources but I believe people still want to hold something in their hands when learning or reading ASL.
Lenticular graphics gives us the ability to see the movement of a sign in a two dimensional format similar to that of a book or dictionary. By tilting the cards back and forth you can see the beginning location of the sign and the ending location of the sign. Our brains have the ability to "fill in the blanks" between the beginning and ending location of the sign so we know how to complete the whole movement.
Our goal is to create ASL greeting cards, educational flash cards and in the future children's books, games and posters all using lenticular graphics. Our dream is to see Deaf children walk into a classroom and "read" information on a lenticular ASL poster, books and cards along with the English text. We are getting closer to a true bilingual experience in a 2 dimensional format.
The Models:
Most of the models are deaf or have deaf family members. My goal is to use native or near native signers so I can capture the most natural poses and movement in each of the signs. For me it is the facial expressions that really make me choose which photo makes it to the printing press. It is my belief that facial expressions not only show the correct grammatical structure of the sign but can also show the nuances and personality of each person. I hope you can pick up on and enjoy the nuances of each person's personality as you "read" each card.
The Hand Logo:
Creating the sign with the tips of both middle fingers touching each other can have several meanings. The sign can mean "to connect, contact or touch". These are the English words I would use to translate that sign. The reason I chose that sign was to represent the idea that these cards would help connect all people, hearing and deaf. Almost anyone can learn to communicate in sign language.
The amount of hearing each of us possess in our ears is completely insignificant to learning how to communicate with our hands and our facial expressions. Lets all connect and communicate in ASL.
Owner's Biography:
Hi. My name is Mary Kane. I am a what the Deaf community calls a CODA, a child of deaf adults. I can hear and ASL (American Sign Language) was my first language. I grew up surrounded by several Deaf adults all using ASL. I have one sister and two brothers, all hearing. I grew up outside of Philadelphia, PA.
My career in education and ASL began in 1990 when I moved to San Diego and started interpreting in the San Diego Unified School district. Three years later I decided to go back to graduate school and get my Master in Arts degree in Deaf Education at San Diego State University. When I began graduate school I had the opportunity to teach ASL to undergraduates. I loved it! It was so much fun. I finished graduate school and ended up staying at San Diego State University to teach ASL. I became the ASL coordinator in the School of Speech Language and Hearing Science from 1998- 2005.
For years ASL students told me about their difficulties in reading the pictures and arrows in the ASL dictionaries. I thought about this for a while. We had plenty of resources in the form of VHS tapes, CD-ROMs, DVDs and ASL websites but students still relied on their dictionaries to find a quick solution on how to sign a word. I love technology and all the advances our computers give us. I even started creating ASL video clips that were specific to each lesson I taught. Still the students relied on their dictionaries more often.
OI thought about this some more and was having a stream of consciousness moment talking with my friend about people wanting to hold things in their hands. I continued to say, "The challenge is ASL has depth and movement – it is 3 dimensional. How can we do this?" Then I said to my friend, "You know – something like those hologram baseball cards we had a kid. Remember those?" As soon as I said it I thought, "That's it!" "Hologram ASL cards!" As soon as I got home I jumped on-line and googled "hologram". After sometime I came to find out what I really wanted was a form of technology called "lenticular". It was time to get to work.
I really believe in this idea. I want people to enjoy learning ASL by making it fun and easy – not to mention all the positive benefits children get when they learn to sign at an early age. It was time to do something about it. In the spring of 2005 I decided to sell my condo and quit my job to put all my energy into this project. Yup! I took a big leap of faith and as I write this I couldn't be happier about my decision. The creative outlet and challenges of owning a business are immeasurable. Everyday I learn something new about the business world, people and about myself.
I could not have done this without two very important people in my life, my parents. My parents, Jerry and Irene Kane, are the most inspiring and supportive and successful people I know. I get my creative and artistic passion from both of them. My mom has been an artist her whole life. She loves to paint. She works mostly with acrylics and paints landscapes, seascapes and still life winning several awards. She taught me everything I know about art. My dad was a photographer. He has cut back now but was very good at it - winning several awards too in the Philadelphia area. They have an awesome art studio in their house where we go to play and literally create all day long. I love it there. Aside from my parents' incredible creative talents, its their support and feedback I cherish the most. It never ends. They are always there for me. We toss around ideas and problem solve all the time. Business is problem solving. Business really is about how to bring your idea to market in the most efficient and beneficial manner for all. Its a challenge but so rewarding. Thank you so much mom and dad for all you have given me and taught me. I love you!
My parents' artwork will be sold on this website. I am also hoping to add other featured deaf artists to the website.
I have this quote posted above my monitor. It reads, "Those who say it can't be done should not interrupt the person doing it." Remember that.
Irene Kane's Biography:
Irene Daniels Kane was born in Sellersville, Pennsylvania in 1936. She was born deaf and is from a deaf family. She graduated from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in 1956.
When she was fourteen years old she took her first oil painting class. The instructor was her girl friend Amy Coppola's mother Mary Eibel. Mary had a great influence on Irene's life as an artist. Irene started showing and selling her paintings at the age of 21.
A few years later Irene married Jerry Kane, had 4 children and painted as much as she could while the children grew up. Soon after all the children were raised Irene got back to painting more often. Her first love is oil. She also paints with acrylics and watercolor. Most of her paintings are landscapes, seascapes and still life. She is best known for her acrylic paintings on old slate shingles. Irene has won several awards and honors at numerous exhibitions and art shows.
Jerry Kane's Biography
Gerald J. Kane, born in 1935 is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the Illinois School for the Deaf in 1955. In 1960 he married Irene Daniels, moved to Montgomeryville, PA and has 4 children.
Jerry picked up photography as a hobby in the early 80's. He eventually started showing his work along with Irene's artwork at various art shows in the Philadelphia area. Soon he began to win awards for his photography capturing moments of serenity and innocence in the Bucks County area and Amish country in Lancaster County.