Chetta D. Has No Limits

Conchetta Davis — known as Chetta D. — is an artist with many talents. Through painting, spoken word, apparel design, photography and more, Chetta D. creates beautiful works that inspire and uplift. Chetta D. is also living with low vision, but that doesn’t stop her from achieving her dreams.

“I feel that sight is just one aspect of who I am and what I am able to do,” she said.

Chetta D., a native of South Carolina and a graduate of The Savannah College of Art and Design, has hereditary vision loss. She uses her creativity to bring awareness to sight loss by incorporating her personal experiences in her art, and she creates art for others who have vision loss.

“Recently I have been making white cane paintings – they are abstract and colorful and very free,” she said. “Some of my friends who have low vision can’t see my paintings. I add glitter and other items that they can touch so that they can experience the artwork, too.”

Chetta D. admitted that when she first started using a white can, she worried that people would form judgements. Instead though, she chose to embrace the cane and use it as a creative outlet.

“I had to figure out how my cane and the vision that I do have work for me; how do I create from this place? The paintings illustrate another dimension of who I am; I can do more with this cane than you might think,” she said.

Chetta D. learned about the Center for the Visually Impaired from another friend with visual impairment. In 2013 she made her first trip to the VisAbility store, CVI’s retail store that features a wide range of products for people with low vision.

“That visit was a game changer for me. I hadn’t realized that there were resources that I could use to help me manage,” she said. “A few years later, I came to the CVI adult support group, and it was very healing and so supportive.”

Chetta D. currently works with preschool children at St. Anne’s Day School in Midtown Atlanta, and she’s also working on a special project.

“I am currently working on a project to celebrate my ‘Sweet 16’ as it has been 16 years since I began this journey,” she said. “This work is all about me living my best life, celebrating and having a good time.”

Through her determination, creativity and art, Chetta D. is proving that anything is possible.

“I may have limited sight, but there are no limits when it comes to my talents,” she said. “I have learned that I can be creative in every aspect from styling my glasses, to video and spoken word, to teaching. I understand that low vision doesn’t speak for me; that if you want something bad enough, you will find a way.”

Learn more about how you can support important programs and services that help empower clients like Chetta D.