Prudy Sutherland

My father’s youngest sister was Prudence Sutherland. A brilliant woman who wrote prolifically with an IBM Selectric, before the days of home computers.

Prudy lived with cerebral palsy, requiring care for all of her daily needs. She maintained good cheer a lot of the time, joking and playing with those who cared for her.

In front of me is a notebook with two inches of her typed works. Short stories, poems, essays.
On paper, not as a book yet, and not online, her work remains inaccessible. Yet, her insights and words could be valuable to others who live with different handicaps, or differently abled.

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At the UCP New York City Art Studio 10/16/06, Art Inc.

Disabilities, by Daniel Vince

Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists

VSA arts

Technology & Tools

Words Plus

Minspeak

Infinitec

Women Writers

A Celebration of Women Writers

A Celebration of 20th Century Women Writers

International Women’s Writer Guild

Society for the Study of American Women Writers

Women Writers, Women Books

Writers and Artists with dis Abilities

Brett Reynolds, Artist & Writer, Australia

Brom Wilkstrom

Christy Brown, Writer, Ireland

Donis Georgiou, Filmmaker, California, Cypress

Gianna Jenson, Activist, Singer, United States

Jacqui, Artist, Australia

Jessica Vohs, Painter, Danvers, Massachusetts

Joni Eareckson Tada

Melinda Smith, Writer & Artist, Australia Victor Pineda, FilmmakerEric “Rick” McQuaide, Painter

Troy Parker, Artist Tyler, Texas

Paul Smith, Typewriting Artist 1921 - 2007

Vohs News Article

United Cerebral Palsy

United Spinal Association

Spinal Bifida Association

If you would like to reach Prudy’s relatives please email us at anora egan at yahoo.

Prudy Sutherland lived in the second half of the 20th century on the eastern coast of the United States in upstate New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Florida.

Prudy was the youngest daughter of Arthur and Suzanne Sutherland, born at the end of WWII. She was raised mostly in Massachusetts. Prudy was an intellectual who identified with the underdog. She had a keen sense of humor, which was wonderful, though challenging because she lived with a condition known as cerebral palsy which in her case made it difficult for her to speak clearly. Often she would have to say her funny statements three or more times before we’d understand what she was laughing about.

Prudy was a writer, and an artist - to the extent that one can do art with an IBM electric typewriter - which she did. Primarily Prudy was a poet, though she also wrote short stories.

The internet was not so active or popular during her time or else she would probably have had her own blog. She did not get a website before she died. In honor of her life, as her neice, the daughter of one of her brothers, I am establishing this website to make her work public and accessible.

It is particularly inspiring to read the creativity, depth and humor that this woman offered the world, living her whole life as she did, sitting in a wheel chair, having all of her needs provided for by her caregivers. Prudy could talk, and push with her feet, and type with a custom designed hat (helmut) that initially held a pencil with the eraser pointed out - so she could hit the keys on her typewriter.

Perhaps other wish physical handicaps will find inspiration from her work. But Prudy would hope that her work would stand on its own, her own physical condition notwithstanding.

Prudy Sutherland lived in the second half of the 20th century on the eastern coast of the United States in upstate New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Florida. Prudy was the youngest daughter of Arthur and Suzanne Sutherland, born at the end of WWII. She was raised mostly in Massachusetts.

Prudy was an intellectual who identified with the underdog. She had a keen sense of humor, which was wonderful, though challenging because she lived with a condition known as cerebral palsy which in her case made it difficult for her to speak clearly. Often she would have to say her funny statements three or more times before we’d understand what she was laughing about.

Prudy was an activist for the rights of those living with handicaps. She published a number of articles on the topic, including one in the New York City based Village Voice.

Prudy was a writer, and an artist - to the extent that one can do art with an IBM electric typewriter - which she did. Primarily Prudy was a poet, though she also wrote short stories. The internet was not so active or popular during her time or else she would probably have had her own blog. She did not get a website before she died. In honor of her life, as her neice, the daughter of one of her brothers, I am establishing this website to make her work public and accessible. Prudy’s only sister will also help with preparing her bio and with additional material.

It is particularly inspiring to read the creativity, depth and humor that this woman offered the world, living her whole life as she did, sitting in a wheel chair, having all of her needs provided for by her caregivers. Prudy could talk, and push with her feet, and type with a custom designed hat (helmut) that initially held a pencil with the eraser pointed out - so she could hit the keys on her typewriter.

We all can find inspiration from her work, and Prudy hoped that would be the case.

Her work will be made available over the months to come, some on this site, and more hopefully through book collections of her poetry and essays.

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