Why Accessibility and Inclusion Are at the Heart of My Work

Since childhood, accessibility and inclusion have been deeply rooted values of mine. Growing up alongside my sister Johanna, who has profound learning disabilities and doesn’t use verbal language to communicate, shaped how I see and move through the world.

With Johanna, I learned early on how much can be shared without words. We connect through music, familiar sounds, images, smells and tastes. These sensory experiences form our shared language, and they’ve taught me that meaningful connection doesn’t rely on speech - it relies on presence, patience and deep listening.

Esther Springett and her sister Johanna as children

Witnessing the barriers Johanna faced, and the social isolation that often came with them, lit a fire in me. It planted the seeds for a life-long commitment to inclusion. That commitment has guided me into a decade-long career in socially engaged art, where drawing, more than being a tool for expression, is a way to make space for voices that are too often overlooked.

Esther and Johanna today

Fast forward to now: I use drawing to amplify, to connect and to include. My work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and valued, no matter how they communicate. In a society that often prioritises spoken words, it's vital we also honour the many other ways people express themselves and connect - through gesture, image, sound and presence.

This story is part of what drives Esther Sketches.