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CNN Sunday Morning

Woman Helps Disabled Twin Sister Realize Potential

Aired September 15, 2002 - 11:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here's a little something to warm your heart. This is a story about twin sisters who were reunited after living apart for 35 years. One twin is disabled, but with her sister's love and care, she's doing some remarkable things. Our Rusty Dornin introduces us to the accidental artist.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Abstract, yet fierce," part of a rave review by a "New York Times" art critic of the fiber artwork of Judith Scott. Her pieces have toured the world. A book written about her work. Yet this artist has no idea of her reputation. Scott is deaf, mute and suffers from Down's syndrome. When she was 7, her parents placed her in an institution. Her twin sister Joyce remembers.

JOYCE SCOTT, TWIN SISTER: I just woke up one morning and she had left a little bit earlier.

DORNIN (on camera): You woke up and she was gone.

SCOTT: And she was just gone, yes. And then I can remember for months just feeling like there was this cold, empty place next to me where she had been.

DORNIN (voice-over): Judith spent 35 years institutionalized. Then her sister made a decision and brought her home.

SCOTT: It wasn't until I was 40 that, you know, that I suddenly realized I'm an adult, you know, she's my twin. I love her. She loves me. It's possible for us to be together.

Hello. How are you?

DORNIN: So Joyce enrolled her sister in the creative growth center in Oakland, an art school for the disabled.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does anybody need help?

DORNIN: For a year, Judith scribbled and paid little attention. Then a teacher brought in some yarn, and Judith's creative side came to life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think creativity is something that is quite separate from somebody's I.Q. And I think in many ways, she's more in touch with the creative parts of herself. She does something different every single time. It depends on what she finds. One time, the cleaning person left a mop nearby, and before anyone quite noticed, she had incorporated the mop into her sculpture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is an early mummy piece.

DORNIN: Creative growth art director Tom Di Maria decided three years ago it was work the world should see.

(on camera): How did you get the idea that people would buy this in galleries in New York?

TOM DI MARIA, CREATIVE GROWTH CENTER: Well, I think what I look for is a sustained body of work, a style that's unique, the ability to repeat it, a unique visual language, and Judy's work has all that.

DORNIN (voice-over): Focused on her work, Judith is still curious about the world around her, especially when there are visitors.

SCOTT: I'm very proud of her, but I know there's thousands of other people with Down's syndrome and people with disabilities who have amazing talents, and I guess I'm hoping that more people will realize that there's so much potential.

Ooh. Love you.

DORNIN: Rusty Dornin, CNN, Oakland, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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