Chuck Close has an almost photographic memory for things that are flat, but for 3 dimensional things that move around – things like faces – he is effectively blind. His work is built around his talent, and his disability. Through the detailed grids, Close can learn about the faces of people he cares about and commit them to memory. The portraits are his way of connecting to people.
This is one of the many examples showing why I get so danged giddy when someone says they have a limitation for the “normal” way of doing things. We all have limitations and challenges in various forms. It’s adaptations to these challenges that can inspire the most interesting and original creative responses. Creative responses are part of the magic in authentic and engaging artwork. So – what are your challenges?
Curious about what a man with face blindness can see? Check out the Radiolab interview below, featuring Chuck Close and Oliver Sacks. I love listening to them talk about their experiences. This interview is one of my favorites.
“When you’re this way, you have to find other avenues for your intelligence.” – Rauschenberg as quoted by Close
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About Face
Oliver Sacks, the famous neuroscientist and author, can’t recognize faces. Neither can Chuck Close, the great artist known for his enormous paintings of…that’s right, faces.
Oliver and Chuck–both born with the condition known as Face Blindness–have spent their lives decoding who is saying hello to them. You can sit down with either man, talk to him for an hour, and if he sees you again just fifteen minutes later, he will have no idea who you are. (Unless you have a very squeaky voice or happen to be wearing the same odd purple hat.) Chuck and Oliver tell Robert what it’s like to live with Face Blindness in a conversation recorded for the World Science Festival, and they describe two very different ways of coping with their condition (which may be more common than we think).
Quiz time Watch this video, and test your face recognition skills
Today is the 24th day of our 30 day creative challenge. Tuesday is specifically a sequence challenge so there is an extra option to respond with multiple frames if you wish. Make something inspired by a sneeze. Share your drawing on Instagram with these tags: #30sal, #sneeze Or post to this Padlet
I liked the form of the model’s body within the fabric. The pose reminded me of classical sculptures, extraneous arms removed. This is one of the first prints I made with drypoint, for this series. I was surprised and thrilled to see what the lovely pattern on the flowered rug looked like after printing. Ink makes …
[image_with_animation image_url=”11536″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Sacred Shapes – Accordion Book Yesterday I posted Ralph Kiggell’s Temple Dogs series of woodblock prints, and quoted excerpts from his blog that described his process. Today I’m sharing his Sacred Shapes series of 12 woodblocks. They also have a simple concept, repeated in iterations, in which the subject is …
Painterly Figures with Tone was a 4 week shortie art class, snuck into November/December. This post includes some of my favorite moments from that class. Please kindly overlook any flaws in the photography. A Sunday evening class, the images were taken on the fly, and in the dark. A word about working from photographs… Typically …
Chuck Close; About Face
Chuck Close has an almost photographic memory for things that are flat, but for 3 dimensional things that move around – things like faces – he is effectively blind. His work is built around his talent, and his disability. Through the detailed grids, Close can learn about the faces of people he cares about and commit them to memory. The portraits are his way of connecting to people.
This is one of the many examples showing why I get so danged giddy when someone says they have a limitation for the “normal” way of doing things. We all have limitations and challenges in various forms. It’s adaptations to these challenges that can inspire the most interesting and original creative responses. Creative responses are part of the magic in authentic and engaging artwork. So – what are your challenges?
Curious about what a man with face blindness can see? Check out the Radiolab interview below, featuring Chuck Close and Oliver Sacks. I love listening to them talk about their experiences. This interview is one of my favorites.
“When you’re this way, you have to find other avenues for your intelligence.” – Rauschenberg as quoted by Close
[divider line_type=”Small Line
About Face
Oliver Sacks, the famous neuroscientist and author, can’t recognize faces. Neither can Chuck Close, the great artist known for his enormous paintings of…that’s right, faces.
Oliver and Chuck–both born with the condition known as Face Blindness–have spent their lives decoding who is saying hello to them. You can sit down with either man, talk to him for an hour, and if he sees you again just fifteen minutes later, he will have no idea who you are. (Unless you have a very squeaky voice or happen to be wearing the same odd purple hat.) Chuck and Oliver tell Robert what it’s like to live with Face Blindness in a conversation recorded for the World Science Festival, and they describe two very different ways of coping with their condition (which may be more common than we think).
GUESTS:
Chuck Close and Dr. Oliver Sacks
Player or link not working? CLICK HERE to go to Radiolab.
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Day 24: The Big Sneeze #30SAL
Today is the 24th day of our 30 day creative challenge. Tuesday is specifically a sequence challenge so there is an extra option to respond with multiple frames if you wish. Make something inspired by a sneeze. Share your drawing on Instagram with these tags: #30sal, #sneeze Or post to this Padlet
Some Pretty Paintings: Standing on Flowered Blanket
I liked the form of the model’s body within the fabric. The pose reminded me of classical sculptures, extraneous arms removed. This is one of the first prints I made with drypoint, for this series. I was surprised and thrilled to see what the lovely pattern on the flowered rug looked like after printing. Ink makes …
Ralph Kiggell: Sacred Shapes
[image_with_animation image_url=”11536″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Sacred Shapes – Accordion Book Yesterday I posted Ralph Kiggell’s Temple Dogs series of woodblock prints, and quoted excerpts from his blog that described his process. Today I’m sharing his Sacred Shapes series of 12 woodblocks. They also have a simple concept, repeated in iterations, in which the subject is …
Painterly Figures with Tone: Part 1
Painterly Figures with Tone was a 4 week shortie art class, snuck into November/December. This post includes some of my favorite moments from that class. Please kindly overlook any flaws in the photography. A Sunday evening class, the images were taken on the fly, and in the dark. A word about working from photographs… Typically …