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
Below is a video by Proko showing a brief overview of basic drawing supplies, and a demo for how to hand sharpen a soft charcoal pencil. He explains what the weird sandpaper thingy is for.
I found some lovely masterwork studies drawn by Fran O’Neill, but she didn’t list the paintings they were drawn from. I figured I’d make a game of it. Be the first to identify the artist and title of one of these masterwork paintings and win $50 towards a class. Fran O’Neill is teaching a landscape …
Recently I posted about The Language of Color, in which I relate pinking shears to pink, the color. Please allow me to clarify. According to WordHistories.net, the noun “pink” is first recorded in 1566, but not as the name for a color. “Pink” was the name for a flower, that Dianthus plumarius after which the pinking …
[image_with_animation image_url=”9717″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Today is another in the series of topophilia creative exercises, this one based on mapping your body. The longer we live, the more history we collect in our bodies as we move through the world. Landmarks like the scar from falling off the monkey bars, a crooked toe, or …
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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How to Sharpen a Pencil (seriously)
Below is a video by Proko showing a brief overview of basic drawing supplies, and a demo for how to hand sharpen a soft charcoal pencil. He explains what the weird sandpaper thingy is for.
Name a Masterwork and Win $50
I found some lovely masterwork studies drawn by Fran O’Neill, but she didn’t list the paintings they were drawn from. I figured I’d make a game of it. Be the first to identify the artist and title of one of these masterwork paintings and win $50 towards a class. Fran O’Neill is teaching a landscape …
Origin of the word “Pink”
Recently I posted about The Language of Color, in which I relate pinking shears to pink, the color. Please allow me to clarify. According to WordHistories.net, the noun “pink” is first recorded in 1566, but not as the name for a color. “Pink” was the name for a flower, that Dianthus plumarius after which the pinking …
SAL Challenge: Body Map
[image_with_animation image_url=”9717″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Today is another in the series of topophilia creative exercises, this one based on mapping your body. The longer we live, the more history we collect in our bodies as we move through the world. Landmarks like the scar from falling off the monkey bars, a crooked toe, or …