LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) - John Bramblitt lost his vision six years ago, leading him to learn a different system of perception. An unexpected art career soon followed.
He's exhibiting a series of works titled "Perceptions" at the Associated Louisiana Artists' Gallery by the Lake, 106 W. Lawrence St., through Sept. 8. He will give a demonstration Sept. 6 during the annual Gallery Promenade.
The Denton, Texas, native did not pursue art until losing his sight because of a pre-existing seizure condition. "When I was a kid, my mom did art, but I was more into creative writing and reading. I was not interested in painting until I lost my sight six years ago. When I could see, I was an English student, but then when I could not see, I could not do that. I had all of these images in my head that I wanted to get out.
"I was tired of people thinking that I could not perceive anything because I was blind, so I started painting, even though I had never heard of a blind person painting. I did several works in my mind. The first one I put on canvas went well. I had thought about the process I could use already. I just had to go slow until I was comfortable with the process. I think it took eight hours to finish that first sketch. Now I can work faster and am always trying different things, a new style that will allow me to expand on what I am doing now."
Bramblitt's method involved creating a "map" before putting paint to canvas. "First I make my own sketches. I place a canvas against a board, then use one hand to look and the other hand to paint," he said. "I use a raised fabric paint to make the drawings, so I can feel the lines I have drawn before I paint. I put in structural features, places where I want to have light or dark places, then use the drawings as a map to fill in the colors as I paint. I always paint with oils because they have a different texture for each color. Plus you can remix them or paint over them if it is not right; oils are pretty forgiving."
Bramblitt said he has thought a lot about the concept of perception after losing his vision. "The first painting was called 'Ten Eyes;' it was me holding my fingers up to show that I could use them to perceive things the same way sighted people use eyes. I usually use real-life subjects; a lot of it is from memory. I like using real people so that others can recognize them and tell me how I did. I did paintings of the band Midway and skateboarder Tony Hawk. I was able to remember their faces so much better after feeling them rather than seeing them. I think painting without seeing would help many people become better artists."
"In the 'Perceptions' series, the paintings are all people and eyes. I was always interested in the subject of perceptions, how people can look at the same object and see different things. When I lost my sight, I began to see things differently. I would take each memory, each emotion that they conjured, and make them into whatever color I identified with that emotion."
Bramblitt said his art career was unexpected and has led to some opportunities to do community work. "I never thought anyone would ever see my paintings. I was just doing them because I had to do something. I put some in a coffee shop and things have taken off from there. One thing that has surprised me is all of the outreach and charity work I have done. I have worked with the governor's Texas Disability Commission. I have gone into schools and painted with children; that has been so much fun. I have learned a lot and enjoyed what I have done so far. There is still much work to be done."
He said he does not want to be known as "the blind artist." "I don't usually tell people that I am visually impaired," he said. "Many times I will go to the show and that is the first time people find out. I am an artist that happens to be blind."
The show hangs through Sept. 6.
On the Net:
For more about the artist, visit
http://www.bramblitt.net
Created on ... September 01, 2007