(photo: Brandon Thibodeaux for The New York Times)

John Bramblitt is an artist.  And he is blind.

He gradually lost his vision over 20 years or so (most likely due to epileptic seizures) and became completely blind in 2001.  This was especially frustrating to him because he loved to write and draw as creative outlets.  Losing his vision made it nearly impossible for him to continue pursuing these modes of expression.

“I didn’t so much lose my sight as I lost my freedom,” he said. “I was trapped in my own head.”

But he was determined to get his creative vision back in some way.  So one day, John picked up a bottle of white glue and drew outlines that he could feel with his fingers once the glue dried.  Later, he switched to quick-drying paints that he learned to distinguish by shade based on their texture and viscosity.

As an artist, John’s blindness freed him in a sense.  “It wasn’t until I lost my sight that I became brave enough to fail,” he said. “Even if the paintings didn’t look good, I didn’t have to see them.”

John’s art also seems to have improved his epilepsy, as his seizures became less frequent over time.  He credits this to art, saying that painting has taught him to live in the moment and stay calm during stressful situations.

“I don’t think of myself as being a blind person or an epileptic.  It’s just another aspect of who I am.”

“Life for me now is way more colorful than it ever was.”

Echo

Old Man

(You can see the texture in this painting.)

The Door  (This painting is from a series on synesthesia.  The colors convey notes Bramblitt heard while listening to a song called Back Door Man by The Doors.  You can also see Braille writing in the painting.)

Here’s an article about Bramblitt.  Here’s his website where you can read more about his process and see more of his work.