Creating Wih Stargardt's Disease

Being an artist with Stargardt's Disease does have its challenges and getting around is no easy picnic. I've had Stargarddt's Disease since birth and no it's not catching. However, it does affect the macular which starts to deteriorate during your early teens and stabilizes in your mid twenties, in which, no light is allowed to reach the back of the eye and everything and I do mean everything you try to see is blurry, hint mid life crisis. I do have my challenge of moving about in semi dark areas and its also a daily requirement tor me to  get in before dark, that's why I couldn't qualify to become Batman's sidekick  I often have to poke fun at my situation or go crazy thinking about it.  So, poking fun it is.

I always felt different at an earlier age and knew that I could never qualify to play sports like other teenage boys, usually the ball would end up winning, especially in football and basketball, trying to make  touchdowns or layups was not a pretty sight and very often became painful with family members. I wanted to try it out with my family members first in order to get a feel for the sports and boy I got a feel alright.  Taking shop was quite interesting as well, especially, when you see the first aid kit meeting you at the classroom door and your fellow classmates had already completed your projects for you. Somehow, I felt it was just a conspiracy going against me. However, I did try out for band and played the drums, no comment. I actually enjoyed being in the band. But, the band wasn't in me. In general, I felt the things I were trying out for  were not meant for me to accomplish at all. So, while in junior high school, I wanted to take art. Unfortunately, it wasn't a go, for the instructor didn't think I could see well enough to do the assignments and despite how much I would fascinate other teachers and fellow students with my drawings, it was still no go for the art class. It would take me having to transfer to another junior high school to be afforded the opportunity to prove myself and learned  new ways to create art.

Later, I would attend high school and really begin to shine and win a few art awards . I would go onto college and never try out for art. I felt I wanted to create my own techniques in painting and not try to imitate someone else techniques. I was never the type to go by the book when it came to creating art. I also believe  having the freedom to paint the way I want to paint is truly freedom of expression.  Eventually, I decided to take business courses for my degree in business management, I would sell both originals and prints of my art to faculty and students and make a little extra cash to take care of family and buy more art supplies. I did finally obtain a 2 year business degree and wanted to try something else.

As time marches forward, I would win more art awards, conduct  a few art shows and make a few appearances on television and in the newspaper, I still felt I wasn't doing enough. I am now working in oils and wanted to see how well I can do. I have produced a few art pieces and it does take a little longer to complete a painting due to the details and small size. I am also  planning to create much larger paintings resulting in less straining of my eyes.

"Bountiful Tow" small print By Michael A. Williams

 

Uniquewanderx Online Art Gallery: http://www.uniquewanders.com

 

The Creation of Mountain Truckers: A Bling Artist View

When I decided to create the painting “Mountain Truckers”, I wanted to do something to show my appreciation for the millions of men and women who get behind the wheel to transport the goods that make our lives easier everyday. Statistics show that truckers are responsible for transporting 80% of our economy and log in millions of millions each year to get those goods to us.
As I traveled down the highway from Memphis, Tennessee to San Antonio, Texas in 2003, I decided to conduct a little research on my own to see how many eighteen wheelers I could count during our tow day journey.  On the first day of my research, I started at 9:00 am and stopped at 7:00 pm that same day. By then, I had already reached 3,000 and that was enough counting for me once we reached Dallas.

The next day, I would start up the count at 8:00 am leaving Dallas.  At noon, I had already counted 1,000 rigs and we still had a way to go before we would reach our final destination. after stopping for gas, restroom breaks  and resting periods, we finally reached San Antonio around 9:00 pm. I had already stopped counting at 7:00 pm  because it was getting dark and my eyesight was preventing me from finishing up the count. Already, I had made it to 6,000.  The next morning I would tally up my count  and found that I counted 9,000 trucks on the highway and that was from them heading east on the interstate.
I had also counted 2 jackknifed trucks and that was surprising itself for I had never witness a eighteen wheeler laying on its side before. I usually see it on television and that was as close I was able to see them. 
I also had truck drivers in my family involving my dad who passed away when I was a teenager and my stepdad who was taking us to San Antonio that year.
It is usually a tradition for the oldest son to follow in the footsteps of his dad and take an interest in his dad’s career. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do so due to my vision. So, I became a visually impaired artist and begin taking an interest in  painting and still feel like I  am carrying on the tradition in a different mode.

Uniquewanders Art Gallery and Studios- Online Art Gallery  http://www.uniquewanders.com

My Art My Way

Being an artist does have its challenges. But, being a visually impaired artist possesses even bigger challenges itself . For start, its getting the art community to take you seriously as a professional artist. Second, its getting your work out there for the world to see. However, I have taken care of that via the internet and creating my own online art gallery. . It is technology that allows the world to see my creations and enjoy them. But, enough about that, allow me to bring your attention on why I became a visually impaired artist in the first place.

I do art to show individuals how I see the world through my limited vision and how I can utilize my imagination to fill in the gaps. It is my way of creating art and feel the satisfaction of being a professional visually impaired artist who  refuse to accept any limits in being creative. I find that when I go beyond the parameters of creating art from within, I'm able to paint or draw freely. There are no need for rules here. I create the way I decide to create and I develop my own techniques to remain original.

Art is like a movie. you are the director whose objective is to create a work of art (the movie) to entertain, tell a story , wow the audience and keeping them interested. My art does that. My aim is to add a little spice to the mix by being visually impaired.

I started off working in pen and ink. Next, I would venture into watercolors, graduating to a bigger challenge of conquering acrylics, and recently, I decided to try an even bigger challenge by working in oil.  I am always on the look out for ways to diversify my art, expand my interest and move people  into a conversation concerning my disability and creations.

I keep my works inspirational I order to give GOD, himself, the credit for enabling me the ability to work as an artist and continue to move forward with my art. I have so much to be thankful for and so many stories to tell in my paintings. Some painting will have sceneries of places one can recognize and others will be sceneries that I imagine. It is often amazing that I can sit still for a few minutes and an image comes into my mind and I am instantly able to apply that image onto canvas or board .

I enjoy being a professional visually impaired artist. But, I am able to add "award winning" to the tile and feel good about my accomplishments, in which, I will share in another article. I will continue to show my works in art galleries and other public facilities whenever possible and I have my own online art gallery to be proud of as well

Uniquewanders Art Gallery and Studios- online art gallery http://www.uniuewanders.com

 

"Mountain Truckers" acrylic on canvas By Michael A. Williams
 

 

Creating Inspiration from Withing

Whenever I sit down to paint, I go through a process placing myself in a certain scenery and take the time to feeling the wind, taking in the smells and enjoying the surroundings. Its’ like going into a state o

f meditation. At the same time, I am able to take advantage of images wherever I can find them, such as the internet, photos, magazines, etc.


"Sanctuary 2011" acrylic on canvas By Michael A. Williams

It has becomes quite challenging when utilizing photos from any source due to my visual impairment. You see, I was born with an eye disorder called Stargardt’s Disease, which affects the central part of the eye or the macular. My sight started deteriorating when I was a teenager and the deterioration stabilized when I reached my mid 20s and remained the same ever since. However, I have taken to improvising what I cannot see and still accomplish my goal of producing a great work of art.
As I continue the process of painting, I have to utilize some technology, such as a close circuit television, to aid me in reading the colors on the tubes and bottles of paints. The CCTV acts as an electronic magnifier and some low tech items, such as a hand held magnifying glass to help me see some of the items in a photo, which still doesn’t help much and plenty of lighting to aid me in seeing some, about 400 watts should do the trick.  I like to start off painting in the sky for it sets the tone of what mood I am in. Do I wish for a morning sunrise or evening sunset or maybe a stormy sky.  Weather in a painting enables me to determine what subject I want to include in my painting and how simple or sophisticating I wanting the painting to become.
Some works may take a couple of days or a couple of years o produce. When you’re  visually impaired it take a little more involvement and it can become a little mind draining than normal.   As a visually impaired artist, I get the pure enjoyment of creating beauty my way and on my terms. I can say a part of me goes into every piece I produce for I am having to utilize my imagination and heart. Yes, the challenges are there, but, I learn while doing and crate with inspiration.

Uniquewanders Art Gallery and Studios -Online Art Gallery http://www.uniquewanders.com

About Creative Insight

Creative Insight is about the way I see the world through my eyes and capture it on canvas. My name is Michael A. Williams and I am visually impaired artist from Memphis, Tennessee. I have been drawing and painting since the age of 14 and enjoy it vey much. Art is my way of writing or playing music. I communicate through color, shapes and inspiration.
While growing up I always knew I was different. I knew I was having difficulties seeing things and no one noticed it until I was a teenager. During the time of discovery, I was diagnosed with Stargardps; Disease, a macular degenerative disorder that affected the central part of the eye and light would have little success in reaching the back of the eye.  
Although, I would still try to play basketball and football with family members just to see what choice I still had in playing sports, the question was answered very quickly and painfully, none. I decided to pursue music and lost interest very quickly, woodworking was almost my liking, but, safety for fellow classmates and myself was top priority for the shop teacher, detail will not be mention, moving right along, so, I decided to take up drawing and never stopped since. However, the teacher was still concerned how I would pull it off and I wasn't in the class for long. Therefore, I was stuck in home education. Well, at least I can learn how not to stick myself with a needle and how not to burn the school down while baking or cooking. I was fortunate not to reach that extreme moment of burning the school down and the needles won out. After a few choice words and bad aids later, I was able to get back into art while attending  junior high and high schools. I had good art teachers who saw natural art abilities I had in me and encouraged me to create. I was able to prove to them that I had a great talent in me that would allow me to go on to win outstanding art student of the year award, pen and ink drawing calendar contest and many other art competitions.


"Serenity Mountain" oil on canvas by Michael A. Williams

During my mid 20s, I would produce several pen and ink prints in series of 100, each had to be hand painted with a light watercolor wash and sold out of each series. However, I wanted to expand and decided to reach myself how to use acrylics and oils.
Today, I am in my 40s and continue to inspire others and love art because of the endless possibilities to create. My disorder had eventually stabilized in my mid 20s and I have adaptive technology and low tech items to aid me in creating . I improvise what I can't see and I believe using your imagination to create is truly inspirational. 

Uniquewanders Art Gallery and Studios -Online Art Gallery http://www.uniquewanders.com