Monet had cataracts.
Degas, retinal eye disease.
Georgia O Keefe, Mary Cassatt and Rembrandt all suffered decline of ocular vision.
Stories swirl theorizing they were better artists because of their condition.

How did Monet and Degas see?
Standford News interviewed ophthalmologist Dr. Michael Marmor on his theories.
Marmor has written two books on the subjects and co-authored The Eye of the Artist with James. G. Ravin.
He uses software to replicate what the artist may have seen.
For a glimpse, click here.

At the age of three my parents discovered I wasn’t seeing well.
An optometrist confirmed their suspicion of nearsightedness.
He believed a child under school age shouldn’t wear glasses, suggesting we return in a couple of years.

With my Dad, brother & faithful friend Tuff

I will never forget the day, years later, when I first donned my personally chosen bright purple frames.
Driving home, my face pressed to the window I exclaimed,
“MOM the trees have leaves, they have LEAVES!!”
I remember those trembling aspens and birch, leaves shimmering in the wind, bright as pennies in the sun.
I was ecstatic. Mom was crying.
She was reeling over the fact I hadn’t ever seen leaves in a forest grove.

By 16 the optometrist could no longer find frames to fit me, or make glasses thick enough.
Contacts changed my view yet again.
The world was suddenly sharper & clear, but depth perception was difficult to navigate.
I stumbled a lot.

The ‘reading glass’ era arrived 5 years ago.
I should paint with them, but don’t.

Thou I couldn’t discount my friend’s enthusiasm that presbyopia was ‘a gift from heaven’,
because she could no longer see her wrinkles,
it still has it’s share of challenges.

I was in the studio when my Client showed me the photo for this special commission.
I saw lovely natural buff cliffs and a meandering river.
After he left I found my glasses and discovered the cliffs were houses.
A whole village.

It was a surprise, and a challenge.
24×24 New oil on canvas.

The painting took about three weeks & 23 brushes.
I began in acrylic, layered with oil.
~introduced two new colours – viridian and phthalo green
~incorporated a canyon palette – destination of the couple’s engagement photos.
~ used two entire palettes of paint.
There is a little surprise in one of the towers.

I wore my reading glasses.

p.s.
Were Artists better painters because of decline in vision?
I believe scientists are missing the point.
These well accomplished artists had honed their skills & perceptions.
Masters who understood light, composition, movement and contrast.
They weren’t just ‘seeing’ their subjects, they understood them on a whole different plane~
one that infuses mystery and the unseen.
Dr. Marmor reproduces what Monet was seeing on canvas with poor vision.
What was he seeing beyond the canvas?
~
Anticipating the letters of response~
I rarely accept commissions.
It’s true this isn’t my typical genre.
He isn’t my typical client either.