20/20 Blindsight - Softcover

Howell, Busser

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0615709052 ISBN 13: 9780615709055

Publisher: William B. Howell, 2013

Synopsis

At the age of fifteen, Busser Howell lost 98 percent of his vision. At the age of forty he lost the remaining 2 percent. Were the story to end there you would likely not be entirely shocked as this type of circumstance is not that uncommon. But this is not the whole story—not by a long shot. You see, Howell is an artist—a painter, to be exact. And prior to being a professional, working artist in New York City he was a partner and worked twenty-four years in an interior design and restoration business. Possibly even more amazing than his breaking of our stereotypes of the blind is the fact that he is not alone. Interviewing other blind artists to discover each person’s particular point of view and what kind of descriptions work for them, author and blind artist Busser Howell’s debut is an extraordinary look into a world never before seen or understood from the point of view of the visually challenged. Beginning by examining the concepts of creativity, perception, touch, and accessibility, Howell engages the vibrant, boundless minds of fifteen visually impaired artists to mine their thoughts, feelings, and understanding to piece together a common thread of experience. It is the artists telling their story, their preferences and dislikes, and their ability, despite their blindness, to tap into sight’s brain-based function to see and comprehend our world and its contents. An enlightening and fascinating journey into the artistic process as seen by those whose vision is either severely impaired or altogether absent, Howell’s impressive collection of writings and interviews is a probing examination of the artistic process and the nature of art itself. Evocative and inspiring, Blindsight is a deeply moving passage that documents the journey of visual artists as they transition from the visual input of the outside world to the output of their inner vision transcending blindness into the light of creativity.

About this title

Review:

From Kirkus Reviews Part art book, part sociological text, Howell's debut boldly presents itself as "the voice of the blind and low-vision" in the artistic community, providing numerous firsthand sources to illuminate the accomplishments and hardships of visually impaired artists. Howell, a professional artist whose vision has been impaired since his teens, brings his own experiences to a series of interviews with 15 of his peers, from journeyman artists and appreciators to better-known figures such as Braldt Bralds and Bruce Hall. The result is an honest study of how the blind and low-vision both engage with their creativity and explore other artists' work.

About the Author:

Busser Howell is a professional, working artist living in New York City. His paintings have been exhibited in California, New Mexico, Ohio, Florida, and New York as well as Spain, Italy, and Canada and have had museum exhibitions at the Morgan Museum in Lexington, Kentucky, Museum of the Permian Basin in Texas, the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, Connecticut, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian. At the age of fifteen Howell lost over 98 percent of his vision and at the age of forty lost the remainder of his sight. Even with his limited sight, however, he was a partner and worked twenty-four years in an interior design and restoration business while continuing to paint and exhibit his ever-evolving works. After getting involved with access programs in New York City, he began to write about himself and other blind and low vision artists in order to get the voice of the blind art community heard.

About this edition

• Publisher: William B. Howell
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0615709052
• ISBN 13: 9780615709055
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 234