The Vision Behind Blind Artist James Kessinger

The Vision behind Blind Artists

Blind artists are people who are physically unable to see normally, yet work in the visual arts. This may seem to be a contradiction to some, considering that only around of 10% visually impaired people with blindness can see absolutely nothing at all. As a result, most blind people can in fact perceive at least some bit of light and form.  It is through this limited sense of sight that blind artists apply this limited vision and can create beautiful pieces of art. A second reason that blind artists, limited by their vision can produce creative works of both paintings and sculptures that amaze admirers of their work is because, for many, they were once able to see just as you and I with perfect vision, and just lost part of all their vision later in life, as a result of a disease or an injury.  For these reasons, blind artists are able to offer a rare look and special insight into the study of blindness and shed light on how art can be viewed by the blind.

James Kessinger is one of these rare and talented artists who lost most of h is ability to see, yet, creates inspiring art today. He was born and raised on a farm in Kentucky, and later in life as an adult, joined the Army. After returning home from Viet Nam, he was the owner and operator of several successful businesses. Then in his early 30’s, James began to lose his sight due to macular degeneration.  James is now in his 60’s and is only able to see what he can view within one inch or less through a special glass monocle. James began his life as a professional artist, and proudly displays his artwork and that of other artists on his website, James Kessinger Originals (www.jameskessingeroriginals.com) Confined by his limited sight, he has surprised, stunned, and received the attention and recognition of art critics worldwide. James uses a style referred to as strata reduction, which as Kessinger describes is the practice of painting layered pictures on top of one another, then sands away portions of the top layer. The results are breathtaking.  Many of the paintings on his website are now on sale, from July through September 30th.   For those who enjoy abstract expressionism, abstract paintings, and abstract sculptures,  it is well worth taking a browse through his online gallery and owning one of these prize pieces of abstract artwork at reduced prices though the summer months. Abstract art for sale through the summer prices can be viewed online at his website.  Abstract Acrylic Paintings and Abstract Oil Paintings are features on his expansive online gallery.

Abstract Expressionism is also referred to as Gestural Abstraction, because its brush strokes reveal the persons process. The process is the subject of the art itself. Abstract Expressionists strove to uncover their most personal feelings directly through making art, and thereby achieve some transformation, or if possible, some personal redemption.

Abstract impressionism is an art of abstract painting in which the artists expresses themselves through the use of colors with no need or objective representations. In abstract impressionism, soft brush strokes build large areas which exhibits control of entire painting expressing the artists’ mental focus on inner emotions. James Kessinger certainly exhibits the style of abstract expressionism, seen through his many paintings found on James Kessinger Originals. Abstract impressionism reflects certain emotional states and the artists’ puts paint to canvas and feels it to be the best, without intention of final outcome.

The most important predecessor of abstract impressionism was of course impressionism and any other abstract movements. Abstract impressionism can be divided into three groups. The first group is impressionists without need to paint anything concrete. Imagine Monet and the various colors, different shapes, and positions. The second groups are Color Field Painters whose works reflect intense colors, simple shapes, and are often done on large canvasses and have flat composition. The last groups in this style are painters’ referred to as Action Painters, such as Pollock, with a more soft style and delicate reflection of surfaces and colors.

Blind Artist James Kessinger is a lover of art and gives back to the community. He shares the proceeds of his painting sales to a charity which is near and dear to his heart, namely, The Orphaned Earring, which was initially created with the purpose of providing a Christmas party to an orphanage in Nicaragua. It has now evolved to a charity blog group with the purpose of helping children in Nicaragua, Santa Fe Colombia, Guatemala and Rosarito, Mexico that are temporarily living in special homes, are orphans or that have been abandoned.