He has spent his entire life surrounded by art, but John Bramblitt was never supposed to be a painter. At age 11, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. The seizures from the disease damaged his eyesight, and by 30, Bramblitt was completely blind. **Then, something incredible happened.** Recovering from what he described as the lowest point of his life, Bramblitt decided to begin the challenging task of expressing himself with art. Using fabric paint with raised edges, he taught himself to draw. From there, he taught himself to paint relying solely on texture and feel. According to Bramblitt, white paint feels thicker than black, which helps him create the outline of his work. Then, braille on paint tubes helps him determine which colors he is working with. Now, Bramblitt’s vibrant work and incredible story are getting attention, and Bramblitt has realized that his struggle is, in some ways, a gift: > In a way, I am glad that I became blind. This makes more sense when you stop thinking about adversity as an obstacle, and start viewing it as an experience—something that you can learn from and grow from. View some of Bramblitt’s inspiring work below.
