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“MIRROR HEADS” – acrylics & mixed media on canvas – copyright Dennis Mealor 2010.
“Mirror Heads”
I have featured this painting before on this site. It was my first painting after I became visually impaired in 2009. A year later – when I had licked my emotional wounds somewhat – I wondered if I could still see enough, to paint. So I set up my easel in the bathroom (which has lots of light and white walls) and discovered that – not only could I still see enough, but also I enjoyed the experience. The resulting painting, “Mirror Heads,” was basically part of my purging process. An attempt to come to terms with my new visual impairment. And it worked. I later followed with an exhibition “Fragments of Vision” at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, in 2011. A whole exhibition of visual impairment purging!
“Mirror Heads” essentially shows what I see of myself in the mirror now. Please click on it, to enlarge. With large sections of light not reaching my brain along the optic nerves, much of the information of what I see, is missing. The inset picture of the left figure shows what I see with my left eye, with right eye closed. The inset picture of the right figure shows what I see with the right eye, with left eye closed. When I open both eyes, each eye complements the other, and I get a merging of images. The combination is – basically – what I see every day.
I will reiterate that I put this info here on my Blog merely as FYI, as I am asked a lot how I see. I am happy to explain to them, if they ask. I am not after pity. Not at all. I am over it, apart from the odd day of narcissistic inner contemplation, that I am sure most of us experience at times (maybe today – hence this post!). But I hope it will inform people about others who may have a hidden, not-so-obvious disability. I feel damn lucky, in fact. I love what sight I have left. I took it for granted prior to my eye crisis. Now, when I walk across the Old Iron Bridge of Bundaberg, I drink in the (fragmented) view I get, like nectar.