[Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Eyesight not required for artistic vision

[Shelley L. Rhodes]

Dallas Morning News
Saturday, January 08, 2005

Eyesight not required for artistic vision

By DEBORAH FLECK / The Dallas Morning News

Sculptor's imagination 'as fertile as ever' after she became blind

Gisela-Heidi Strunck did not let going blind prevent her from continuing to 
be an artist. A little more than a year after an operation to remove a brain 
tumor, the sculptor has new works on display at Irving Bible Church.

"It is a blessing to be able to work," Ms. Strunck said. But at first she 
held little hope of doing what she loves.

"My first thought was, 'Oh my God, I can't work,' " she said about waking up 
in the dark. "I was pretty miserable."

Although her tumor was benign, it disturbed nerves. Not only did she lose 
her sight but also her sense of taste and smell, and a little bit of 
feeling.

But her memory and talent were not lost.

"Her imagination and creative energies are as fertile as ever," wrote Marcie 
Inman in a guide to the exhibit. Curator of the galleries at the Irving Arts 
Center, Ms. Inman has known the artist for a long time.

"She is amazing," Ms. Inman said about Ms. Strunck's resiliency. "She is 
still an avid explorer, eager student and tireless worker. She rewards us 
[in this exhibit] with her obvious love of life and making art."

Ms. Strunck couldn't imagine a life without art. Born in Germany in 1945, 
she left home at a young age to study painting in Madrid, Athens, Florence 
and Oslo. She came to the states in the late '60s to visit a man she had met 
on a Greek island.

Romance blossomed and Juergen Strunck became her husband. Also an artist, 
Mr. Strunck joined the faculty at the University of Dallas in 1968 and still 
teaches at the liberal arts college in east Irving. The couple resides in 
Southlake.

Ms. Strunck worked in ceramics at the university and tried sculpture in the 
early '70s. Her first sculpture exhibit was at the university in 1975. She 
has had solo exhibits throughout Texas at colleges, galleries and art 
centers and group exhibits not only in Texas but also in Indiana, Arkansas, 
Kansas and Washington, D.C.

At first she didn't like Texas, but she admits she now is fond of her home. 
While living here, she continued to travel and made several trips to India 
in the '90s. "I love traveling," she said, and she draws inspiration from 
the places she's visited.

She uses exotic woods, such as purpleheart, yellowheart, lacewood and 
zebrawood, adding metallic floss that flows from the woods and fixtures.

About half of the pieces in the exhibit were created after she lost her 
sight. She credits her friends and fellow artists with encouraging her not 
to give up.

"People said you are strong and you can handle this," but she did not want 
to believe them. "Everyone has been so special. They have helped me realize 
being blind is not the worst thing," she said.

Most of the encouragement and assistance, however, comes from her husband. 
"Being an artist he was able to help in many ways," she said. He made a 
guiding device to help her separate the spools of floss so she can choose 
and combine colors.

Although she cannot see her work as she creates it, she guides her hands 
along the piece to feel if it flows and comes together.

One of her new pieces is called Prayer Posts, a display of seven 84-inch 
tall totems in an omega shape. Ms. Inman describes the work as "occupying 
and engaging space more actively with modular characteristics" than her 
earlier works.

Ms. Strunck's work reflects a strong spiritual influence as well as inner 
strength and rich vision. But she wants her story to be about the power of 
art and "not about me."

Art has lessened her pain. "Art is soothing and calming," she said. "I am 
thankful to do what I do. I have a very good life."

E-mail dfleck at dallasnews.com

IF YOU GO

Exhibit: "Seeing and Imagining: Gisela-Heidi Strunck Sculptures"

When: through Jan. 16

Where: Irving Bible Church, lower level hall, 2435 Kinwest Parkway

Call: 972-560-4600


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/irving/stories/010905dnirveyes.5aadf.html




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