[Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Artist didn't discover talent until she became blind

[Shelley L. Rhodes]

Houston Community Newspapers
Saturday, March 12, 2005

Artist didn't discover talent until she became blind

By Kassia Micek , Courier staff

Although Lisa Fittipaldi's sight is nonexistent, she sees a world full of 
colorful images in her mind, which she beautifully transfers to a blank 
canvas creating breathtaking art.

"For me, what's important is to be able to put things in my head on the 
paper," Fittipaldi said.
However, her world wasn't always so bright. Her sight suddenly vanished and 
she was left in a world of total darkness as she drove to work in 1993 along 
Interstate 35 in Austin.
Her vision went in and out for about six months before it vanished for good. 
It wasn't until 2-1/2 years later that doctors discovered the reason for her 
blindness - vasculitis, a progressive autoimmunity disease.
"It was really hard to deal with," said Fittipaldi, 56.
However, she was able to turn her vision loss into something wonderful.
She is the world's only profoundly blind realist painter, according to a 
press release, and she will be in The Woodlands today for the signing of her 
first book, "A Brush with Darkness: Learning to Paint After Losing My 
Sight."
Fittipaldi will be at the Borders Books and Music store in The Woodlands, 
located at 9595 Six Pines Drive, at 3 p.m. for the signing of her book. At 3 
p.m. Sunday, she will be at a Borders Books and Music store in Houston, 
located at 3025 Kirby.
The book takes readers on the emotional rollercoaster Fittipaldi went 
through after her blindness and then how she learned to paint for the first 
time without vision.
"It really wasn't an intention of mine," Fittipaldi said about painting.
After she became blind, Fittipaldi's husband was at Wal-Mart and, frustrated 
that his wife wasn't getting out of bed long after becoming blind, he bought 
her a child's watercolor set.
>From there, Fittipaldi began to paint to her heart's desire. But it isn't 
>easy to start painting, especially since Fittipaldi never painted before 
>her vision loss.
"It took me a year to paint a square or a triangle," Fittipaldi said.
Although it wasn't easy, she was relentless in her efforts. She also said 
painting helped her learn spatial relations and she was soon able to dress 
herself and move around the house with ease.
Fittipaldi is now a world-traveled lecturer and painter who has been to 
Mexico, where she runs a bed and breakfast called Casa De Los Angeles, 
Germany, China, South America and the Czech Republic.
Although she understands why people are scared of losing their vision - and 
one out of every five Americans will due to different diseases - they don't 
have to stop living. Her vision loss helped her become more organized and 
focused.
Fittipaldi was a CPA, but she truly enjoys her current life as a painter. 
Her paintings sell for $5,000 to $40,000.
Although most people would think of blindness as a huge loss, Fittipaldi 
said that's not the case.
"It's probably the biggest blessing I've ever had, to lose my vision," 
Fittipaldi said.
Those interested in viewing Fittipaldi's artwork or learning more about her, 
can visit her Web site, www.lisafittipaldi.com. Some of the proceeds of her 
book will go toward The Minds Eye Foundation, which provides computer 
software for blind children so they can read.

Kassia Micek can be reached at kmicek at mail.hcnonline.net.


http://www.zwire.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1574&dept_id=532216&newsid=14133292




--
BlindNews mailing list

Archived at: http://GeoffAndWen.com/blind/
Address message to list by sending mail to: BlindNews at blindprogramming.com

Access your subscription info at: 
http://blindprogramming.com/mailman/listinfo/blindnews_blindprogramming.com



-- 
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.2 - Release Date: 3/11/2005