[Art_beyond_sight_learning_tools] Artist overcomes poor vision

[Shelley L. Rhodes]

Detroit News, Michigan
Sunday, July 03, 2005

Artist overcomes poor vision

By Christina Stolarz

Mount Clemens man expresses his inner self to cope with blindness; his 
displays are honored.

CAPTION: Leon Williams shows one of his drawings of an action figure. He has 
work permanently on display at City Gallery in Mount Clemens, and two of his 
pieces are touring the state with an exhibit.

MOUNT CLEMENS -- Leon Williams couldn't rely on his eyesight to play on the 
baseball team as a child.

Williams, who was diagnosed as legally blind at age 5, was constantly teased 
by classmates and discouraged from many activities that most kids couldn't 
wait to get involved in.

But as his vision continues to worsen, the now 38-year-old from Mount 
Clemens looks inward for strength and sight to do what he loves most -- draw 
and paint pictures of cartoons and sports figures.

"I see spiritually, not physically," said Williams, who also has a condition 
where his eyeballs don't move in any direction. "It's all in God's time. He 
gives me what I need."

Not only does art make Williams feel alive, his determination to improve his 
skills has earned him recognition in the Cool Views 2005 Emerging Artist 
Exhibit by the VSA Arts of Michigan, an organization which promotes arts, 
education and creative expression involving disabled children and adults, to 
improve their quality of life. Two of his pieces are touring the state with 
the exhibit; he also has work permanently on display at City Gallery in 
Mount Clemens.

"He has a tremendous gift that he keeps using," said Carolee Schmid, gallery 
owner. "It's amazing what he can accomplish. He has a feel he can express on 
paper."

There are an estimated 10 million blind and visually impaired people 
nationwide, according to the New York-based American Foundation for the 
Blind.

Williams was born in Detroit and found a knack for drawing at age 7 when he 
became fascinated with aliens and comic book characters. He drew fighting 
scenes with Superman and Batman on anything he could get his hands on, even 
napkins and toilet paper.

Although he always had an eye for detail, his vision impairments made it 
difficult for him to draw proportions. His drawings, many of which featured 
figures with one eye larger than the other, were the target of jokes.

"I got laughed at," said Williams, noting he never was accepted into an art 
program because of his impairment. "Nobody gave me a chance. I did not get 
discouraged."

And now others who live in the same low-income housing complex as Williams 
are encouraged by his art. They often ask him to draw pictures for their 
apartments or for their loved ones.

"He has touched people," said Angela Willis, service coordinator at Clinton 
Place Apartments. "Everyone appreciates it and anticipates seeing his 
drawings.

"It has all come from within, his own desire to do better."

Ben Emberton draws inspiration from a picture that Williams made of Jesus 
holding a child. Emberton gave Williams the original picture and asked him 
to enlarge it so that it can hang on his wall.

"It's excellent," said Emberton, 79. "It's amazing because he has a vision 
problem. I was impressed with his eye for the detail."

Arline Lingnau had the same reaction when she saw the time and effort 
Williams put into a painting of SpongeBob SquarePants for her granddaughter.

"I couldn't believe the detail on it," said Lingnau, 68. "I almost fell of 
my wheelchair. Even people with excellent eyesight can't detail a picture 
that good.

"I have not seen that SpongeBob look so good."

Lingnau said her 10-year-old granddaughter was thrilled with the painting.

"Her eyes got about as big as saucers," she said. "She was just so tickled."

Williams is now drawing a rosary for one resident and a Spider-Man picture 
for another. Many residents sit and admire a picture he drew of a violin 
that hangs in the common room of the apartment complex.

"When they have seen his talent, they have embraced him," she said. "I think 
he's very special. He really stimulates people."

About Leon Williams
Residence: Mount Clemens
Age: 38
Education: 1986 graduate of Clintondale High School in Clinton Township
Tlent: He is now being recognized as a talented artist despite his vision 
impairments.
Source: Detroit News research

You can reach Christina Stolarz at (586) 468-0343 or cstolarz at detnews.com. 
You can reach Christina Stolarz at (586) 468-0343 or cstolarz at detnews.com.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0507/03/D03-235391.htm


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