Welcome! I’m writing about my creative growth in hopes of making this blog an inspirational magnet. I believe this: Everything I need, I already have. And maybe, so do you.
How I learned to draw, improve my eyesight and deal with my left-handed issues -- all at once
When I was in the fourth grade, I joined the ranks of four-eyed, near-sighted Asian nerd kids. Each year, my vision worsened until by 41, I was legally blind. Then I started seeing holistic eye doctor Marc Grossman. And now, wow.
You know how people talk about having 20-20 vision? Well, over the past decade, I’ve gone from 650-20 to 275-20. The doctor’s prescription involved doing eye exercises and letting go emotionally. I don’t need reading glasses either! (Btw, Marc, who is trained in regular eye doctor stuff -- as well as things like acupuncture -- graduated from Stuyvesant High School a year ahead of me. We bonded instantly over that shared geeky connection.)
The issue of drawing came up during a check-up two years ago. I was busy ranting about my parents. (Yes, I was still having trouble with letting go.) It was a time when I was realizing just how much Mom and Dad’s decision to force me into right-handedness messed me up emotionally. I grew up constantly doubting myself. In matters of life and love, being spontaneous was not my m.o.
Well, Marc listened patiently. “Are you interested in learning to draw?” he asked. What? Being in the holistic world means that I’m used to non-sequiturs. But this one surprised even me. Then, he explained. Drawing would get me to see in a different way. And I could do it with my left hand (the one handed activity that my parents could not break me of).
He recommended a how-to book, “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards. (Yay! Another Betty who teaches!) He said that it was filled with great ideas and exercises; there might be at least one concept in it that I’d really click with.
Every few days, I read a new chapter and did the accompanying exercises. Each day, there was new joy. Everything around me truly looked different -- brighter, deeper, more textural. I was more aware of space. And hey, who knew that I could really draw???! When I finished this paperback, I had more confidence in my intuitive self.
My next step was to take an intro oil painting class. That’s where I painted my first self-portrait. I’ll show you some more of my paintings tomorrow. Right now, I want to give you a sense how my vision has changed...
This was my dining room this morning. But as a near-sighted person, this is not what I see.
Yeah, this is more like what I was looking at.
When I put on my reduced vision contact lenses, I got this view. Marc’s point is, why do I need to see sharp edges?
Don’t worry. When I’m driving at night or need to read a blackboard, I put on glasses that whip me into hard focus. But otherwise, I soft focus while watching TV, the movies, walking through life. Less eye strain. Less attention to unnecessary details. If this sounds a little crazy, consider the next two photos. It’s me, commuting into Grand Central Station.
Trudging through the station looking at this view does nothing for my mood.
A softer view makes for a softer, mellower, happier me.
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