As I See It

As an artist working with vision loss (legally blind - peripheral vision) and cataracts, Constance Avery has had some limitations visually for over 30 years. However, undergoing cataract surgery 4 years ago opened her cloudy central vision to brightness and color, but did not affect her peripheral vision, which still is limiting. She found these restrictions have allowed her to take a different and interesting path with her artwork, which she calls a "keyhole vision". This effect helps her to study the areas on the canvas and maximize the effects of brush marks, colors, shapes and the overall flow of the painting. Using an iPad or phone to see the work condensed, as well as looking at her work from a distance, helps Constance to look at the work from different sizes and angles and helps her to visually see the actual effects of the painting.

Her latest body of work is partly in reaction to experiments with acrylic ink, expressive painting and images inspired by memories of stained glass creations by her youngest brother, who was also an artist. By applying the acrylic ink in quick random strokes onto blank canvas or on top of expressively painted surfaces, she can reach into the canvas and markings to draw out the images that were created by the spontaneity of the lines, strokes of colors and shapes seen by the ink, or the paint under the ink. Applying paint in varying consistency and wiping it away creates the illusion of stained glass. The movements and special effects created by these methods are what attract many of her clients to her artwork.

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