Chuck Close is a world-famous artist who paints wall-to-wall faces and portraits, and while many of his works are filled with vibrant color, his life also had many dark moments.
Growing up in a rural, working-class community in Washington state, he suffered from a variety of learning and physical disabilities, including the blindness of seeing one’s face, medically known as prosopagnosia, but he found solace in art and eventually graduated from the Yale University Graduate School of Art.
At the age of 48, Close had been fulfilling his dream of becoming a portrait painter when a spinal artery ruptured, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. After spending almost a year in hospital recuperating, Close was able to begin creating art again.
Now Close is the subject of a new biography by Christopher Finch, “Chuck Close: A Life,” and in the video, Close talks about how daily art and music classes at the modest public school he attended helped shape him into the artist he is today.
“Children, particularly those with learning disabilities or who learn differently, haven’t had the opportunity to feel special. Every child should have the opportunity to feel special,” he said.
Quote
“The interesting thing about life-changing events is that they hit so close to home. I have had a lifelong neuromuscular disorder and a learning disability. I’ve lived my life with a rock in my shoe.” Chuck Close
“Especially for kids who have learning disabilities or who learn differently, they had the opportunity to feel special. Every kid should have the opportunity to feel special.” Chuck Close
“He always said that if he hadn’t been exposed to art and music and what he was good at and what made him happy, if he hadn’t gone to Yale, he might have ended up in prison.” Chuck Close
Warm-up Questions
1. What is a learning disability?
2. What is the difference between visual learners and audio learners? What other ways are there to learn?
3. Why are some people more drawn to art and music than others?
Discussion Questions
1. What obstacles did Chuck Close face in his life?
2. What is prosopagnosia?
3. How can you apply Chuck Close’s resilience to your own life?
Additional resources
Video Transcript
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