Twelve years after losing the sight in her left eye due to swelling of the optic nerve, retired Perth school teacher Norma Pearce decided she would pursue something she’d always wanted to do – learn to paint.
Hailing from a family of artists, it was an opportunity to uncover her own artistic talent after devoting herself to a teaching career for more than three decades.
Norma spent ten years “learning from some wonderful teachers” and developing skills and techniques alongside other budding artists and creatives.
Devastatingly, she would go on to lose the sight in her right eye just ten years later due once again to swelling of the right optic nerve, leaving her with significant damage and very limited vision in both eyes.
Norma was referred to VisAbility and was trained in using a white cane and other assisted technologies that could help her manage her new situation.
She said she felt at the time that her painting and creative days were over and put her paintbrushes aside for 12 months as she came to terms with her vision impairment.
However, all that changed when Norma reconnected with award winning WA artist David Giles who began running classes close to her home. David took her under his wing and rekindled her artistic passion.
With her eyesight now severely limited, Norma could no longer use photographs or images as inspiration and instead drew on internal inspiration for her artworks shaped by her imagination rather than what she could see.
Norma now uses her teachers and classmates as “her eyes” to help her with colour and proportion making sure her canvas is covered and for feedback on her artworks.
Norma will hold her first public exhibition alongside two fellow artists at Studio 11 Art Gallery in Fremantle with all proceeds going to support Guide Dogs WA.
“Through this exhibition I hope to raise awareness and funds for Guide Dogs WA, which provides invaluable services and support to those in WA living with low or no vision,” she said.
She is keen to encourage others who may be visually impaired to give painting and other creative pursuits a go, rather than feel restricted by their disability.
“You may not be able to see much but there is still so much life and light to enjoy.”
“That’s what ‘The Light Inside’ is all about.”
*The Light Inside will open at Studio 11 Art Gallery in Captains Lane on September 27 from 2-4pm and will be open from 11:00am – 4:00pm on October 1,2 and 3. The exhibition is sponsored by WA artist David Giles.