Passionate Focus 2011 Artists
Craig Royal
I have a congenital form of optic atrophy and have been legally blind since birth. My peripheral vision is blurred so I miss out on a lot of detail and have an impressionist quality about it. The white blind spot adds a surreal element. I use a 4x monocular to edit photos.
I earned a BFA in crafts from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1982. I concentrated in woodworking furniture design.
My interest in photography started in 2007. Being frustrated with visual impairment, a lack of patience, and poor concentration, my creative interests shifted from three dimensions to two dimensions. With photography, I could rely on the camera's ability to focus instead of relying on my eyes, which was quite liberating.
Water is a favorite subject of mine, especially reflections on water. I see the water as a canvas, reflections as a pigment and wind as a brush. Like a Rorschach test, these images can suggest something beyond themselves and can express, in a surreal and abstract way, the human experience.
EXHIBITS include: NEXT JURIED SHOW; Richmond; BENCHMARK'S MULTIMEDIA EXHIBITION, Washington, D.C.; EVOLVING CRAFTS, Virginia; THE ALL FLORIDA JURIED FINE ART EXHIBITION, St. Petersburg; ART BEYOND SIGHT, Philadelphia; ART FOR LIFE, Tampa; MEMBERS SHOW ARTISTS UNLIMITED, Tampa; THROUGH MY EYES, Tampa; COLORS OF ART, Tampa; ART AT THE SPEED OF LIFE, Tampa; DIVINE EQUINE GREAT ART AND FRAME, Tampa; HILLSBOROUGH VISUAL ARTISTS ALLIANCE INAUGURAL EXHIBITION, Tampa; WESTCHASE ARTISTS SOCIETY MEMBERS SHOW, Tampa; FOR THE LOVE OF ART, Tampa; QUIET CONVERSATIONS, Tampa.
AWARDS include: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Professional Fellowship, 1983; 2nd place award, Members Show, Artists Unlimited, 2005; Merit Award, Art for Life, 2006.
Ripple Effect SOLD
