Wren

Amy Izat

This image shows a detailed hyper-realistic drawing of a wren facing the viewer. The left and lower side of the wren’s body have been erased to represent the area of her vision that Amy no longer sees when she looks directly into the bird’s eye. In this area there is a faint impression of the original drawing.

Inspiration behind the artwork

Resilience. Despite their small, fragile bodies, wrens are the perfect reminder to encourage us to aim high and reach our goals despite the challenges we might face as we chase those dreams. There was a moment when my dreams of being a realist artist were shattered, after an operation where I woke up blind because of a blood clot. 

In later years, Degas suffered the loss of his central vision. Like many other artists who suffered vision impairment, the experience led to his work becoming more abstract. Like Degas, I too have now lost my central point of focus, as well as the left field of vision. Yet, surprisingly, I have discovered an increased ability to focus on detail. I now feel more and have become softer with more delicacy and precision in my mark making despite not seeing as much of my subject. It was through that loss of eyesight, and through resilience, that although life appears smaller now, by aiming high like a wren, I have found so much more detail in this very special life. 

“I am an artist who lost a bit of their sight but not my vision”.

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