The Power of Art – Helping a blind woman

An art-loving woman with restricted sight was overjoyed to use touch to finally ‘see’ a painting by a Saatchi-shortlisted Dorset artist at a conservation charity’s auction at the Cutty Sark in London.

Sandi Johnson, who had begun to lose her sight aged 12, no longer has central vision and her peripheral vision has also deteriorated. She told Artist Geoff Francis, who donated four pieces to the Sea Shepherd charity’s auction at their 40th Anniversary Gala event, that she loved art but could not see it without an extremely strong magnifying device and then only rarely, since most art was behind glass.

Geoff invited Sandi to run her hands across the canvas of his sculptural painting Hidden Deep. The painting was created as an environmental statement about the dark deeds of humanity, hidden in the oceans, about which Sea Shepherd inspiringly and bravely raise awareness. Sandi tearfully exclaimed, “I have never experienced art like this.”

Hidden Deep sold immediately at the auction. When the purchasers Vanessa and Nick Warwicklearned of Sandi’s experience, they decided they wanted to give the painting to her. Sandi was shocked and speechless as tears trickled down her face. Over an hour later, she was still shaking.