John Bramblitt: Vibrant Virtuosos

John Bramblitt is the first blind person in the world to work on large-scale outdoor murals.

Growing up in Texas, art was a refuge for him as he battled serious health issues. When he began losing his sight in college, he feared his days of making art were done. Through passion and perseverance, John adapted his technique so he could continue creating.

He learned to distinguish between different colored paints by feeling their textures with his fingers. He taught himself how to paint using raised lines to help him find his way around the canvas, and through something called haptic visualization, which enables him to “see” his subjects through touch. John used painting as a tool to work through the trauma that he was experiencing as a result of his loss of sight, paving the way for a life and career exploding with vibrancy and meaningful connections.

Now a contemporary artist living in Denton, Texas, his work has been collected in more than 120 countries. He has appeared internationally in print, TV, and radio, and he is the subject of the award-winning documentary shorts “Line of Sight” and “Bramblitt.” His work has received much recognition, including the “Most Inspirational Video of 2008” from YouTube, and he has received three Presidential Service Awards for his innovative art workshops.