Blind artist will put work on display in the town (From Keighley News)

Blind artist will put work on display in the town

8:58am Thursday 6th September 2012 in News

A partially-sighted Keighley man is exhibiting his artwork at the town’s Airedale Shopping Centre.

Samuel Gablack creates his pictures in three dimensions using materials like cardboard shapes, beans and African beads.

He made the pictures at a long-running art group which meets each Tuesday morning at Keighley Healthy Living.

Samuel, 52, who lives in Braithwaite, has severe tunnel vision and generally can see images only as shadows.

He said he had been interested in art since he was at school while growing up in the Cameroon.

Samuel came to England as a teenager looking for work, and has lived in Keighley for three decades.

He was born with the condition, retinitis pigmentosa, and worked as a care assistant for several years until his condition worsened.

Married man Samuel joined the art group – run by local tutor Gill Davies – about five years ago.

He has since created mosaics and painted pictures by throwing around his hands.

He said: “I use patterns. I use shapes to form a picture. I know what they feel like.”

The group has members with disabilities and long-term health conditions as well as carers and older people.

Gill said the sessions were as much a social group as it was an art class, and the sessions proved therapeutic for some.

Anyone wishing to join can contact Healthy Living on (01535) 677177.

Gill is also looking for volunteers to help run the sessions.

Samuel’s pictures will be on show in the display case outside Boots, in the centre, until next Saturday, September 15.