Many readers may not be familiar with Chuck Close’s painting style before and after his stroke. Close overcame the limitations of movement and control brought about by his stroke with a loose, abstract patterned brushstroke that conveys visual information similar to a pixel image.

His pre-stroke style is a cool, detached recording of visual information. The post-stroke style—while still conveying the realistic image—is loose and expressionistic, though controlled by a grid. He is a contemporary example of an artist expanding the visual vocabulary of art even against physical limitations.

Looking through a faceted crystal will give a student a clue as to how the world looks through a cubist eye; painting by copying the faceted crystal image does not re-create Cubism. Looking through the cloud of a cataract does not re-create Post-Impressionism. In science and art, innovation comes through fierce work and creative thinking in the face of insurmountable odds.