I'm joining STEEMIT!

Hi, I'm Jarett Rudar, a blind artist from Chicago.

I'm blind, so I'm having someone copy a Biography from another source to introduce myself here. I will be posting imagery of my art soon, when I become more acquainted with technology and whatnot.

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By all accounts, Jarett Rudar had the world in the palm of his hand. At fourteen he became interested in art, a passion that took a more serious hold as he neared the end of high school. After graduation he pursued a degree in Graphic Design at University of Illinois, Chicago. Degree in hand, he moved out and rented an unfinished apartment below his own as a studio space and spent the first part of his twenties living every artist's dream: as a full time artist.

Making a living as an artist can be challenging. After taking side jobs to supplement his income, Jarett accepted a position with AT&T. Four weeks into his training the unthinkable happened. On his way home from a work conference, the vehicle Jarett was riding in was struck by another car. It was not a small fender-bender; the impact left him clinging to life. Both his legs were broken, along with 4 ribs and spine. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and lost his vision. The doctors who performed his brain surgery had grim news for his parents. "After his surgery they showed us the image of his frontal lobe and it was all black," his mom Joy shared. "They told us he would never be okay. He would never recover. He would live the rest of his life as a vegetable. I said, 'You saved him, but what kind of life will he have?'" Thankfully, the doctors could not have been more wrong. She has a theory about his recovery. "I think his creativity helped his brain rewire and work around the frontal lobe damage."

At Lutheran General Hospital, Jarett spent four weeks in a coma. His mother never left his side. When he did finally open his eyes he couldn't speak, or move. Suffering from post-traumatic amnesia, he had no memory of the accident. "I remember being in excruciating pain and not understanding why." He knew he couldn't see, but due to the heavy dose of narcotic pain medication and amnesia he believed he was being held hostage in a dark room. Two weeks after he woke from the coma he was able to communicate by giving "thumbs up." This small gesture was significant. It showed he had brain function and could understand what was being said.

Once Jarett was released from Lutheran General he moved to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. It was there he first realized he couldn't walk or see. This led to an emotional breakdown. "It was my lowest moment. I cried a lot and I got angry, but then I realized I could be angry, or I could work hard, be pleasant and learn to adapt. I decided to live life." With titanium rods in both legs, this was easier said than done. The first time he stood and began the process of learning to walk he was only able to take 15 steps. The pain was so intense he nearly passed out. Released to a residential facility, followed by an intensive outpatient physical therapy program, he kept at it, logging 35 hours a week for close to seven months. The results were astounding. By the time Jarett completed his intensive outpatient therapy he was able to walk 800 ft. without assistance. One year later his record stands at 3.1 miles without needing a break.

While his physical recovery grew by leaps and bounds, his vision loss is permanent. When Jarett first realized he was blind, he feared his life as an artist was over. Thankfully, one of his therapists disagreed. Unwilling to let Jarett give up on his passion, she brought in some basic supplies and told him let his feelings out on the canvas. "That was my first painting after the accident. I call it my "anger painting." I assumed it would be terrible." His therapist and his mother disagreed. Joy pulled up a picture of the image on her phone to share with me. "Even without being able to see the canvas, his essence was still there." She took the painting to her office and one of her clients liked it so much, she bought it. This was another turning point. "I realized you don't give up on what you love because circumstances have changed." As he moved through the different stages of his recovery, his art acted as an escape from the pain and hard work. "When I was painting, I only had to focus on the canvas and my brush. It was a peaceful moment that gave me a break from my problems."

Today Jarett's process looks very different than it was before the accident. He sometimes uses an art assistant as his "seeing eyes" to help him outline shapes or mix colors. "I know where I want the shape to go and I know exactly how much red and blue I need to make the color I want, but the amount of time it would take me to accomplish those tasks isn't a good use of my energy. You have to know your limits. Don't be ashamed to ask for help." To make straight lines or mark spots on the canvas he uses tape and theraputty. Where he used to be a traditional artist, he now considers himself a composer. "Before the accident I would start a piece with a general idea in mind and the work would change as I reacted to what I saw on the canvas. Now I envision the entire piece in my mind before I start. When I paint I go from Point A to Point B without interruptions. I'm no longer influenced by what I see on the canvas—it's a very clean process."

But is the current work any good? If you ask Jarett, he will smile and say, "You tell me. I can't see it…" Dolphin & Hawk Contemporary Gallery in Los Angeles seems to think so. In December of 2016, just nine short months after his accident, they accepted some of his work. Their website currently lists six pieces for sale, three of which were painted while he was living in The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Titles like, Pragmatism, Anomia, and Dark vs Light, along with artist notes, walk the audience through different parts of Jarett's journey.

Although it's a road he never expected to be on, one thing is clear: he's slaying it.

Jarett Rudar lives in Cary, IL with his supportive family and his amazing dogs. He is currently working with DHS and the rehabilitation team at Spectrios Institute for Low Vision and hopes to attend the Louisana Center for the Blind to receive residential orientation and adjustment training. Jarett graciously offered to donate a piece from his collection as an auction item for the 2017 Spectrios Institute Partners with Vision Gala and will be present at the event to answer questions about his experience and his work.