5/19/12

Oculus Sinister - Do you See What I See?







Oculus Sinister. 8"x10" archival ink on 11"x14" Bristol board.  Do you see what I see? Do you see    little Heironymus who went to the grove of the sleeping gentle giant with his sister Annabella and their pet pig, Actinidia; their pet lagomorph, Snowflake and that newt he keeps close by? Oh don't forget his pet mouse Marganella. There are bees buzzing and butterflies hibernating. Far away, U.P. BLISS Bldg. 20 and 21 burn down. Oh that tall skinny guy, that's Edward. He is the anticlimax of the short and pudgy portraits of The Lesser-Known Dumptys I drew recently.


Sight


Last week I had surgery on both eyes. It was done to enable me to make more tears, as if my sorrow is not enough to induce them naturally. I was at the eye center for five hours. My husband was with me. He patiently waited with me while I entertained myself by drawing Yum Nam Poole. By the time my visit was over, I was blinded by headache and hunger. My eyes were very sensitive to light and I spent the afternoon in bed nursing a migraine headache.

I was seventeen years old when I assisted on the only enucleation surgery I ever had the chance to scrub. They don't happen very often. After all, how often do people get their eyeballs surgically removed? It was performed on the brother of an elementary school classmate of mine. It's a small world, you know, he now lives in the same city as I do. My sister's elementary and high school classmate who also lives here, is his best friend and he gave me my former patient's number last year. I did not call.

Our eyesight is one of those things we seem to take for granted or not consciously remember until it is disturbed or altered. We remember and focus on our weight more often than we do on the health of our eyes. I had photographs taken of my optic nerve. I tried to draw it above, if you can recognize it.

I used to be the life of the party. These days, for the life of me, I cannot make myself attend parties enthusiastically. I'd rather read or draw at home. Heck, I would even prefer to clean house. I do not have very many close friends. I like it that way. I have my sisters, a handful of very close friends and fewer still, intimate friends with whom I confide. We share a lot of things, mostly our philosophy and values, admiration, love and respect; however, sometimes we don't see eye to eye, and that's quite alright.



The above drawing was inspired by this 2008 drawing.




32 comments:

Francisco Martins said...

Always breathtaking work Ces! you are so incredibly productive!!!!

And you are right... eyesight is such a precious gift, we hardly ever even imagine our lives without it, but we tend to forget about how important it is to check and insure the heath of our wyes.

Always great to visit your blog :)

TSUP!

steveroni said...

I find so many "significant" creations in this sinister piece, Little sister far in the background, minus the red riding hood(?). And the birds (owls?) the moon, and eyeballs all over the place. Couldn't decide what you meant. But the 'mouse-in-the-pocket' takes the cake. Thanks for pointing out some of these things.

This is more example of your wonderful, creative mind--God's gift to you...and us.

So long as YOU are happy with your drawing obsessions--everyone else ALREADY is!

Rick Forrestal said...

We always see so much in your drawings. and then some!
Maybe that's because there IS so much to see. Love your stories.
Hope you're recovering from all the eye surgery.
There are many ways to see, you see?

I'm over booked this weekend. A Shakespeare dinner event last night . . . a wedding today and tonight . . . and a rare Sunday wedding tomorrow.
My body is already aching.
Bought some new shoes though -- that will help tomorrow.

Tammie Lee said...

I hope you are happy with the outcome of your surgery, eyes are indeed precious.

i do not see the eye in your art.... but i see very many things in your art.... it is a wonderful piece.
funny, i am dating a man that i like to call a gentle giant.

i understand about social gatherings... but i was never the life of the party. i am more the quiet one.

Julia Kelly said...

Fantastic!

Bella Sinclair said...

There's that fabulous jacket again! Oh, how you taunt me! Incredible, all those different textures. I would love to lie down in that field and make a flower-angel. There is so much to see here. You make me thankful for my eyes. This drawing makes me very hungry!

Ces Adorio said...

Thank you Francisco. I hope all is well with you. As for eyes, yours are absolutely beautiful!!!

Ces Adorio said...

Mouse in the pocket? Hmn.Are you sure you enlarged the image? The pocket creature is a lacertina. The rodent is tucked between the layers of the musa textilis. Hehehe. Thank you.

Ces Adorio said...

You are such a party animal and the life of the party, I bet. As for tired feet, I know that feeling. My heels are so sore from walking I could hardly walk Friday evening.

Ces Adorio said...

Thank you Tammie, everything is okay. It is not the usual eye illustration. It is more an illustration of the optic nerve, upper left. Ooooohh, a gentle giant, that is marvelous!!!

Ces Adorio said...

Thank you, Julia.

Ces Adorio said...

Heheheh. Oh my goodness, my dearest Bella. How you make me giggle. I think you will look so fabulous in one. Hehehe. Thank you. I love your eyes, they are beautiful, gentle and bright!

martinealison said...

ma chère Ces, j'espère que tout va mieux pour toi... Les yeux sont si importants pour toi, pour moi aussi et pour tous... Prends-en grand soin.
Moi je suis myope comme une taupe, maintenant je suis aussi presbyte sans que cela ait pu améliorer ma myopie... j'ai un champ visuel extrêmement rétréci suite à un coma et je n'ai pas la valeur des distances... Mais tu vois malgré tout, il est dit que plus on a des problèmes de vue, plus on travaille dans le détail!
Ces deux dernières oeuvres que tu publies sont merveilleuses...
J'aime le chapeau de ton bonhomme filiforme ... et la branche de bananier qui croule sous le poids de son fruit.
Dans le second une vie dur l'épiderme assez fascinante!... Continue de m'enchanter.
Je te souhaite un excellent dimanche et je te fais de gros bisous.

dosankodebbie said...

Okay... I think I found the drawing of your optic nerve. Your drawings are just so full-- brimming over with such detail and careful thought that I need a month to study and appreciate each of them.

Rod MacGregor said...

I can't find a lot but I can see a lot is there! Great work Ces!!!!

Cindy D. said...

I could not find Actinidia, though I tried and tried. A magnifying glass may be what I need. Another lovely, lovely drawing though the writing seems a bit sad. I do not blame you, for migraines used to make me very sad indeed. I just love the floor of flowers. And that jacket really is quite fabulous, though I am slightly more partial to the amazing hat. And all the other things! Feel better!

Ces Adorio said...

Actinidia is eating a daisy. :) Thank you but all is well now. It was my annual eye screening.

Ces Adorio said...

Thank you Rod.

Ces Adorio said...

Thank you Debbie. It's fun to hide things. I forget about them sometimes too.

Ces Adorio said...

Martine, I have an even greater appreciation for what you do now that I know. God bless you my dear friend. Tsup!

k.h.whitaker said...

Awesome, love the optic nerve ;) This is wonderful and reminds me of Charlie and the Chocolate factory a bit, I don't know why, it was just what popped into my head when I first saw it. The hat maybe? I'm glad your surgery went well. Eye surgery is no fun, I have had several. yuk... I hope that you will be seeing clearly and feeling yourself quickly. Hugs Ces.

TSUP

steveroni said...

"...enlarged the image? Who? ME?
Just because I exaggerate a bit now and then,
you think I enlarged your drawing? --grin!

Only thing I do with your pictures is cover them in non-glare glass
and put them in a place where I will see them a third of every day.

Deborah said...

Oh my, this is one of those pieces that is a journey...it just calls me into the scene. It also makes me want to make that jacket with your emblem! Three jackets...one for you, Bella, and me! But where will we find top hats that tall? **gentle kisses on your eyes** Deb

Curious Art said...

Oh Ces, I didn't know your eye doctor visit was for surgery! I just assumed it was those dilating drops that were messing with your vision. I certainly hope that your eyes are much comforted by the procedure. It seems especially cruel to need more tears at this moment...

Amazing piece here, full of hidden meaning as well as hidden images. I recognized your optic nerve right away. I once illustrated an eye surgery textbook. I am not nearly as brave as you are. In fact I have a slight phobia about eye problems. I thought I might get over it by taking the job, but just doing the research gave me nightmares. It was my first & last medical illustration job.

And you are NOT too late to enter AlphaBeasts! The submit link is here: http://alphabooks.tumblr.com/submit
& you can submit any time. You needn't do them all if you choose not to. I'd LOVE it if you joined!

Creations By Mit said...

Another simply stunning display of pen & ink. Had fun searching through it! (Though I think I may have a headache now from leaning too close to my monitor! Ha ha!)Even though there's the pleasant flowers & fruit, & a generous, inocuous-looking tall guy, I still have an uneasy feeling for those kids traipsing through there... Hope you're feeling better! I can't imagine eye surgery was much fun! :(

Andrew Finnie said...

hry ces os eh> ? od oculus dexter ou oculus uterque hmm
i havent been here for five weeks
my visit today lets me see with open ryrd
eyes
your work is even more subperb !
seriuodsluy
i just love what you are doing
and i have great taste

i hope your eyes gfeel better :(


fish oil tablets sometimes heklp put the oil back in your tears
stay out of aircon

i prescribe a week in tahiti :0

hugs from here

Andrew Finnie said...

gah
i better translate that
but seriuolsy
:)
coming here is like a visit to the chocolate factory ewhere you get to eat as much as you kike and not get fat or sick :)

Deborah said...

Yes yes yes to your comment!!! You are one of those beloved friends who carry me. Especially carry me on an elephant. Do you know that the first thing I did in my new office was to put up all of your art. You comfort me even when you do not know it. I LOVE Andrew's comment; SO TRUE! Oh my Cesalicious, you ARE the chocolate factory! **kisskiss** Deb

illustration poetry said...

you know what.
Marc Jacobs would love this.
see his spring 2012 collection for the house of Louis Vuitton!!!

illustration poetry said...

omg i miss talking nonsense with you :/

illustration poetry said...

but seriously, he would love seeing your daisies, no nonsense.
thank you for your kind words, Grandewitch, i really miss you!!

Francisco Martins said...

Hahaha! Ces... there's nothing special about my eyes... they're just... bah! I photograph models frequently and believe me... some people just have been blessed with such beauty that it is absolutely breathtaking. I wish I had blue eyes :)