One of the ironies of growing older as an artist is this: as one finally has more available time to devote to art, one's capacity inexorably diminishes with age. In my case, I've noticed that its gotten harder and harder to focus on smallish details in a drawing or painting.
Hence the visor, complete with interchangeable lenses and headlamp that I find necessary whenever painting most icons nowadays.
It's really just a minor inconvenience (at least in the studio I don't have to wear a facemark- another minor inconvenience). I'm grateful too that my hands continue to remain steady (if I don't drink too much tea!) and with sufficient light and the additional magnification, I'm able to see well enough to continue drawing and painting.
I'm reminded of my visit in 1985 to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York where I met the master iconographer Fr. Kyprian, who at that time was in his 90's. He was in his studio up on a high ladder working an enormous icon of the Mother of God and Jesus, wearing a paint-splattered apron and a pair of glasses with thick lenses.
When we were introduced, he graciously welcomed me, noticing that I was somewhat astounded by someone as old and frail as he was clambering up and down a tall ladder. Nodding towards the ladder and the mural sized icon behind him, he laughed and made the comment that as his eyesight worsened, his solution was to simply paint bigger.
Not a bad approach to age and art.
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