WASHINGTON CITY — In a world often perceived through sight, one woman defies limitations with a brush in hand and an extraordinary vision that transcends the boundaries of blindness. She’s challenging perceptions of disability and redefining the power of artistic expression.
“I’ve eaten a considerable amount of moldy food,” artist Kimberly Jackson said, laughing.
Jackson entered the world with a birth defect that medical experts later identified as Bilateral Retinal Coloboma. This condition affects both eyes, with the anomaly occurring around the retinas. In simpler terms, a coloboma occurs during eye formation, where the eye starts flat and then rolls into a tube resembling a toilet paper roll. One end becomes the iris, while the other seals around the optic nerve to form the retina.
Due to this condition, Jackson has minimal retinal tissue, resulting in the insides of her eyes appearing pale yellow instead of the usual deep orange or red. This heightened sensitivity to light makes eye strain very painful.
“If I overdo it, I know it,” she said. “Sunlight is not my friend. It’s so good on a psychological level, so I love the sun, but it doesn’t love me back.”
Jackson reflected on her birth in 1971, a time when societal attitudes toward disabilities prompted individuals to conceal their differences. Growing up, she felt compelled to blend in and appear “normal,” as acceptance of diversity was scarce and conformity was the norm.
Deeply rooted in her faith in Jesus Christ, a pivotal moment occurred when she was 15 months old. During this time, her entire congregation joined in fasting and prayer and her name was included on a prayer roll in the Temple of the Lord.
“I was sitting on a chair, and my head was anointed with oil and two men stood and laid their hands upon my head and offered a blessing,” she said. “And as the blessing was completed, I slid off that chair, crawled over to a window and pulled myself up. And that was the beginning of my sight.”
Until that moment, she had never experienced sight. She wasn’t able to perceive shadows or lights and had no concept of light or darkness.
“My baby pictures are kind of odd,” she said. “I got the little wiggly eyes going different directions.”
Vivid childhood memories included how she once ran into a glass door while playing with some kids who had all rushed through it and shut it behind them. Unaware of the glass, she followed suit and collided with it, ending up on the floor. Another time, she remembers running after a ball in a gymnasium. She couldn’t discern the stage floor from the wooden gym floor. Consequently, she ran into the plug for microphones, splitting her eyebrow open and bleeding profusely.
“I spent about four Fridays in a row in the emergency room, all with different head injuries where I ran into things, and by the end, I basically had my own room,” she said.
As she grew, she was able to control and develop what sight she did have, but the persecution she received at the hands of her peers was vast. Upon moving to California with her family, Jackson often found herself in situations where she was the first disabled child anyone had ever encountered. When she started kindergarten in 1976, she became the first disabled child in her school. It wasn’t until high school that she recalled meeting another student with a disability.
Challenges marked her journey, although most of her teachers proved to be supportive. The bullying continued and she faced constant mockery for her mannerisms, including holding reading materials just three inches from her face.
At the age of 12, her family relocated back to Indiana. Despite attending public school in California, the Indiana school authorities insisted she enroll in a school for the blind. However, her mother, who had always advocated fiercely for her, managed to secure her placement in public school if she was put in remedial classes.
Demonstrating her abilities, She earned straight A’s and demonstrated her abilities, which led to her being placed in regular classes. Aware of the special services available for the disabled, she attempted to remain unnoticed. However, when they eventually discovered her, she said that she wanted nothing to do with them.
“I said, ‘Have you ever had rubber bands aimed at your eyes? Have you ever been thrown into a locker? Have you ever been beat up? Have you ever suffered at the hands of your peers?’ Well, that’s my life. And I don’t want anything else that makes me different from a normal kid,” Jackson said.
Art became her solace, a realm where she could freely express herself. She filled the margins of her papers with doodles, depicting houses, flowers and rainbows. Her homework and tests were constantly covered in colorful creations. In junior high, she eagerly enrolled in art classes, squeezing in as many as her schedule allowed.
Despite not realizing the importance of studying for the SAT, she took the exam and achieved an impressive score of 1470, well above the average of around 950. This remarkable feat earned her a place at Purdue University, where she landed on the dean’s list. Throughout her college years, she continued to immerse herself in art classes, exploring abstract murals and graphite landscapes.
At the age of 19, she ventured into selling her artwork. Word of mouth and private in-home shows became her avenues to showcase and sell her creations. During her time in Boston, she connected with an agent who helped sell her artwork.
“People would say ‘You’re an artist?’ and I would say yes, then they’d say ‘But you’re legally blind?’ I never put it together that it was unusual,” she said.
Upon returning to Indiana and starting a family, she transitioned from oil painting to acrylics. As she embraced motherhood, she further diversified her artistic abilities by delving into watercolor, which she still does today.
Living with legal blindness, she struggles with recognizing people and face-to-name recognition. Her mannerisms may appear different, and maintaining eye contact requires conscious effort. It’s common for her gaze to stray elsewhere while speaking, though she’s aware that eye contact plays a significant role in human communication and must constantly remind herself.
In the colorful tapestry of her life, Jackson’s journey as a legally blind painter stands as a testament to resilience, determination and the transformative power of art. Despite the obstacles she faces, she continues to defy limitations and illuminate the world with her vibrant creations.
Through her story, she reminds us that true vision transcends the physical, resonating from the depths of the human spirit. With each brushstroke, she paints not only on canvas but also on the hearts of those who are privileged to witness her artistry.
Photo Gallery
A painting by Kimberly Jackson is on display in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Kimberly Jackson works on a painting inside her home in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A painting by Kimberly Jackson is on display in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Kimberly Jackson is legally blind, but that hasn't stopped her from expressing herself through art, Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Paintings by Kimberly Jackson are on display in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Kimberly Jackson works on a painting inside her home in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A painting by Kimberly Jackson is on display in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Paintings by Kimberly Jackson are on display in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A painting by Kimberly Jackson is on display in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A painting by Kimberly Jackson is on display in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A painting by Kimberly Jackson is on display in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Kimberly Jackson works on a painting inside her home in Washington City, Utah, Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
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