Twenty years ago, Chuck Close was a successful artist, painting photorealistic portraits with incredible technical skill. Then, one day he was suddenly paralyzed by a rare spinal artery collapse. Although the partial paralysis left him unable to paint with the precision he was renowned for, his art evolved into a more abstract and interesting form (see pics above). He talks about the transformation and its effect on the Charlie Rose Show.
Charlie Rose: What was the hardest thing about adjusting to what happened to you? I mean, you were a very healthy man. You were 49 years old.
Chuck Close: Well, 48, the same age my father was when he died. And it's interesting to have an event that corresponds...because I thought about every year that I had with my children that he didn't have with me. And as hard as my life was, I realized that every one of those years was a gift, and was to be cherished and appreciated. I think, in a funny way, it's made it a lot easier.
CR: How many years have you had since then?
CC: Nineteen.
CR: That's incredible. Nineteen years of gift to your children, that your father hadn't...
CC: Well, I'm not so sure they think it's a gift. [Laughing]. Some of those years I don't think they appreciated it.
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