62 year old Jim Hansel has spent his entire life in Chaska, Minnesota. At age 6 he was diagnosed with Stargardt disease and for most of his life has been legally blind. However he said he felt that he was supposed to be a painter. He ended up going to the University of Minnesota for a Bachelor of Fine Arts. “I don’t think of my vision issues as a disability, I like to think of it as discovering one’s abilities”
So how does he do it? “I do my work with the help of magnifiers and technology. I guess ironically, as it evolved, my vision over time has gotten worse, as with the help of technology my work has gotten better".
Jim is now one of the most collected living painters in America!
Has he ever felt frustrated by his disease? "Sometimes I think God puts a purpose in you and then allows some things to block you from getting there so you can discover how strong He made you. The totality of my life has been blessed even when I didn't think so."