William Byrd

A visually impaired artist creating an original black-and-white world by hand.

William lives with optic neuropathy. His central vision is blurry, straight lines may appear bent, and color is mainly perceived through peripheral vision. He works on large 18 × 24-inch paper so detail can remain visible while he draws.

Black ink allows him to concentrate on line, expression, symbolism, and contrast. The limitations of his sight are real, but they have also helped shape a visual language unlike anyone else’s.