Today I want to inspire you. Richard Fairgray will have you smiling and be an encouragement to you in your own life's journey. Read on...
Introducing Richard Fairgray..
This is his interpretation of himself....an old-fashioned selfie drawn by the author
Being born blind has not stopped Richard Fairgray from becoming a successful comic book artist. His career began in 1992 at primary school when the now-Albany resident created a short cartoon about a lonely ghost.
He printed 100 copies and sold them for $2 at h.s school athletics day.
Twenty years later he revived the tale and gave the ghost several other topics to discuss including Marxist Theory and the art of cooking "a mean stew".
Mr Fairgray was born blind after an optic nerve failed to attach, leaving him completely sightless in his left eye and "3 per cent" vision in his right eye.
His world is two dimensional, flat and his focus is constantly shifting.
"Because I only have one eye I have to form a sense of focus by having this eye constantly wobbling. I can't see that it's wobbling but what it's doing is it's actually taking two photographs and sending them back to my brain.
"I think that's a big part of why I like comics because it's flat, it's a completely flat world," he says.
His art is not always perfect, he admits, with perspective and depth taking a while to get a grip on when drawing.
"Things will look just a little bit off a lot of the time," he laughs.
"I draw comics because no-one else is going to draw them for me and I do my best."
After tens of thousands of drawings - he has created one for almost every day he has been alive - he has created more than just ghosts.
Mr Fairgray and co-writer Terry Jones have long been working on Blastosaurus, a series which follows a dinosaur detective living today.
- source: stuff.co.nz
Unwrapping an interview...
Where were you born? Where do you live now?
Auckland and Auckland
Where did you go to school?
I went to school in a terrible place that I don't like to think about, I'd hate to think anyone would ever associate me with there.
Did you have a nickname?
My mother tricked me into thinking it was 'dress as your favorite computer game' so I went to school in a giant diaper, carrying a bag of rocks. I can't remember what game it was from. On my way to school I got held down by some older kids who wrote 'boo' on the back of the diaper. For years I was called Baby Boo, but I don't really like to think about that anymore.
What were you like in school? What is the naughtiest thing you did?
I was a mix between nerd and bad kid. I did all my work so no-one really noticed when I was doing terrible things. I ran a gambling ring out of one of the classrooms, betting on matchbox car races, I blackmailed the librarian into giving me free photocopying so I could publish my first comic when I was 7, I think those might be the worst.
What was your favourite book growing up?
My favorite stories were Dracula by Bram Stoker and Pierre by Maurice Sendak.
Who is your favourite children’s author?
Maurice Sendak
What is your favourite food/colour/movie?
I can answer all three by saying 'The Wild Bunch.'
Who inspired you to write/illustrate?
I honestly don't remember. I know that when I was really young I used to write books about being best friends with Mr McGregor because we shared a hatred of Peter Rabbit, so maybe my inspiration came from a very dark place. I was very excited by the look of The Simpsons and Ninja Turtles as well, I used to collect empty chip packets that had Bart Simpson on them and glue them to my walls. I had to share a room with my beast of a sister and she'd rip anything down that I liked so glue was really the only way.
Why did you want to be a writer/illustrator?
I love stories. The only thing I have ever stolen is a copy of The Hero With A Thousand Faces when I was 10 or 11 and I must have read it a dozen times. Then one day I realized I didn't have to get a boring job if I got good enough at writing and drawing, so I just never stopped.
How do you think up ideas?
I think of things I want to read that don't exist or I think of things I don't like then try to figure out how they could be better.
Do you have a special place where you write/illustrate?
Anywhere flat with a bright lamp.
What is the best thing about being an author/illustrator?
The millions of dollars and the fast cars that I get to draw.
Have you had a funny or embarrassing moment as an author/illustrator?
I once had a fan turn up at a convention with his new girlfriend and it turned out he'd told her I'd based one of my main characters on him. He was even wearing the same outfit as the character. That got pretty uncomfortable for everyone involved.
What do you do when you are not writing/illustrating?
I don't understand this question. That's all I ever do.
What would you have chosen to be if you were not an author/illustrator?
A walrus.
Which famous person from the past would you like to talk to?
Andy Warhol. He's the only person I can think of who liked really boring stuff the way I do.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about yourself?
I should save something for the inevitable 'tell all' TV movie. I suppose I should mention that I'm legally blind, I guess that makes my career in picture drawing a little more impressive (though I'm sure my family would disagree).
Books written or illustrated:
Gorillas in Our Midst (and like exactly 200 comics currently, but I'm 2 pages off finishing the next one).
Awards received:
Participation Certificate for the 'Have A Go – Disabled Triathlon.' I feel like I didn't deserve this certificate because I didn't actually participate but it came with a free bottle of Coke.
Website/blog details:
-source scholastic.co.nz
I hope this review gave you greater insight into a very creative individual. Richard has many challenges but how amazing that he chose to write and draw in spite of them. I was truly blown away with the quality of his illustrations and how talented he is and I had no idea that he was legally blind.
I hope my blog post today will inspire you and your children to look beyond vision and beyond the challenges that you may be facing and see the underlying possibilities that are just waiting to be discovered. Yes, you can! Thank you Richard for blessing us with your gifts.
I hope this review gave you greater insight into a very creative individual. Richard has many challenges but how amazing that he chose to write and draw in spite of them. I was truly blown away with the quality of his illustrations and how talented he is and I had no idea that he was legally blind.
I hope my blog post today will inspire you and your children to look beyond vision and beyond the challenges that you may be facing and see the underlying possibilities that are just waiting to be discovered. Yes, you can! Thank you Richard for blessing us with your gifts.
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Read on and read always!
It's a wrap.
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