Chuck Close, in conversation,  describes his working process.  His interviewer is a particularly excellent interviewer and art commentator (and Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Arts) – the knowledgeable and always watchable Tim Marlow.

Chuck is known for his immense scale portraits, his work has sold internationally for decades.  Mid-career, he suffered a sudden catastrophic paralyzing physical event – but continues to work from his wheelchair, very successfully, in his seventies.

“Virtually everything I’ve done has been driven by my learning disabilities.”

Chuck Close

This is a quote from a note to his younger self, in a 5 minute CBS special video.

Creative Takeaways

• “Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and get to work”
• “Every great idea I’ve ever had, grew out of work itself”
• “Sign on to a process and see where it takes you”
• “No one gets anywhere without help.  Mentors – including your parents – can make you feel special even when you are failing in other areas. Everyone needs to feel special”
• “The absolute worst thing in life can happen and you will get over it, you will be happy again….”
• “Losing my father at a tender age was extremely important in being able to accept what happened to me later, when I became a quadriplegic”
• “If you’re overwhelmed by the size of a problem, break it down into bite-sized pieces.”
• “There is always someone worse off than you”