One of the most collected artists in the U.S. and Canada has a very unique story. He pursued his passion for painting despite being diagnosed as legally blind at the age of 6. Through faith and persistence, he has shared his personal vision in oil on canvas for over three decades and left an indelible mark on the art world.
“I don’t think of my vision issues as a disability, I like to think of it as discovering one’s abilities,” Hansel told The Epoch Times.
“Even from an early age, I knew I was an artist. I started with ‘paint by numbers’ and just kind of went from there. The first class I took, I was a freshman in high school. Even with my vision issues, it was something that I wanted to see if I could pursue.”
Hansel grew up in a rural area where he could fish and hunt, back when his vision was better. Attending a local “Wildlife and Western” art show as a child planted the seed of a dream: someday, Hansel wanted to be in the art show, too.
At the age of 6, Hansel was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition called Stargardt disease, but he didn’t let his compromised vision dampen his dream. He pursued an education in art, attending the University of Minnesota for a Bachelor of Fine Arts, where he met his first critics.
“The type of work that I did, some of the instructors I had didn’t even consider it art work,” he explained. “They called it more ‘illustration,’ which I didn’t necessarily agree with ... I stopped taking the painting classes, I more or less was self-taught.”
Hansel tried acrylic and watercolor painting but returned to oil on canvas—the medium he loved most—honing his technique over time. While Hansel admits he is his own worst critic, the painting that he is most proud of is a patriotic piece titled, “Home of the Brave,” a tribute to America’s military, fire, and law enforcement, inspired by 9/11, that took ten months to complete.
“I do my work with the help of magnifiers and technology,” Hansel said. “I guess ironically, as it evolved, my vision over time has gotten worse, as with the help of technology my work has gotten better.
“Even before I started, I had a good imagination. I could picture in my mind what I wanted it to look like. Over trial and error ... or even as time went by with cell phone cameras, I could take a picture of [my subject] and put it under my phone, under my magnifier, and see the entire image.
“Ironically, even with my vision, I do put a lot of detail. It’s usually layers, and there’s plenty of times I'll have a couple going at one time. I actually go to the hardware store, get 4-inch house painting brushes to do the sky, start overlaying, then go back, keep detailing and detailing and detailing.”
Hansel’s paintings are heavy in contrast between colors, lights, and darks, which the artist chalks down to his vision and personal style development. Representing nature’s glory and the traditional lifestyle is the most important thing for him.
Through his art, Hansel tries to convey the feelings that one gets from the times they spent growing up: the things one did as a kid, going to grandma’s house, or celebrating Christmas.
“I’ve always wanted to try and relate to the viewer. Whenever I painted something I wanted to almost put in a feeling of serenity, someplace I'd love to be right now,” Hansel said, crediting his favorite artists as Terry Redlin, a Midwestern artist with a similar style to his own, and Michelangelo, whose epic work he visited in the Sistine Chapel some years ago.
Hansel’s canvases range in size from 12 by 16 inches to around three by five feet, and he averaged five paintings a year throughout his career. He has produced over 200 limited edition prints, many of which raise money for wildlife and habitat conservation groups, and a calendar every year for the past 20 years.
Back in 2016, Hansel’s right eye “took a turn for the worse,” literally overnight. He recalled going up to his studio to do some work and noticed “something wrong” with his eye.
“Everything just got very foggy,” he said. “I thought I was done painting, but long story short, people prayed for me, over me, with me. Within a few days, my vision came back to the point it was.
“I considered it my miracle. When that happened, I thought ‘Home of the Brave’ is the painting I’ve been putting off; now it’s my second chance.”
Within the last year, Hansel’s vision has deteriorated further, compromising his ability to perceive color. He has retired his brushes and now focuses on running his business.
“It was getting so challenging to do a painting that it was almost a relief, in a way, because it was getting to where it wasn’t as enjoyable anymore,” he said. “Well, the business is still there. It keeps me busy.”
