For Jay McCafferty, a beloved childhood gift became the genesis of his artistic trademark.
“My aunt gave me a stamp collection when I was a kid, which included a magnifying glass,” McCafferty, 64, said. “Wherever I went, that magnifying glass moved to the next tool drawer with me.”
An art class at graduate school took McCafferty out into the sun and prompted him to try his hand at an activity that he had enjoyed growing up. With the help of his magnifying glass, he created sunburns on graph paper within a grid pattern.
“No matter what else I created, people’s eyes were drawn to that wall piece,” recalled the San Pedro resident.
A believer that great art is produced by someone totally engulfed by a craft, McCafferty can spend hours immersed in solar burning, which, for him, is a “magical process.”
“There is a predetermined spot where I focus attention and light,” McCafferty said. “But
Article source: http://www.dailypilot.com/entertainment/tn-dpt-1221-oc-collects-20121220,0,2097122.story