D R M INDEPENDENT LIVING
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THE BLIND WOODTURNER The UK’s only completely blind professional woodturner, Chris Fisher, tells us about his journey, from vampire stake to appearing on the BBC. I’M Chris Fisher RPT and I’m known as the Blind Woodturner. I live in the Derbyshire countryside with my wife, Nicola, and my Guide Dog, Bamber. I became blind very quickly at the end of 2008 when I was 39. The condition was diagnosed as Toxoplasmosis. A year later, I started suffering with debilitating and crippling anxiety, hallucinations, insomnia, and muscle spasms. I felt very ill and eventually sought bereavement counselling from the RNIB. It took a while to come to terms with my sight loss but I finally realised that there was still a life out there for me, and going blind wasn’t the end, it was just the beginning of a new journey. I got started in woodturning because I wanted a vampire stake as a Hallowe’en prop! I’m a huge horror film fan. But I
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didn’t just want to whittle a stick so I set about learning how to turn one. I listened to around 600 hours of YouTube tutorials until I had pictures in my head of the tools and techniques involved. Then I went out and bought a lathe and all the materials I needed, and turned my vampire stake. Shortly afterwards I began documenting my journey on YouTube in the hope that I might inspire and motivate both disabled and able-bodied people, and to share the message that, whatever life throws at you, there’s always a way forward and to never give up. We know a lot of people who have pushed themselves after seeing me at work - ‘you’ve got a blind guy here doing what he can do, then I have no excuse’. Fast forward 7 years and I now give public woodturning demonstrations across the country, am sponsored and supported by a number of companies, share my story at events, have appeared on the BBC several times, been filmed for other documentaries, featured in magazines, and in 2018 I passed the accreditation to become a Registered Professional Turner (RPT). I am the first, and at the moment the only completely blind turner on the Register. I think
it’s hugely important for people with disabilities to remain as independent as they can. You lose so much when you go blind. I was a student pilot just about to fly solo when I lost my sight. I was a keen motorcyclist. I loved to read. When you’re blind you’re very reliant on other people for so many things. That’s why I have evolved to become a woodturning artist. I create sensory and tactile pieces of art as that’s more interesting for me, and also shows what can be achieved, despite a disability. I’m the Patron for UK Men’s Sheds Association and they demonstrate how making and creating can be therapeutic for everyone and hugely beneficial to good mental health. They provide opportunities for people to try new skills including woodturning and are a great place to go to get started and make friends. For me, being a woodturner is a cathartic experience. I love it! I can be just in the moment and at one with my art form. Ironically, if I hadn’t lost my sight I would probably never have taken up woodturning. What has happened over the last few years has exceeded my expectations. My work is now on display and for sale in a local art gallery. As well as being the best therapy, woodturning has given me an income, happiness, and many new friends. It has changed my life!
Au t h o r: C h r i s Fi s h e r We b s i te: t h e b l i n dwood t u r n e r.co.u k Tw i t te r: @ b l i n dwood t u r n e r I n s ta g ra m: @ b l i n dwood t u r n e r Fa ce b oo k: @ b l i n dwood t u r n e r
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