The Pixel Painter

Hal Lasko was a graphic designer and typographer by trade, and a painter for pleasure in his spare time. Art was his life. He eventually retired and, for his 85th birthday, his family got him a computer with Microsoft Paint. Now, we can make fun of the simplistic ways people used Microsoft Paint, but that's all in how you use it. For Lasko, it was a game-changer, especially as his eyesight faded. He could enlarge his digital canvas to see and manipulate his work at the pixel level. He was extremely patient and perfectionistic, taking months if necessary to get his art just the way he wanted it. In his later years, he became known as the Pixel Painter. Lasko painted on computer up until his death at age 98 in 2014, and got to see his art exhibited.

Lasko's story highlights the importance of computer technology to the disabled, and the importance of making this technology accessible to everyone. (via Kottke)