Chuck Close is an American artist known for his photorealistic portraits and self-portraits. He received his MFA from Yale University in 1964. In 1988, he was paralyzed from the neck down due to a spinal artery collapse, but continued his art practice. Close is known for pioneering a style using grids of different colored squares to abstractly represent faces and figures. Throughout his career he has experimented with different media and techniques to push his artistic boundaries.

1. CHUCK CLOSESelf Portrait 2000, Acrylic on canvas.1940 to PRESENT

2. EARLY LIFEBorn in Monroe, Washington

3. Father died when he was eleven

4. Prosopagnosia (face blindness)

5. Went to the University of Washington in Seattle for his BFA

6. Graduated with a MFA from Yale University in1964Mark (1978 - 1979), Acrylic on canvas. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

7. LATER LIFELived in Europe for a while

8. Won the Fulbright grant & National Medal of Arts

9. Returned to the U.S. and worked as a professor for the University of Massachusetts

10. 1988 he was paralyzed when his spinal artery collapsedLucas (1986 - 1987), Oil and pencil on canvas. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

11. “If you impose a limit to not do something you've done before, it will push you to where you've never gone before.“ Chuck Close (1967)

12. StylePhotorealist/ hyperrealist

13. 1967 he decided to go in a new direction: cells consisting of different colors

14. Later he moved to a more topograpgic style of painting

15. Has tried many different types of media Kate, 2007Jacquard tapestry 103 x 79 in. Edition of 10

16. Brad, 2009Jacquard tapestry 104 x 78 in. Edition of 10

17. Big Self Portrait,(1967 – 1968)Acrylic on canvas.

18. Emma,(2002)Woodcut print.

19. DESCRIPTIONThis is a picture of a baby. It is distorted and put on a grid.

20. ANALYSISThis is a picture uses color to depict the baby. It also uses shape and pattern with its grid.