a commentary inspired by a recent scientific discovery:
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2025/04/olo-color-berkeley-teal/682557/

This may just be antectodal, but I have trained myself to see into, what I can only deduce to be, the ultraviolet spectum.

I know, I know, but stay with me here.

After years of a practice called Sun Gazing, where one stares at the sun incrementally longer and longer just after sunrise or before sunset, I now see the sun COMPLETELY differently.

While I used to see the sun as a bright white or yellowish circle, as most do, I now see a vibrant iridescent rainbow of color which blends into a purplish hue anytime I look at the sun. It is so brilliant and incredible, I was inspired to depict it in the attached paintings, at least as best I could with paints and mixed media.

And no, this is not the result of eye damage. As a pilot I get tested and have better than 20/20 vision.

We can only see a small percentage of the spectrum of light but I’ve found that with diligence and focus we can train ourselves to expand our limits of perception.