The artistry of Marcelo Cipis has been featured on the final edit page of the Brazilian optical magazine View (a Jobson Publication) for seven years and, quite frankly, 20/20 has always been slightly jealous. Yes, yes, yes... we have our cherished Parting Glance page and Hall of Frames has become the standard by which ALL celebrity is in-spec-ted and judged but nothing can quite capture the whimsy, wildside and wacky-weird world of eyewear quite like an illustration by Cipis. We fell in love from the first glimpse, an invisible man facialed only by round shaped glasses. And the second—a sorted, wicked soul in wood-beamed eyewear seemingly screwed on his face—arrested our attention as well.

I guess we could have asked View publisher Flavio Bitelman for some shared, art access but by the time we worked up enough nerve Cipis had become a View institution. But the time is ripe. We now have our chance. Cipis has been commisioned to create four unique and exclusive illustrations capturing the fashion, tech and educational aspects of Vision Expo East and that gives us a go on presenting those goods.

AND... the artist will be signing special editions of this art at the show with proceeds going to several opti-charities including Optometry Giving Sight, the Special Olympics and Unite for Sight. We’re looking forward to Flavio introducing us to Cipis and hope to see you online for some original opti-art as Expo becomes both a Galleria AND a spectacular Art Gallery for the work of Marcelo Cipis.

—James J. Spina