arts

The MFPA (mouth and foot painting artists) is a world wide organisation of over 700 artists in 70 countries. The MFPA was set up to help disabled people develop their artistic skills and make a career out of painting.

This year, the MFPA is celebrating its international 50th anniversary and to mark this occasion three local artists held an exhibition and painting demonstrating at Hull's Princes Quay Shopping Centre.

Katrina Gardener, Jon Clayton and David Cawthorne were holding the exhibition. Each of our three local artists is disabled for a different reason but all share a talent to amaze and impress the passing public with their artistic skills.

“I actually used my feet at a very young age naturally, because of not having the use of my arms”, she told me.

Jon Clayton was involved in a traffic accident when he was eighteen years old. The accident left him without the use of his arms or legs.

He discovered a passion for painting shortly after the accident when his mother bought him a ‘painting by numbers kit’.

“It was quite difficult to get the different techniques and various strokes but over time you just learn to adapt”, Jon told me.

I talked to David Cawthorne while he was painting a snow-scape with his mouth.

David, Katrina and Jon from the MFPA

David took up playing Rugby at weekends as a hobby and when he was 18 years old he broke his neck during a game.

He is now an associate member of the MFPA. David explained “I don’t always look at myself as being disabled I look at myself as somebody who enjoys life, just be normal with people and they tend to forget about your disability quite quickly”.

It’s truly amazing to see the work that these artists can create by only using their mouth and feet to paint.

It wasn't long before Katrina had my socks off and a paint brush between my toes to show me some tricks of the trade!

I had a bubbly light hearted lesson which gave me even more respect for what they do.

You can find more information about the MFPA on their website www.mfpa.co.uk