Artists in Alberta: Penny paints pictures
Meet Penny
Penny is a mouth painter. She paints pictures of nature. Penny sells her paintings.
Penny visits schools and hospitals.
Penny uses a wheelchair. She moves her chair with her chin.
How does Penny paint a picture?
- Penny has a helper. The helper tapes down the paper.
- Penny uses an easel. She wets the paper with water.
- Penny mixes the paint with water. She paints one colour at a time.
- Usually, Penny paints from a photo.
Why does Penny paint with her mouth?
On May 15, 1970, Penny was a passenger in a small car. She was not wearing her seatbelt.
A pickup truck hit the car. The driver of the truck was drunk.
Penny was paralyzed from the neck down. She was 14.
Paints with her mouth
Penny can't hold a brush with her hand. So she uses her mouth. She uses many different brushes.
Member of MFPA
Penny is a member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA). The members own and run the organization.
There are about 700 members from around the world.
