Murwillumbah artist Elodie Cazes, who paints by holding the brush in her mouth, has had one of her paintings published on a greeting card.
The painting is entitled ‘The Mob’, and shows a group of emus. This work features on a mid-year card produced by the Mouth and Foot Paintings Artists (MFPA), an international art group, of which Ms Cazes is a member.
MFPA has 850 members in 84 countries throughout the world.
‘It’s great to have one of my paintings reproduced as a card. For this painting I was inspired by my love of the vast free space, with warm colours and a great group of mates who are a team of support to each other,’ said Ms Cazes.
The selection of the pictures for the products for the MFPA range is made by a panel of European experts and the products this year include paintings by only one Australian artist.
Paralysed, then painting
Originally from France, Elodie Cazes lived with her family in New Zealand for 15 years, where she suffered an accident diving head-first into a shallow pond when she was 12 years old. Her spinal injury resulted in paralysed limbs.
During her stay at the hospital, she learned to paint with a brush in her mouth as part of a therapy program.
As a child, she always enjoyed drawing, making painting an ideal therapy for her. She was encouraged and inspired by several New Zealand members of MFPA including Kevin Griffiths and Irene Bernie.
Ms Cazes and her family returned to France after 15 years in NZ, and more recently emigrated to Australia, settling in Murwillumbah.
The Mouth and Foot Painting Artists gain their income through the sale of products illustrated with their paintings and although this started with Christmas cards, today it includes a wide list of products ranging from special occasion cards, jigsaws, tea sets, address books, calendars, Christmas serviettes and placemats, gift tags and wrapping paper.
Founded in 1956 by a group of European artists, the MFPA is a self-help organisation that gives people with disabilities the opportunity to fulfill their creative ambitions while still maintaining financial independence by selectively selling their artworks.
To become a student member an artist must qualify by painting using a brush held in either their mouth or foot, having lost the use of their hands through an illness or accident. Student members receive scholarships for art supplies and tuition.
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