Mouth and Foot Painting Artists

The Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA), a worldwide organization of over 500 artists who cannot use their hands, held an art exhibit in Toronto in September to showcase some of its members’ work.

MFPA members have a range of disabilities resulting from illness, injury or congenital conditions. They paint in oils, acrylics or watercolours using brushes held with their mouths or feet. They are based in 67 countries around the world.

MFPA markets reproductions of its artists’ work through the sale of greeting cards and calendars through direct-mail programs. This provides some income for its hundreds of member artists, including 14 from across Canada. The funds also facilitate grants for aspiring mouth and foot painting artists.

At the organization’s recent Toronto exhibit, some artists were on hand to demonstrate their painting technique and answer questions. They included Myron Angus of St. Thomas, Ontario, who has received several awards for his art and community work, and represented the Canadian MFPA artists before Pope John Paul II in 1992.

"We are delighted to have an opportunity to exhibit the work of these outstanding artists," said Jim March, a senior executive of MFPA, at the event.

The art exhibit was sponsored in part by CIBC and GWL Realty Advisors Inc. For more information, contact MFPA at (416) 362-9992.