Gary gets most of his inspiration from photographs or pictures and enjoys painting landscapes. He was encouraged to try mouth-painting by an occupational therapist, while convalescing in hospital after a diving accident left him a quadriplegic.

Initially Gary experimented with black & white sketches and moved on to oils three years later. He was awarded a MFPA Student Membership in 1981.

Aidan was born in 1997 and lives with multiple disabilities including phocomelia, vision and hearing challenges, and cardiac issues. Encouraged by his Nanna and inspired by his mother Bernadette, also an MFPA artist, he began painting with his mouth and feet. Aidan enjoys capturing the South Australian landscape and studies Secondary School Teaching at the University of Adelaide.

Bernadette Maureen Barry was born on 23 July 1960. She was born with greatly shortened arms because her mother had taken the drug thalidomide during pregnancy. Her sense of hearing and her heart were also seriously affected. She uses her feet and mouth for all the activities in her daily life. She grew up as the middle child of 5 siblings. As a child she spent a lot of time in hospital. When Bernadette was 11 years old, her parents bought her some oil paints, and she greatly enjoyed painting.

Elodie was born in France and became paralysed at age 12 after a diving accident in New Zealand. She discovered mouth painting during her recovery and was inspired by MFPA artists Kevin Griffiths and Irene Bernie. Elodie paints mainly in acrylics and enjoys landscapes and nature themes. She became a student member in 1997 and now lives in Murwillumbah, Australia.

My name is Geoff Dossetor. I was born in 1967 in Melbourne and lived there until completing my education. Throughout secondary school I was particularly interested in sport and graphic design. I decided to pursue my love of sport and eventually graduated from university with studies in Physical Education and teaching.

Mouth painting became Pam’s new hobby after she was no longer able to play sport due to her physical condition. Pam suffers from a rare neurological disease known as polyneuropathy which is a peripheral nerve disorder, and it is believed that the immune system attacks the nerves. In Pam’s case, this auto-immune disease has damaged the motor nerves in her arms and legs.

Beryl has cerebral palsy and has been interested in art since she was a child.

Beryl was improving her mouth painting techniques at art school when a teacher encouraged her to approach MFPA and as a result, she became a student member in 1979.

Portraits are Beryl’s favourite subject, and she lives in the western suburbs of Sydney.

I love life, even though I live in constant pain because feet are not meant to be hands, all my life my feet have been my hands. Everything you do with your hands, I do with my feet.

I have hobbies just like everyone else fishing, swimming, sailing, I have even tried my foot at glass blowing and indoor skydiving. I have been up in a glider and helicopter. I love photography and I have won many awards for my photos.