Association of Mouth and Foot Painting

Artists

self-help, not charity is our motto

The Story of JanaOn the evening of 4 March 2000, the then eight-year old K. Janarthanan Kesavan (popularly known as Jana) played with his friends on the terrace of his home in Chennai and accidentally touched a high-voltage electric cable with an iron bar. The severe electric shock injured almost his entire body and as a consequence, his right arm had to be amputated at the shoulder, his left arm at the elbow and his left leg at the knee. Young Jana was devastated but did not give up! Supported by his parents,

friends and doctors Jana learnt to write and paint with his mouth. He was soon participating in drawing contests and much to the surprise of everybody, he won prizes several times. Jana is a today a member of Indian MFPA Association and to date has won over 80 prizes in events at the district and state level. He is also the only physically disabled boy who, in 2004 and 2005, received two national awards from the Indian President, His Excellency, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for “Best Creative Child “ and the "Balshree Award“ .

About MFPAFormed in 1956, the MFPA is an international, for-profit association wholly owned and run by disabled artists to help them meet their financial needs. Members paint with brushes held in their mouth or foot as a result of a disability sustained at birth or through an accident or illness that prohibits them from using their hands. The association reproduces its artists’ original paintings as unique greeting cards, calendars and a wide range of other products, which brings vital, financial security to its artists.

History The roots of the MFPA go back to 1956, when Erich

Stegmann, a polio-stricken mouth painter, gathered a small band of disabled artists from eight European countries. Their ultimate goal was to make their living through their artistic efforts, and to obtain a sense of work security that until then had eluded them.

Coupling his creative abilities with business acumen, Stegmann established the MFPA as a co-operative organisation that reproduces its artists work mainly in the form of cards, calendars and books.

From the small group he gathered for the inaugural meeting of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, the group has now grown to represent nearly 700 members, from 74 countries around the world.

One of the main themes of Stegmann’s credo was that the MFPA must never be regarded as a charity simply because its members are disabled. To him, the word “charity” was as abhorrent as the word “pity.” The Association maintains that it is not a charity and does not qualify for charitable assistance.

Objectives Make contact with artists who have

lost the use of their hands through birth defect, accident or illness, and now paint with their mouths or feet.

Offer moral and financial assistance to the disabled that are interested in becoming students, and offer students financial, practical and creative support to become fully developed artists and members of the Association.

Tend to the interests of the artists by facilitating the sale of their work, primarily in the form of reproductions as greeting cards, calendars, etc.

Publish material that communicates and supports the purpose of the organisation.

Assist disabled artists in the attainment of self-respect, creative fulfillment and financial security.

Benefits to the Artists Artists are the sole benefactors of the

Association’s financial objectives. Student members receive a scholarship to help improve their standard of painting by providing funds for materials, tuition, etc. This provides them with the means to become an associate or full member of the Association. As a student improves, the scholarship is increased.

Membership means that they will receive a monthly income for life regardless of whether increasing disability makes it impossible for them to continue providing artwork that the Association can market.

This arrangement removes a great fear from the disabled artist – the possibility of losing one’s ability to paint through deteriorating health.

Our Artists…

Mr. N. Ramakrishnan

Mr. M. V. Ravindran

Mr. Ganesh Kumar

Our Artists…

Mr. Manjibhai Ramani Ms. Lata M. Landge

Ms. Naidu Elangovan Ms. Sheela Lucknow

Our Artists…

Ms. Sunitha Tripannikkara

Mr. H. R. KohliMr. K. Narasimhalu

Our Artists…

Mr. Neminath Phalke

Master. Nadeem SheikhMr. Jayant Shimora

Our Paintings…

Our Paintings…

Recognitions

President of India, His Excellency, Dr. A. P. J. Kalam gives an award to our Artist, Mr. H. R. Kohli

Bollywood actor, Mr. Amitabh Bachhan being presented with his potrait by our Artist, Mr. M. L. Ramani

Our Products…

Greeting Cards, Calendars, Book Marks, Gift Tags, Paintings & T-Shirts

Handicapped in body, but not in spirit“Physically able or disabled, we are all the same from the inside. All of us have similar aspirations, but what makes us different is the way we live our life”. H.R. Kohli – Mouth Painter

“By buying our products, you help us to be self-reliant and live a life free from charity, with the self-esteem that comes from earning one’s own livelihood”. L.M. Landge – Foot Painter.

“Through its marketing the Association makes it possible for me to earn my living with my paint brush”. Trevor Wells – Mouth Painter