By all accounts Leanne Beetham is an ordinary artist. She has an incredible eye for using vibrant color to create portraits of landscapes, animals and the world she has traveled, and sells her art on her website. But the 26-year-old from Hull isn’t your regular homegrown talent. Why? Because she paints with her mouth.
Leanne suffers from a rare condition called arthrogryposis syndrome, more specifically Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, which affects her spine and joints. It impairs Leanne to the point where she cannot use her legs or hands because of the unbearable pain her syndrome causes.
So, she did what anyone in her position who loves painting would do: she learned to paint by placing a paintbrush in between her teeth and using the pain-free area of her mouth to stroke a canvas into a wildlife marvel.
Despite her condition, Leanne has sold her paintings (and photography) for hundreds of pounds. She plans on traveling to South Africa and Botswana to see the images she’s been painting for years. She calls herself the “Mouth Artist”
I often paint from photos I’ve taken in zoos and other parks, but I have always wanted to paint truly wild animals, which is why my focus at the moment is getting to Africa,’ Leanne told DailyMail.
While Leanne’s paintings are her most notable achievement, she also does charcoal sketches as you see in the piece above entitled “Husky”.
As far as Leanne’s dreams of traveling to Africa, she has to keep in mind that she would have to fund the trip not only for herself, but for two caretakers as well. Her art will lead her there. And that’s the truly amazing part of her unique gift.
The coolest part of Leanne’s painting career is that she’s been doing it since she was three years old. She said her successes to date should inspire anyone afraid of living creatively.
Leanne hopes that her achievements in the world of watercolor and wildlife will inspire people to go after their dreams no matter how crazy they may seem. “Sometimes you might have to take the scenic route to get to your final target, and sometimes dreams have to be put on hold. This can be off-putting but it doesn’t mean the challenges are impossible to overcome. It’s only impossible if you give up.”
If you want to learn more about Leanne and where you can purchase her art or photography, you can check out her website here.
To find out more about her trip to Africa and how you can contribute go here.
To share Leanne’s beautiful inspiration with your friends, use the Facebook button below! It will definitely make their day 🙂
