Celebrating and Embracing Difference

The 3rd of December is International Day of Disabled Persons and a huge shout out to everyone who has to daily face the challenges of living in a world where much of it is geared around everyone being able to walk, talk, see and hear and ... think and react in a set way.

Right throughout history so many artists were disabled and used their courage and passion to express their view of the world with dramatic creative results.

My favourite disabled artist would have to be Frida Kahlo whom I have written on many times.

Frida Kahlo Part One

Frida Kahlo Still Life paintings show that she was a very complicated character suffering much physical and psychological pain and her other paintings, especially her self portraits illustrate much of this pain so we will edge along gently.

AnArt4LifeAnne Newman

Frida Kahlo Part Two

Frida Kahlo became a champion for women especially their suffering. Her paintings, some of them too graphic to show in the Blog, expressed the pain suffered by women & for this she has become a role model for many people. Image: fridakahlo.org

AnArt4LifeAnne Newman

What has happened to Frida Kahlo?

Drawn from the extensive archive of the Casa Azul (Blue House) this exhibition includes highlights from the personal collection of Frida Kahlo. The interests and obsessions that Kahlo grappled with throughout her life are reflected in this series of photographs

AnArt4LifeAnne Newman

And then of course we have Vincent van Gogh - also another firm favourite of the AnArt4Life followers and subscribers.

Spotlight on Van Gogh

Today is Van Gogh’s birthday, so to celebrate, we bring you two videos which showcase two aspects of Van Gogh’s work - houses and self-portraits. Image: Arts&Emotions

AnArt4LifeJulie

We have the superb works of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec...

The many facets of Henri Toulouse Lautrec

Today we learn something about the chequered life of Post-Impressionist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and how it influenced his art. Image: The Art Story

AnArt4LifeJulie

The avant garde Toulouse Lautrec

Today we look at another aspect of the work of Toulouse Lautrec - his posters, which were so important in the development of avant garde art, and are still popular today. Image: Etsy

AnArt4LifeJulie

And please read Julie's post on Benjamin Russo, a nine year old American boy who shows how he has turned a disability into a unique advantage!

The flip side of disability: Ability!

In this story, a nine year old American boy, shows how he has turned a disability into his “superpower,” creating mosaic portraits using hundreds of Rubik’s cubes! Image: todayonline.com

AnArt4LifeJulie

You can check out more about recognising the International Day of People with Disabilities by clicking here and here.