A successful exhibition showcasing the work of members from the Huntington's community.
For people with chronic conditions, art is often a way to focus, distract from symptoms or find purpose and joy. This rings true for those living with the degenerative condition, Huntington's disease.
In a town on the outskirts of the Cotswolds, the Parish Church kindly agreed to showcase the work of eight artists all of whom are affected by Huntington's disease. Due to the nature of the disease, all the artists are now non-verbal so being able to showcase and express themselves through art and this exhibition proved invaluable for them and their loved ones.
After an online support group call during the Covid 19 lockdown, Carol Dutton, Specialist Adviser for the South West of England discovered that eight of her group all were creating art as a way to focus. Carol suggested they showcase their work at an exhibition- a project they could all work towards. She worked tirelessly with the artists and the church to put this exhibition together in November 2024.
The event was shared by BBC News and also BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
Parents of one of the artists, Charles and Phil spoke to the radio about the impact that art has had on their son, Spencer. In this moving interview, you will hear about how Spencer's life changed with the progression of his Huntington's disease symptoms and how he adapted his art based on his abilities as time went on.
We would also like to say a big thank you to Charles and Phil - award-winning theatre designers and also skilled artists themselves, for their support with the exhibition.
Specialist Adviser, Carol said:
The first Huntington's Disease Art Exhibition showcased the artwork of eight very accomplished people who are affected by Huntington's disease, showing off their beautiful, creative and outstanding pieces of art. The idea of the art exhibition came about during Covid at one of the online [Huntington's] group meetings - we were amazed and delighted during those conversations to discover we had such a range of accomplished and talented artists.
We would like to thank Carol for all her hard work in making this exhibition happen. From supporting the artists, coordinating with the families and organising and running the event.
Carol has gone above and beyond to ensure her support group artists had a platform to express themselves and to ensure that they continue doing things they enjoy, in a condition where this can often be difficult.
And a final thanks to the artists and their families without them, none of this would be possible.
