Around 10 percent of the total world's population or roughly 650 million people, live with a disability according to Disability Statistics' annual report. Looking at the cool art pieces on this list, you couldn't tell that they were created by people with disabilities, often with tremendous amounts of effort and time.
From artists painting with their mouths to blind photographers - these disabled people are truly an inspiration. Living with conditions most can't even imagine, they often use this beautiful art as a way to communicate with the world. For some talented artists here, that is the only way of communication they have.
To celebrate these incredibly strong-willed people, Bored Panda compiled a list showing off their unique art. Check out these astounding artists, and we hope you find the inspiring stories of these beautiful people heartwarming!
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Mariusz Kedzierski Was Born Without Arms But Still Managed To Fulfill His Dream Of Drawing Realistic Paintings
Diagnosed With Autism At Age Three, Stephen Wiltshire Is Now Famous For Producing Highly Detailed Scenes After Just A Brief Glance
I find this to be condescending on behalf of the author of that headline! Look at it THIS way instead of "not believing what this man can do DESPITE HIS DISABILITY" see that he has this beautiful gift BECAUSE he has Autism! He SEES things differently to MOST! And thank heavens for that right? How BORING would the World be if we were ALL THE SAME?! How do we progress as a society and adapt to new technologies, medicines, see beautiful art that transports you away to a world of TOTAL wonderment at just HOW TALENTED this young man is! I speak ONLY for myself and my experiences as the proud Mama Bear of a son with Autism who shows me EVERYDAY just how AMAZING this world can be, if only you look from a different angle! But I've met so many incredible families, there are few who'd change anything, and those that WOULD, would only do so to make life EASIER for their loved ones. Autistic individuals are just that, individuals! They're loving, amazing, talented and MUCH loved human beings! ❤️
I remember reading an article about him. Its amazing the amount of detail he can remember and recreate.
Responding to Emma Pocock and others: we are trained in Education and Social Work to refer to people as PEOPLE first, THEN an identifier. A man with autism, a student with mild dd (developmental disabilities), an artist with physical challenges, a ballerina with Down Syndrome, etc. I hope that international sites like BP help us expand our exposure to persons from a wide range of backgrounds and enhance our vocabulary and syntax as we learn to speak with less judgement and prejudice in our voice.
That's a big mural in first pic, I wonder how long does it took him to create such detailed art work!
I'm just wondering what Stephen is listening to that's got him smiling.
have seen this young man on TV he will fly over a place then draw it amazing
This is not despite of his disabilities, in fact it stems from the same disorder that causes his difficulties. It's very interesting.
There is a show called the good doctor, the main character can remember where every vein is in the body. He can also remember stuff at a single glands, I think it's savant syndrome
I saw a documentary about this man a few years ago and he is amazing. He was taken up in a helicopter over London and then drew the whole city in scale detail. Amazing!
I very glad to have met him at an exhibition in Richmond, London as I have been aware of his talents since he was much younger. It just goes to show how little of our brains we use at any one time. He is also a very sweet guy.
I bet he has savant syndrome. Even though it's called a syndrome, bt it's 1 thing I won't mind having!
i honestly think that people with disorders based on their levels have such great talent and are smart and arent that much different than us
Along With Speech Therapy, Iris Grace's, Who Has Autism, Parents Introduced Her To Painting, Which Is When They Discovered Her Amazing Talent
Born With Cerebral Palsy, Paul Smith Used To Create Amazing Artworks Using Only 1 Finger On A Typewriter
Peter Longstaff Was Born Without Arms As A Result Of His Mother Being Prescribed The Drug Thalidomide During Pregnancy, But Peter Has Never Considered Himself As Being Disabled
If You Wanted To Be A Tattoo Artist But Lost Your Drawing Arm, What Would You Do? JC Sheitan Tenet Has An Answer: Get A Prosthetic Arm That's Better Than Flesh And Bone. His Custom Made Steampunk-Inspired Limb Integrates An Inking Needle, A Pressure Gauge And Piping
Rakan Abdulaziz Kurdi Proves That Disability Is Not A Limit By Creating These Realistic Paintings
Huang Guofu Lost Both His Arms In A Horrible Electric Shock Accident At The Age Of Four, However This Didn’t Stop Him From Pursuing His Dreams, He Began Painting With His Feet At The Age Of 12
Oh man I understand this artist so much aha, once you've got that vision in your head, you've just got to find a way to get it on paper. Amazing determination though, it's easy to give up during the first half of a project once you're starting to see it come together but it's still got so much work to do haha.... And to do it without hands, like, wow!
My Sister Alana Was Born Without The Use Of Her Hands. She Paints Using Her Mouth And Feet. I Wanted To Share Some Of Her Artwork
Doug Landis Was Paralyzed From The Neck Down, After An Awful Accident, During A High-School Wrestling Match. He Discovered His Talent When He Saw The Drawing Of A House, On A Christmas Card, And Thought He Could Do It Himself
John Bramblitt Is “Functionally Blind”, Which Means That His Eyes Can Only Differentiate Between Sunlight And Darkness. Despite This, He Paints By Using Textured Paints To Feel His Way Around The Canvas
Uttam Kumar Bhardwaj Could Be Called Specially Abled. He Creates Amazing Paintings With His Feet. Also He Is A Gold Medalist In Arts Field And A 33 Award Winner
Born With Cerebral Palsy, Doug Jackson Paints With A Brush Attached To A Special Headband. Jackson Started Painting At 11 And Has Gained Recognition Across The Country For His Impressionist Style
Victorine Floyd Fludd Is A Blind Photographer Who Lost Her Vision At The Age Of 26
Disabled Iranian Artist Fatemeh Hamami Draws The Portrait Of Cristiano Ronaldo Using Only Her Feet
Incredible Jewellery Designed And Crafted By Annette Gabbedey, Who Was Born Without Fingers On Her Hands
as someone who makes jewelry with fingers just let me say that is more impressive than most folks will ever know.
When There’s A Will There’s A Way, And This Is Certainly True For Zuly Sanguino, Her Desire To Paint Is Stronger Than Her Disability
we are all disabled in some way we just have to learn to accept it and use it, these are beautiful, gee I fail with a stick figure
Mariam Paré Painting A Portrait Of Chuck Close With Her Mouth
WOW - I can barely keep food in my mouth and she paints this amazing work of art with hers? TRULY AMAZING
Steve Chambers Paints A Scene Of Two Boats By Holding A Paintbrush In His Mouth Because A Rare Condition Means He Was Born With His Arms Devoid Of Muscles
Yang Is Attentively Creating Chinese Paper Cutting Art. At The Age Of 10 He Was Diagnosed With Als Disease So His Art Is Mostly Made By His Face. A Piece Of Elastic Is Wrapped Around His Face To Help His Debilitated Hands Moving The Graver
My Mouth Painting. I'm Only Physically Able To Paint By Holding The Brush In My Mouth
Tommy Hollenstein Paints With The Help Of His Wheelchair, Which He Was Bound To After A Mountain Bike Accident Left Him With A Broken Neck
Desmond Blair Is An Inspring Artist With A Difference - He Was Born Without Hands
James Dunn Is A 23-Year-Old, Aspiring Photographer Living With A Condition Called Epidermolysis Bullosa, Which Makes His Skin Incredibly Fragile And Prone To Blistering And Scarring. He's Been Finding Ways To Capture The World He Sees, Despite The Fact That He Cannot Use His Hands
Disability Never Held This Mumbai University Student Back! Dhiraj Satavilkar, Who Has No Hands, Uses His Feet To Shape, Design And Paint Clay Models
Brian Tagalog Was Born Without Arms, But He Has Never Let This Serious Adversity Keep Him From Leading A Normal Life. He Believes He Is The Only Certified Tattoo Artist Without Arms In The World
Disabled Artist Leanne Beetham Paints Incredible Scenes By Holding The Paintbrush In Her Mouth
The intricate details are astounding- the painting of the two women almost looks like a photograph--these are so gorgeous.
Keith Jansz Was Left Paralysed After Breaking His Neck In A Car Crash. After Reaching Rock Bottom He Learnt To Paint Using His Mouth
These are really incredible and I love Italy-how talented and inspiring!
Pema Tshering Has Cerebral Palsy, But Can Use His Feet Like Hands. An Incredible Artist, And Absolutely Fascinating To Watch
Pete Eckert Didn’t Take Photography Seriously Until He Went Totally Blind. Talking With People In Galleries Builds A Bridge Between His Mind’s Eyes And Their Vision Of His Work
I Present You With This Badass, Painting With His Mouth. Lost His Arms During Military Service
thank you sir for serving your country, whatever country that might be.
British Artist Sargy Mann Started To Go Blind In His Mid Thirties. Before He Went Completely Blind He Defined Himself As A Landscape Painter, But Since Then, His Artworks Have Become More Complex And Mysterious
Paralyzed Vietnamese Veteran Creates Stunning Artwork With His Mouth
Brendan Patrick Lost His Sight Due To Complications Of Cystic Fibrosis But That Didn't Stop Him From Painting
Helen Rae Is A 77 Year Old Deaf And Completely Non Verbal Artist. In 1990, When She Was 50 Years Old, Her Mother Enrolled Her At First Street Gallery, A Local Program For Adults With Disabilities, Where She Developed Her Drawing Skills
This Man Is Using His Mouth To Paint
Jeffrey Ladow Uses His Mouth To Hold A Paint Brush While He Works On An Oil Painting In His Home
I always love seeing the work of talented artists, and an Iris Grace painting actually hangs on the wall to my left as I write this. But I just want to offer some respectful feedback: many disabled people would be bothered by this post, or at least by some of the language used in this post, because they tend to feel like "inspiration porn," and it is not a good feeling. Basically, some disabled people find it very fulfilling to be symbols of inspiration and motivation, but many don't, because they just want to be, well, people. And they find it degrading when people take the attitude, "if they're capable of that, well then I must be capable of anything, if I only believe in myself!" I'm an artist who has autism and severe mental health problems, and it does mean a lot to me to encourage and strengthen people when I can, but I always, always want to be seen as a whole person. (To hear another perspective, I suggest googling "ted talk stella young".)
"Compassion is the spontaneous response of love; pity, the involuntary reflex of fear". I get why people might not want either of these things and just to be treated "normal" but in reality almost nobody gets treated "normal". Movie stars and athletes don't get treated "normal" nor do people who do things we don't like on the other side of the spectrum. All you can do is remember that people treat each other according mostly to how the feel about themselves. If they're treating you with pity, they're just projecting their own fears and insecurities on to you so just try to take it for what it is.
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Wow. Those people are really inspiring. Whenever I feel like my life is a pile of b******t and I have no mood for painting, I will remember this. Their love for art is obviously bigger than the huge obstacles in form of severe disabilities.
I have a passion for disability after both my sons were born with one each, and know that inside the talents are there just bursting to come out, but that said we all have them but never find them life is to busy, it would be a better world if we all stoped and gave into it
Amazing work. Just last week during a Q & A I did in support of a work of mine that achieved recognition in the first Welsh annual awards for disabled creatives I referenced a book called "Painters First" by Marc Alexander. Full of Art than most of us would be happy to grace our walls. nearly all done by mouth or feet manipulating the brush. Put my own disabilty well in the shade. Another Artist, who has worked in ceramics for decades while only being able to see the most basic of outlines has achieved international acclaim. ( https://www.miararts.com/artists/beverly-bell-hughes/ ) Now 72, last year as well as having a solo exhibition for several weeks in one of Londons major Galleries, she beat off all ( able bodied ) comers to win the prestigious Gold Medal for Craft and Design at the National Eisteddfod for Wales. The last 30 years being an advocate for equality and inclusion for the work of disabled artists and living proof that neither age nor disability need be artistic barriers
Just out of curiosity, I would like to know why so many of these(almost all) choose art, as there way of expression. Why not other fields of music , literature,etc. Does painting nd drawings really is a more stronger from self expression nd therapy.
I'd like the picture titles changed. I did enjoy looking at the work of all of these talented people.
So much amazing art. Glad these artists have been represented here. I want to see more of their work!!
What amazes and blows my mind is that all these people probably only found out they had these incredible abilities because they were faced with disabilities in the first place. What a thought to get your head around! The way the human body and mind adapts is incredible to me. And these people, their courage, strength and patience is amazing. As a disabled person myself, I feel truly inspired that I could also get through the struggle and find a passion to keep going. Thank you to everyone who shared. Xx
Since childhood I have been moved and inspired by Ludwig von Beethoven. His battle with hearing loss and struggles with depression proved to me that out of pain and anger can come beauty and creativity.
"We can't believe what these 15+ artists cam do despite their disabilities." I can understand that title in regard to the artists that have suffering dexterity, but why is it so difficult to believe that autism would be a "disability" in this instance?
Argh, bloody hell, my comment doesn't make sense - that's what i get for being online at 4:36am. What I mean is why would autism be a barrier to being an excellent artist?
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These paintings and artworks are so good... I wouldn’t mind having them in my house and on my walls, even if the people who made them are different!
I don't like the title. I'd say these amazing things came about "because of their extraordinary intellect" not "in spite of their disability".
The headline of this article is so wrong, misleading and unbelievable unfair to those people this article is about!!! It says in other words "look at this disabled people and what amazing work they get done anyways!" What the heck??? These people have their talents because of their disabilities!!!!! It is undermining and degrading how you are headlining this article! Shame on you!!!
Why are people surprised that folks who are different can do amazing things? How condescending is this headline?!
first few: WOAH! TALENT AMAZING! after like 10-15: yeah..I suck at art and they dont even have hands!...after the first 16: welp this is boring but props to them for their talents
This is something you tell a friend, not comment on other people's hard work.
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Please explain how something that's inherent in your body that makes it different from most others and has the capacity to render you with severe challenges in life can not be classified as a disability.
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this shows one other thing besides these amazing peoples drive, perseverance and skill. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
I hate thoses inspiration-porn posts. I am Autistic and I don't like being seen as a poor thing who can still do art ''despite her disability". The only ”thing” that’s make us suffer is society’s closemindeness. BTW, did you know that Tim Burton, Dan Aykroyd, and the singer from "Owl City" are autistic ? :) I hope I wasn’t too agressive. ^^’ Sorry for my s****y english.
Your English is better than the person who titled these pictures. And I don't think you were aggressive. Your voice needs to be heard, too.
Load More Replies... I always love seeing the work of talented artists, and an Iris Grace painting actually hangs on the wall to my left as I write this. But I just want to offer some respectful feedback: many disabled people would be bothered by this post, or at least by some of the language used in this post, because they tend to feel like "inspiration porn," and it is not a good feeling. Basically, some disabled people find it very fulfilling to be symbols of inspiration and motivation, but many don't, because they just want to be, well, people. And they find it degrading when people take the attitude, "if they're capable of that, well then I must be capable of anything, if I only believe in myself!" I'm an artist who has autism and severe mental health problems, and it does mean a lot to me to encourage and strengthen people when I can, but I always, always want to be seen as a whole person. (To hear another perspective, I suggest googling "ted talk stella young".)
"Compassion is the spontaneous response of love; pity, the involuntary reflex of fear". I get why people might not want either of these things and just to be treated "normal" but in reality almost nobody gets treated "normal". Movie stars and athletes don't get treated "normal" nor do people who do things we don't like on the other side of the spectrum. All you can do is remember that people treat each other according mostly to how the feel about themselves. If they're treating you with pity, they're just projecting their own fears and insecurities on to you so just try to take it for what it is.
Load More Replies... Wow. Those people are really inspiring. Whenever I feel like my life is a pile of b******t and I have no mood for painting, I will remember this. Their love for art is obviously bigger than the huge obstacles in form of severe disabilities.
I have a passion for disability after both my sons were born with one each, and know that inside the talents are there just bursting to come out, but that said we all have them but never find them life is to busy, it would be a better world if we all stoped and gave into it
Amazing work. Just last week during a Q & A I did in support of a work of mine that achieved recognition in the first Welsh annual awards for disabled creatives I referenced a book called "Painters First" by Marc Alexander. Full of Art than most of us would be happy to grace our walls. nearly all done by mouth or feet manipulating the brush. Put my own disabilty well in the shade. Another Artist, who has worked in ceramics for decades while only being able to see the most basic of outlines has achieved international acclaim. ( https://www.miararts.com/artists/beverly-bell-hughes/ ) Now 72, last year as well as having a solo exhibition for several weeks in one of Londons major Galleries, she beat off all ( able bodied ) comers to win the prestigious Gold Medal for Craft and Design at the National Eisteddfod for Wales. The last 30 years being an advocate for equality and inclusion for the work of disabled artists and living proof that neither age nor disability need be artistic barriers
Just out of curiosity, I would like to know why so many of these(almost all) choose art, as there way of expression. Why not other fields of music , literature,etc. Does painting nd drawings really is a more stronger from self expression nd therapy.
I'd like the picture titles changed. I did enjoy looking at the work of all of these talented people.
So much amazing art. Glad these artists have been represented here. I want to see more of their work!!
What amazes and blows my mind is that all these people probably only found out they had these incredible abilities because they were faced with disabilities in the first place. What a thought to get your head around! The way the human body and mind adapts is incredible to me. And these people, their courage, strength and patience is amazing. As a disabled person myself, I feel truly inspired that I could also get through the struggle and find a passion to keep going. Thank you to everyone who shared. Xx
Since childhood I have been moved and inspired by Ludwig von Beethoven. His battle with hearing loss and struggles with depression proved to me that out of pain and anger can come beauty and creativity.
"We can't believe what these 15+ artists cam do despite their disabilities." I can understand that title in regard to the artists that have suffering dexterity, but why is it so difficult to believe that autism would be a "disability" in this instance?
Argh, bloody hell, my comment doesn't make sense - that's what i get for being online at 4:36am. What I mean is why would autism be a barrier to being an excellent artist?
Load More Replies... These paintings and artworks are so good... I wouldn’t mind having them in my house and on my walls, even if the people who made them are different!
I don't like the title. I'd say these amazing things came about "because of their extraordinary intellect" not "in spite of their disability".
The headline of this article is so wrong, misleading and unbelievable unfair to those people this article is about!!! It says in other words "look at this disabled people and what amazing work they get done anyways!" What the heck??? These people have their talents because of their disabilities!!!!! It is undermining and degrading how you are headlining this article! Shame on you!!!
Why are people surprised that folks who are different can do amazing things? How condescending is this headline?!
first few: WOAH! TALENT AMAZING! after like 10-15: yeah..I suck at art and they dont even have hands!...after the first 16: welp this is boring but props to them for their talents
This is something you tell a friend, not comment on other people's hard work.
Load More Replies... Please explain how something that's inherent in your body that makes it different from most others and has the capacity to render you with severe challenges in life can not be classified as a disability.
Load More Replies... this shows one other thing besides these amazing peoples drive, perseverance and skill. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
I hate thoses inspiration-porn posts. I am Autistic and I don't like being seen as a poor thing who can still do art ''despite her disability". The only ”thing” that’s make us suffer is society’s closemindeness. BTW, did you know that Tim Burton, Dan Aykroyd, and the singer from "Owl City" are autistic ? :) I hope I wasn’t too agressive. ^^’ Sorry for my s****y english.
Your English is better than the person who titled these pictures. And I don't think you were aggressive. Your voice needs to be heard, too.
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