If you would like us to feature some of your work , don't be shy, click the link and contact us today!

This picture was painted by Tom Showell, a member of SpeakEasy, Bury.

This is my kitchen table: I was trying to catch the reflection of the mug in the chrome teapot.

Gerald had a stroke six years ago.

Before retiring, Gerald was a Surface Foreman at Brodsworth Colliery, in South Yorkshire.

Since his stroke Gerald has taken up Art and Woodwork as hobbies. His first project was to build an easel. Since then, he has made Dolls’ Houses, fire engines and other wooden toys for his grandchildren. Gerald recently invested in a lathe to make wheels for his fire engines. Since then he has started to make bowls.

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                                     Tony at the 2007 AphasiaNow conference.

Before his stroke Tony was a quantity surveyor and Director for large company with a very hectic and stressful life.

My grandmother was a dressmaker and did this for a living, and my mother did it as a hobby but I never learned to sew myself. One day after my stroke, feeling bored, I thought I would give it a go. It was always something I had thought about doing, but never had the time.

I started first all to do some rug making after my accident, just to help with my hand and for something to do. As my hand improved I decided to have a go with using a sewing. The first thing I tried was some cushions, which initially my Mum helped me cut out. As soon got confident doing these and made about six cushions and enjoyed the satisfaction it gave me in creating something..

Operating the sewing machine was difficult as my right side is weak and I had to learn to use my left, holding the material with the right arm (?) best I could, but I slowly got more confident using the sewing machine

As my hand improved a little more I then decided to try something different, with more of a challenge and I went to a Craft Fair with my Mum and saw some bag patterns. I then decided to have a go at these.

I found making the first bag quite difficult, not only having to follow a pattern, but also it was more fiddly to do, with the restrictions of my hand. However I grew in confidence and then started to make some different bags and really enjoyed. It gave me great satisfaction being able to make something after being so restricted following my stroke.

Jenny, who is 'Aphasia-Now' chairman, asked me to bring the bags to the Aphasia-Now conference in 2007 to show them at the art exhibition. On the second day I had a stall and I sold seven of my bags!!

It really gave me a lot of satisfaction to realize I could make that something that someone wanted to buy.

I live in Horley with my husband Ian and daughter Nicola who is 20 years old.

My son Michael, who is 23 years old, lives with his partner Carly and 6 month old baby son Spencer in Copthorne which is a couple of miles away.

I had my stroke in 2003 at the age of 47.

3 years ago i was lucky enough to discover 'Dyscover'.

This has made my world a better place by giving me a wide group of friends to discuss our common problems.

I have also been able to try various activities one of which is pastel paintings.

Some of these are attached for you to see, i hope you like them as i have had to draw them left-handed which was not my dominant hand before my stroke.

I would encourage you to try some sort of art as it has given me a great deal of pleasure but i must say that it has come after a bit of trial and error.

If at first you dont succeed DONT GIVE UP!!

click the link below for more of Trish' pictures ..

I worked as a specialist in industrial intercom. and PA., when, at age 56, came the stroke..

David at the 2007 AphasiaNow conference - click on picture to enlarge!

In 1989 - 1990 I saw an advert for a 6 week holiday meet - they had several workshops running and it sounded fun, one particular workshop was 'woodcarving for beginners'. I bought four chisels and started under instruction.

Before my stroke I was a medical doctor. In my 4th year of post graduate in public health I wanted to find out more about alternative medicine and practiced anthroposophical art therapy.

When I became a stroke patient at age 41 in 1998 I received art therapy for some time. I learned to use my weak left hand with the help of a big brush with an adapted grip.

I couldn't really draw but I observed, and mixed colours. After several years I went to college to learn to draw with my left hand, using different media.

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In my landscape pictures I always use different tones of blue, as this colour gives me peace.

Moon in the Hills
This painting is my first painting in acrylic, on canvas 20" x 16".

It was painted before the winter started, based on observation.

This was my first painting in charcoal and pastel.

Ken, at the 2007 AphasiaNow conference, playing a right handed Euphonium left-handed!

We hope to bring you a video soon ..

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