Associated Members
Established in 1958
Associated memebers
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Associated Members receive monthly financial support which allows them to concentrate on their artistic development and remain relatively independent financially.
Only those who have already received a scholarship from the association can become a member. The jury continually keeps track of the artistic development of the scholarship holders. When an artist can live up to the standards required by the Association he or she is considered for membership.
A member of the association must keep up the same quality standard of art work as would a member of any other art organization. This is the only way that a high level of quality can be guaranteed.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 20.04.1974
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Hermanus
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2014
Martin Charl Sodoms was born in voelklip, Hermanus on 20 April 1974. He attended both primary and secondary school. After leaving school he studied securities management and worked as an assistant for a branch manager.
In December 1996, he had a diving accident in which he broke his neck at C5 and C6 vertebral level, leaving him tetraplegic. A teacher of painting introduced him to art nine months after his rehabilitation during his stay in hospital. She helped him to learn to paint by mouth.
Since 2002 he has received support from the VDMFK in the form of a scholorhsip. The Association awarded him Associate Member status in 2014.
Martin has specialised in painting with acrylic colours. Even so, he also paints with oil paints that can be mixed with water, and sometimes with water colours as well.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 18.09.1970
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Grabouw
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2015
I was born in 1970 in Grabouw. I matriculated in 1988 at Portland’s SSS Mitchell’s Plain.
In January 1991 I joint the SA Police service and went to Pretoria where I became a finger print expert.
On 12 November 1993 I was involved in a motor car accident where I broke my neck between the 4th and 5th vertebra. That left me paralyze from the neck down.
In 1998 I started to learn to paint with my mouth and started art classes at Bellville library under Martie Westraad for 5 years. My first painting took me 4 months to complete, but I endured. In 2000 I was accepted as a student at the Mouth and Foot Painters Association and in March 2015 I was promoted to Associate Member.I started painting with acrylics and moved over to water mixable-oil. I like to paint landscapes; flowers; animals; and still lives.
In 2001 I was fortunate to move into Andries Olivier Durbanville Quadriplegic Centre. I am currently residing in George Western Cape.
I also take part in local and international art exhibitions through the Mouth and Foot Painters Association. A lot of my work has already been reproduced by the Mouth and Foot Painters for calendars and different cards.
My motto in life is: My Successes or victories depend on how I handle my failures and defeats.
My spiritual motto is: I can do all things threw
Christ Jesus that strengthens me.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 15.08.1967
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Pretoria
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2009
In 1983 Rudy was involved in a car accident, rendering him a C4-C5 quadriplegic with paralysis of all four extremities.
He became interested in art while still at school. He created his first pencil drawings with his mouth in 1986.
Subsequently he focused on his university studies in computer science and on his professional career.
It was not until 2002 that he took up mouth painting again.
He became a student member of the Association in 2003.
In 2009 he became an associate member of the Association.
His preferred media are oils and acrylics.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 30.10.1971
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Cape Town
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2009
Brenton Nicholas SWARTZ was born on 30 October 1978 in Cape Town. Since a gunshot accident he is paralysed from the neck down. He spent eight months in hospital and was classified as a C4-C5 tetraplegic.
He attended a school for the disabled. In 1998 he finished grade 12 and went to live in a home for tetraplegic people. In 1999 he enrolled at college and studied computer-aided drawing. In December 2006 he received a state diploma as architectural draughtsman.
He was fortunate enough to be able to work at an architect’s office for 18 months and gain a lot of experience. One of his friends who painted asked him whether he wanted to try it. In 2001 he started taking art lessons.
His aim in life is to lead an independent, normal and happy life.
