Students
Established in 1958
Students
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The Association supports up-and-coming mouth or foot painting artists by granting scholarships: a scholarship may be awarded to any respectable mouth or foot painting artist living anywhere in the world. Grants may only be awarded to persons who, as a result of their handicap/disease, are not able to paint with their hands but only with their mouth or feet. Other seriously disabled artists who work with the stump of an arm, a cephalostat or other aids are not eligible.
A scholarship is awarded for three years by the Managing Board. The scholarship holder receives a monthly amount from the Association. The level of this scholarship is set at the discretion of the Association’s Managing Board and is adjusted to the recipient’s artistic development.
The VDMFK’s scholarship is not intended for day-to-day living expenses but exclusively for artistic development: attendance at a painting school or private lessons with a recognized artist, the purchase of painting utensils, art books, etc.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 26.02.1969
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Pretoria
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 1998
The mouth painter was born in Pretoria on 26 February 1969. In March 1993 he broke his neck when he dived headfirst into a swimming pool. Fracture of the C5/C6 cervical vertebrae brought on total paralysis of the arms and legs.
After being transferred to the Lat Wiel Quadriplegic Centre, he met the VDMFK artists Justice May (associate member) and Frederik Botha (scholarship holder), who encouraged him to take up mouth painting in March 1996. Mr van den Berg is an artist of promise.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 13.11.1961
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Port Elizabeth
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 1998
Bryan Jones was born in Port Elizabeth on 13 November 1961.
In 1986 he broke his cervical spine (C-6) during a rugby match. His arms and legs have been paralysed since then. In 1993 he painted his first motifs using his mouth.
The self-taught artist is very ambitious and wants to improve his technique by attending painting courses.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 17.03.1962
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Paarl
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2012
Ferdinand Prins was born on 7 March 1962 in Paarl (South Africa). After attending and completing primary school he trained to become an electrical technician.
On 31 December 1984 Ferdi Prins had a diving accident and suffered a grave spinal cord injury at the height of the C5 vertebra, affecting motor and sensory functions. After the accident he spent some 8 months at hospital in medical care and rehabilitation. Since then he has been living in homes for the disabled and is presently living at the Quasar home for tetraplegic persons.
In late 2008, encouraged by art teacher Marthie Vos Westraadt, he decided to start painting with the mouth. At the time he gave numerous public lectures on the dangers of diving, wanting to raise the awareness of disability. Painting was meant to broaden his occupational horizon, which it did and still does to this day. Repeated contributions to exhibitions in his area form part of his activities.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 15.05.1977
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Windhoek
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2011
Hanli was born with multiple arthrogryposis, a funtional disorder. This means that her hands, arms, legs and feet are severely contracted.
As a result she needs a wheelchair to move around. In 1998 she developed an intense interest in mouth painting and tried to express her artistic self by means of her mouth on al kinds of materials, including ostrich eggs and tiles. She is an autodidact.
After the atrtist moved to a home for the disabled, she was very intent on learning more about art from the mouth and foot painters living there. The artist especially likes to paint floral and animal.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 02.04.1957
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Bethal
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2004
Born on 2 April 1959 in Bethal (South Africa).
He held a diploma in gold mining with the authorisation to conduct subterranean blasting. Later he changed profession and became a private security professional who was employed in national security at strategically important locations.
In October 1989 he broke his neck (C5/6) on a water slide. A man landed on his neck when he – together with a number of people – landed in a small pool at the foot of the slide.
In late November 2002 he heard about mouth painting. He has been taking private lessons for some time.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 30.03.1980
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Vryburg
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2007
In December 2001 Jerome Johan Hannam had a diving accident that left him tetraplegic (severe injury to the spine at C5/7).
In November 2005 he tried to paint with his mouth for the first time. Spurred by ambition and being an autodidact, he quickly made progress.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 14.02.1968
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Ogies
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2011
Jeramias Jesias Bezuidenhout was born on 14 February 1968 in Ogies, South Africa.
On 17 March 2001 he had an accident in a swimming pool where he suffered an injury to his neck at the height of the C4, C5 and C6 vertebrae. He is completely paralysed from the neck down including the lower extremities (quadriplegic). He uses an electric wheelchair to move around.
At the suggestion of his wife, who is an art teacher herself, he began to study mouth painting in 2007 and found that it appealed to him. The artist’s creations currently focus on South Africa’s wildlife, in particular birds done in acrylics.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 21.08.1969
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Soweto
PAINTING STYLE: Foot Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 1994
Mr. Kagiso Modisane is a foot painter and was born in Soweto on August 21, 1969. His handicap was only diagnosed at the age of seven month when he was not able to sit or crawl like other children.
Until he was nine years old he stayed at the hospital where he was treated with physiotherapy.
Subsequently he started school and came up to the ninth grade of secondary school. Mr. Kagiso Modisane is able to walk normally.
The artist prefers to paint with coloured pencils.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 27.05.1977
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Gqeberha
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2004
Born on 27 May 1977 in Gqeberha
On 6 December 1998 the student of architecture was injured in a diving accident with damage to the 6th cervical vertebra, which resulted in the loss of the use of legs and arms.
He began to paint with the mouth in August 2002. His great enthusiasm made him develop his skill while teaching himself to paint.
He is currently enrolled in a painting and art course at the “Quad House”.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 08.06.1977
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Wolmaransstad
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2012
My name is Kosie Niewenhuizen I live in Klerksdorp, North-West I was in a car accident just outside Orkney on May 28, 1998, breaking my neck, C5 C6 I was in the hospital for a year after which I went to stay with my mother.
In 2000 I got a place to stay at HOUSE SERVAS. HOUSE SERVAAS is a home for people with a spinal cord injury. I learned at HUIS SERVAAS how the life of a disabled person works and how to adapt to my circumstances as a paralyzed person.
Despite my disability, I met my wife in 2002, we were married in January 2006. I learned how to paint with my mouth in 2008 and since 2011 I have been a student of the Mouth and Foot Painters Association. My hobbies are painting, fishing and braai-ing
- DATE OF BIRTH: 29.10.1970
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Vanderbijlpark
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 1989
Miss Lubbe was born in Vanderbijlpark on October 29, 1970, without arms and with short legs without knee joint. She can only walk short distances and has only four toes on each feet. Yet her health is good.
As a three-year-old she started at the “Hope School”, which she completed in 1988. She is a highly talented artist. She types with her feet, but paints with the mouth. Since 1988 she has been continuing her training and education in art.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 03.03.1976
- PLACE OF BIRTH: South Africa
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2018
I am Lizette de Beer, living in Pretoria. Stay at home in Lat Wiel. I’m hard of hearing. I went to school in Pretoria until matric but then my accident happened.
I am 21 years in a wheelchair. I have been living at Lat Wiel for 7 years now. I was offered to watch people paint and then I also started painting and tried.
Today I can not resist how good I have become with painting. It does me a lot of good when I paint. To say the Lord above was so good to me that I was given such talent. Today I just paint!
- DATE OF BIRTH: 16.11.1959
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Orkney
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 1995
Theodor Botha was born in Orkney, South Africa on 16 November 1959. In 1987 the skilled motorcycle mechanic was seriously injured in a Rugby match.
He broke his neck and has since been tied to the wheelchair. After his accident he worked as a caretaker and then was employed with a company. His health finally forced him to abandon his job and to move to a nursing home.
After he lost the use of his hands the mouth painter Gert Volschenk encouraged him to take up mouth painting. Mr. Botha is assisted by the art teacher Annemarie Roos.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 03.03.1976
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Kinross
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2007
Prior to his accident Johan Hendrik Barkemeiyer Erasmus worked as a manager in the district of Thambazimbi (province of Limpopo) on a game farm.
In January 1999 he lost control of his van on the way home. He became tetraplegic (C5). After rehabilitation he was transferred to a home for the disabled in April 1999.
His family and his tetraplegic colleagues at the home encouraged him to have a go at mouth painting. At first, he made pencil drawings to learn the basic techniques and did so as an autodidact. In 2005 he began to paint in oils.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 18.10.1964
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Pretoria
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2007
Shortly after his birth it was discovered that Michel van der Westhuizen suffered from a hereditary disease called “Kugelberg-Wielanders disease”, or spinal muscular atrophy.
As this condition causes motoric weakness, the progression of the disease has cost him the use of arms/hands and legs.
He became interested in mouth painting at the end of 2002, when former VDMFK student member Susanne Kiesling-Wahl still taught mouth painting. He enjoyed it very much and sees every painting as a challenge.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 17.01.1972
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Potchefstroom
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2006
Born on 17 January 1972 in Potchestroom (South Africa).
Due to a gunshot wound to the neck on 15 January 2003 he became tetraplegic (C4 vertebra) and is confined to the wheelchair.
At the Huis Servaas centre for the disabled he met VDMFK student member Tom Webster (mouth painter) who encouraged him to try mouth painting (2005).
He quickly developed a great liking for mouth painting and strives to make artistic progress.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 01.07.1963
- PLACE OF BIRTH: George
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2019
Sagaria Stander was born in George, on 1 July 1963.
In April 1984, he became a tetraplegic as a result of a car accident. The injury affected the motor and sensory functions of his fourth cervical vertebra. Sagaria spent seven months in hospital where he received requisite medical care and rehabilitation. Life as a tetraplegic presented a completely different set op problems.
Sagaria had to face many different challenges and overcome obstacles. He lives in a home for tetraplegics in Parow, Cape Town.
A very good friend, the art teacher Martie Voswestraad, encouraged him to paint with his mouth.
This happened at the end of 2014 and he has been a student in her class ever since.
In his free time he enjoys nature, art and music. When he paints, he feels he can express his creativity.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 15.07.1979
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Oranjeville
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2004
Sefotsane Mokoena was shot while washing a car and has been paralysed from the neck down ever since.
The year 2002 was to be a turning point in his life. He became interested in mouth painting and derives great pleasure from it.
The artist has a passion for African art.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 16.01.1970
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Standerton
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2017
Hi my name is Sibiwe Petrus Tshabangu, in 2007 I was involved in a car accident while I was driving to work.
After my accident my doctor told me that my spine has been injured I won’t be able to walk again because of the level of my injury C5 and C6.
I was working at the company called Sasol Mining, because of my injury I couldn’t go back to my work that I was doing.
In 2010 I met a guy while I was at the hospital for rehabilitation and the guy told me about the foot and mouth association and he invited me to the home for the disabled where he was staying. They where doing some art classes this is where I fell in love with painting while I was in love with painting I never thought I’d also can paint.
I started to take some art classes with them and that was the beginning of my therapy in art 2016 mouth and foot association grant me a scholarship and I thank the association for the opportunity today the art has become my friend to talk to and my therapy of my soul.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 27.05.1983
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Butterworth
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2011
Siyasamkela (also called Siya) Toli was born on 27 May 1983 without arms, an abnormally curved spine and dwarfism. From early childhood he has been painting and drawing with his mouth and has more or less developed his artistic skill as an autodidact.
His mouth-painted works in a typically African style are done in vivid colours, depicting daily life in South Africa.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 07.10.1993
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Mahikeng
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2018
I am Thatofatso Gordon Segapo.
I was Born in Mafikeng at a small village called Madibogo in 1993-10-07
I went to a school called Meerhof skool which it is in Hartebeespoordam completed my metric there.
I started being interested in art when I was in Gr7 when I sold my first painting.
I am a person who has a great sense of humour. I really dislike when people feel pity for me.
I have two brothers whom I love very much they are the only two people I’d die for.
- DATE OF BIRTH: 16.02.1982
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Secunda
PAINTING STYLE: Mouth Painter
MEMBER SINCE: 2011
Thembi Mabuza was born on 16 February 1982 in Secunda, South Africa. He attended Thokoza Primary School. He used to live in Ermelo and worked as a scaffolder at the Camden power plant.
On 5 February 2006 he fell 12 metres while erecting a scaffold and suffered a grave injury to the spinal cord. He is a C6/C7 tetraplegic and is therefore unable to use his hands in any way.
Shortly after moving to ‘Lat Wiel’, a home for the disabled, in June 2007, he began to use his mouth for artistic activities, after being encouraged by other mouth and foot painters living there. He especially likes to create landscapes and animal themes from his native country.
