MFPA British Artists Gather for National Event

While the British Paralympians were gathering in Paris at the end of August 2024, awaiting the start of the globally important Paralympic Games, the British Mouth and Foot Painting Artists were simultaneously gathering at a national, sports venue hotel in Burton on Trent for an important, albeit much smaller scale event of their own. Their 3-day conference, organized by artist Tom Yendell, was attended by 17 artists who travelled from different locations spread right across the country and even included one mouth painter invited from Iceland. The rest of the British artists unable to travel to the event, were also able to participate in proceedings via a Zoom link.

MFPA Burton Meeting 3 (1) — British Mouth and Foot Painting Artists gather at a national, sports venue hotel in Burton on Trent

The meeting was a welcome return to some normality for the British artists who have not been able to meet up as a group for some time, mainly due to the impact of Covid. These get-togethers are so important to the artists, many of whom would normally work in relative isolation from their home studios. They also provide the opportunity for the MFPA artists to fully appreciate the value of the collective strength and support that comes from being a member of this unique, creative community. The forum enables them to come together with their fellow artists, where they can share their personal news, exchange painting ideas and techniques and discuss their work with contemporaries, in a relaxed, social environment.

Some of the artists also brought along their latest artworks, using the opportunity to have their work reviewed by the experienced, artistic guidance available that offered them advice on how to continue to develop their creative talent and to maximise their potential to grow within the MFPA organization. There was a plethora of fine work to review and the artists found the input extremely encouraging and constructive.

The conference also included a session on external communications which provided the artists with advice on how they could help to deliver greater public exposure of the MFPA and their work, by simply maximising the potential of their own, individual social media platforms. The artists were also provided with a sneak preview of the organizations PR, social media and Advertising programme planned for the rest of 2024, including the critical Christmas product selling season for the organization.

It was widely agreed by those who attended that the latest gathering of the MFPA British artists had been a very successful and inspiring event. Perhaps a parallel could be drawn here that serves to highlight the very special abilities of both the Paralympians and the artists of the MFPA, summed up by the thought - Disability Is No Barrier To Achieving Your Goals.