Painting is hard, but painting without the use of your hands is much harder. However, not being able to use their hands hasn’t stopped a great many talented men and women from becoming professional artists, with the help of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists organisation. Formed in 1957, the MFPA partnership is the British organisation and publishing house which is part of an international self-help association of artists (AMFPA) based in – you guessed it – Liechtenstein. There are currently 33 British artists and almost 800 artists from over 80 countries worldwide associated with the AMFPA. Holding their paintbrushes in their mouths or with their feet, they create extraordinary work in all manner of artistic styles, from abstract to impressionism via pointillism and pop art. We met some of these artists at a Whiteley’s Exhibition in September and have been looking forward to talking about their Christmas cards ever since.
The partnership reproduces its artists’ original paintings as unique greeting cards, calendars and a wide range of other products, including seasonal Christmas cards. It’s a business helping disabled artists by selling their work and it is important to say it is not a charity. The AMFPA was set up to help mouth and foot painters get their work seen but the founder, Erich Stegmann, was adamant that if buying the art was considered an act of charity, he’d rather not sell anything at all. It’s a way of publicising the artists’ work and getting their paintings out there to be judged on their own merit.
The MFPA has come in for some criticism in recent years for departing from this model. An overemphasis on how the cards are made rather than simply focusing on their quality has led to some accusations that the organisation are attempting to tug at heartstrings and appear like a charitable foundation, which of course they are not. There have also been some eyebrows raised about the form of direct mail marketing they use. However, we think that the quality of their Christmas cards speaks for itself and we would recommend them to anyone. We just think it’s important to acknowledge that the money will go to artists rather than to charity.
There are two ranges of Christmas cards for 2014, as well as a selection of other Christmassy products, designed by mouth and foot artists. All the cards are beautifully made and all the more extraordinary considering how they were made. Imagine trying to draw something simple, like a cat, with your paintbrush in your mouth. Now imagine painting an entire nativity scene. Seems nigh on impossible, doesn’t it? If you think so, you’ll be amazed by the intricacy of these beautiful cards. The MFPA works could be an interesting choice for your 2014 Xmas Cards and we encourage everyone to take a look at them!
