Exhibition Showcases Art by Individuals with Huntington’s Disease

An art exhibition described as “joyful” has been developed by a collective of individuals living with the “debilitating” condition. Titled “Our Creative Journey,” the display features works from eight people in Gloucestershire affected by Huntington’s disease. The Huntington’s Disease Association (HDA) stated that this event aims to underscore “the importance of art for improving the wellbeing of people living with debilitating and incurable illnesses.” This five-day exhibition is scheduled to take place at St John Baptist Church in Cirencester, running from Tuesday through Saturday. Huntington’s disease is a condition resulting from a faulty gene, leading to the progressive degeneration of brain cells. This impacts movement, mood, and cognitive abilities, and can also manifest as aggressive behavior. The exhibition is a collaborative effort by artists Bert and Elise Holland, Charlotte, Clair, Evie, Kate, Spencer James, and Steven Hart. Carol Dutton, a specialist adviser at the HDA, remarked: “The initial idea for an art exhibition came about during the Covid lockdown on one of our online Huntington’s disease group meetings, when we discovered how many accomplished, talented artists we had in the Huntington’s disease community in the locality.” She added, “For some, art is a way to focus, distract from symptoms or find purpose and joy.” Among the eight participating artists are Bert and his daughter, Elise. Bert lives with Huntington’s disease, while Elise has Juvenile Huntington’s disease, a rarer form where symptoms emerge before the age of 20. Her mother, Alison, commented: “Elise is able to spend time every week creating her artwork and she derives such pleasure from it.” Spencer James, another artist featured in the exhibition, resigned from his employment when his symptoms worsened. For a period, he engaged in upcycling damaged furniture. His parents, Phil and Charlie, shared: “As time moved on and he could no longer use a brush or sander, he found other ways to express his need to create.” They further explained, “Using an iPad he now creates abstract images using different pallets and brushes and manipulates them with his fingers, which we print onto canvas and velvet.” For updates, follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.