(NAPSI)—Sending greetings cards has been an integral part of the
Christmas tradition for generations.
The Past: It began in Britain
in 1843, when Sir Henry Cole commissioned an artist to design a card that
would enable him to share his Christmas message with others living in distant
parts of the country. It soon became popular in America, too.
The Present: Greetings cards
are still a great way to tell people you’re thinking of them. A
personal, handwritten message inside a card says so much more than an
electronic message ever could. Plus, it’s something they can proudly
display on the mantelpiece or around the house, where it serves as a constant
reminder of how much you care.
A Special Greetings Card
The Christmas card is particularly important to a group of talented,
disabled artists called the Mouth and Foot
Painting Artists (MFPA), this year celebrating its 60th
anniversary. It began in 1957, when Erich Stegmann,
who painted by mouth from childhood due to polio, decided to create a unique,
international self-help group of disabled commercial artists who work without
the use of their hands to achieve financial independence and a fulfilling
life through art. Their motto is “Self-Help, Not Charity,”
and they sell reproductions of their mouth- and foot-painted images directly
to the public in the form of Christmas cards,
calendars and a range of seasonal items.
One of these talented artists is Californian Alana Tillman, who creates
her art by holding a paintbrush in her mouth. Born with arthrogryposis,
Tillman was left without the use of her arms and hands and she took up
painting while in hospital as a child.
“The MFPA has been life changing and a big part of my independence
and motivation,” said the artist.
How To Purchase
Tillman’s beautiful greetings card is one of many you can buy online
at www.mfpausa.com
and (877) MFPA-USA.
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)