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The late Myron Angus of St. Thomas,
Ontario, was a charmer
with a quick wit and an enchanting smile. He had some special ability to immediately put people at ease. His happy appearance and outgoing
personality was instantly making people smile. The
famous St. Thomas man had no use of his hands or legs, but he had successful career as a mouth-painter and
art gallery owner, played
piano,
married, raised a family, traveled the world and participated in many
events. This
amazing man spent his life
helping to liberate people with physical disabilities from a dependent
lifestyle on others. "Although
one door may close, another may be opened" was the philosophy of this
unique and talented artist who has received several awards for
his art and community work, and represented the Canadian M.F.P.A. (The Mouth
and Foot Painting Artists) before Pope John Paul II in 1992.
Myron
Angus was born February 28, 1926 in the town of St. Marys, Ontario,
where he spent the first 15 years of his life. He was born with arthrogryposis, a condition
which fuses the joints in the body and, according to story told by Myron, medical
specialist "gave heck" to his
parents' physician for allowing him to live at birth. In spite of being born without the use of his hands or legs, his affliction did not keep him from living a
life like anyone else.
Many people found inspiration through Myron Angus, a talented
handicapped artist of international fame, who created all his works
through painting with his
mouth. He has mastered that fascinating technique of painting with the
brush held between his teeth, and had ability to talk and paint at the
same time. A simple dowel-rod with a rubber tip held between his teeth
and his determination made it all possible. This other way of doing
things didn't just happen over night.
When Myron was about 7 years old, his parents were visiting the C.N.E.
in Toronto, Ontario. There, they came across a man by the name of Bill
Watson (Canadian author and journalist William Ritchie Watson) at one
of the displays. He was autographing the book "My Desire" which
he had
written by holding a pen in his mouth, he had no arms. When Mr. and
Mrs. Angus told him about their son, he autographed a copy of the book
special for Myron. Then he told them to put a pencil between his teeth.
Let him learn to control the pencil this way, then put him in school.
Myron
become determined to learn to write by mouth and get his high school
diploma. He
even had a job in a local garage, painting lettering and logos on the
door panels of trucks. He was
fascinated with color, line, and form and
devoted all his energy to improving his artistic technique. When he
couldn't receive the art training he felt he needed, because society
wasn't yet ready for him, he started to sketch and paint copies of the
old masters from the family Bible. Although landscapes in later years
became his signature. He developed a flair with watercolor
and his fascinating dexterity with this particular medium turned him
into a crowd pleaser wherever he was. His painting skills improved as his love
for painting grew, resulting in his first art exhibition in a Toronto
Gallery (1948)
where he demonstrated his amazing ability and talent for the first
time. People crowded the Gallery spilling out on Young Street. His
popularity grew in leaps and bounds. Exhibitions were held in major
cities all over Canada and the U.S.A.
In 1959 Myron bought the Gallery & Picture Frame Shop on Young St.,
in Toronto which he operated successfully until 1966. In 1963 he
started his membership with the M.F.P.A., an international, for-profit
association wholly owned and run by disabled artists to help them meet
their financial needs, which gave him financial backing, he realized
another dream to became a traveling
artist.
As a
direct result of his financial independence, Myron bought a motor home
and, for the next
twenty years, traveled throughout Canada, giving lectures and
demonstrations at rehabilitation centres, children’s
hospitals, service clubs, church groups, and schools, encouraging those
with physical disabilities to live their lives to their greatest
potential. His
aim was to help handicapped people to live a fuller life, and he also
wanted to make the public aware of the big barriers and
problems handicapped people are faced in our society. At the
same time he organized a large number of exhibitions and demonstrations
of his painting. Myron served on many
councils and received many awards and distinctions, including the
Vanier Medal Award*
Myron Angus gave new hope to
those imprisoned by their physical limitations and encouraged many handicapped
people which help them to open new
doors to achieve their
rightful place in society and not to dwell on their own physical
limitations. He died on
April 23rd, 2004. His death
reminded us once again of his visions, dedication and unique work which give the courage to many handicapped
people. Even though he is no
longer of this earth, he still remains inspiration to many people. His
unique personality, wisdom and remarkable life are greatly missed and
will remain with us always.
*
The Institute of Public Administration of Canada awards annually the
Vanier Medal as a mark of distinction and exceptional achievement to a
person who has shown distinctive leadership in public administration
and public service in Canada, or who, by his/her writings or other
endeavors, has made a significant contribution in the field of public
administration or public service in Canada.
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