Year of Birth:
1960

Disability:
Celebral Palsy, Convulsive Fits

Occupation:
Foot & Mouth Artist

His strong love for art and his infallible determination fuel his desire to work as an artist. He knows that he is different from other people but his disability is not a deterrent or a reason to pity himself. He feels that he is still able to accomplish a lot, thankful that he is able to move about and is not bedridden. His tenacity is apparent in his featured works. He expresses his optimism in his paintings of nature and landscapes.

How often do we find ourselves holding a pen with our hand, sighing whilst writing, as if the pen weighed a ton? Mouth artist Benjamin Tan is an exception. He not only wields the brush with his mouth, he creates life on the canvas. Benjamin has cerebral palsy, this causes his muscular co-ordination to be heavily impaired. He uses his head and mouth with the dexterity of the human hand to breathe life into his art.

To him, "nothing is impossible, everything is possible." He believes that everyone has their own talent and they should make use of it, instead of sitting around doing nothing - able-bodied or not. Hard work begets success. Benjamin, in his oil and acrylic paintings, spreads the message of endurance, determination and optimism.

Birds are a favourite subject to paint as "birds can fly, with freedom, not tied up" and they symbolise "freedom, responsibility and dilligence." These poignant words reflect his perseverence and his unfailing attitude towards life. He, like the birds he paints, works hard to bring food home.