Stroke led me to find art (From Malvern Gazette)

Stroke led me to find art

11:50am Saturday 26th January 2013 in News

A MALVERN artist who discovered his gift after suffering a stroke is exhibiting two of his paintings at a leading London gallery.

Alan Brown’s paintings are on show at the Morley Gallery in Westminster as part of an exhibition entitled Out of the Blue: the Art of the Stroke.

The exhibition highlights the contribution stroke survivors make to society and marks the 20th anniversary of the Stroke Association. Mr Brown, aged 52, said: “I had a brain aneurysm in 2003 and during the surgery I suffered a stroke. I was in intensive care for weeks and one day an occupational therapist came in and said what I needed was art.

“I thought she was mad, because I’ve never been interested in art, but she got out a photo of her dog and a pencil and paper and I produced a really detailed drawing. I was amazed because I’d never had any ability at art and I’d never been inside an art gallery."

After leaving hospital, Mr Brown took art courses, starting at the Acquired Brain Injuries unit in Evesham and obtained a degree at the University of Worcester. And he gave up the double-glazing business he had previously run.