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 getting out of hospital, Mr Brown took art courses, starting at the Acquired Brain Injuries unit in Evesham and culminating in a degree at The University of Worcester.

And he gave up the doubleglazing business he had previously run and opened a gallery in Graham Road, Malvern.

His story resulted in much national and international interest and not long ago, he was filmed for an Australian TV documentary.

“An art therapist at Charing Cross Hospital saw it on the internet and invited me down to London to give a talk to stroke survivors, medical and nursing staff,” he said. “One of the audience members was an organiser of the show and she invited me to take part.”

The exhibition is at the gallery in Westminster Bridge Road until Monday.