Artist Alison Lapper aims to encourage others

Alison Lapper, the self-taught artist who uses her mouth to create her works, has always wanted to express herself.

The Worthing-based painter, who was born with shortened legs and no arms, says being told she could not be an artist as a child fuelled her determination.

Lapper urges anyone to fulfil their potential, and said: "If you want to do something, put your mind to it. You can do anything."

Famously she went on to feature as a work of art herself - posing for a sculpture for Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth in 2005.

Now Alison Lapper is displaying her latest work alongside more than 100 paintings from 35 countries in a new exhibition.

It marks the 70th anniversary of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, an organisation which provides disabled artists with support.

Lapper said her mission was to break down social barriers and the exhibition is part of that.

She said: "We are professionals at what we do and we are good, it's not 'come and see us because you feel sorry for us' and I think the quality in the work really shows that."

Lapper said there were still many barriers to being a disabled artist.

"Just the physicality of even painting, moving around the studio," she said.

"It's been a help that I have got an electric wheelchair now, because I can actually move around my easel which means I can work a bit bigger."

She also highlighted attitudes towards disabled artists, saying some people assume they do not create their work themselves.

"I think people think that other people paint them and we just come in and sign it," she said.

Tom Yendell, president of the International Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, said its 720 members from 71 countries are an inspirational group and maintain their founder's ethos.

"Eric Stegmann our founder believed really strongly that just because you paint with your mouth and foot you shouldn't have to rely on charity.

"For 70 years we have put self-help and not charity on all our mailing and we feel very strongly, the artists feel they are earning a living and that is really important to us."

He said they are "like a big family" and the exhibition at the Royal Horticultural Hall in London provides the artists an opportunity to meet and celebrate their work.

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