About MDA

Fighting every day to free individuals — and the families who love them — from the harmful effects of muscle-debilitating diseases so they can live longer and grow stronger

Art Collection

The Muscular Dystrophy Association Art Collection was established in 1992 to highlight the achievements of artists with disabilities and to emphasize that physical disability is no barrier to creativity. The collection, on display in MDA offices across the country, comprises 400 original works by adults and children who have muscular dystrophy, ALS or a related life-threatening disease MDA supports. Artists in the collection represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and range in age from 2 to 84 when the artwork was created.

The MDA Art Collection is one of the most varied collections in America. The versatility attests to the imagination and talent of the artists. The collection features unusual artistic media, from digital designs to collages with corn, to paint applied with wheelchair wheels and human feet. There are also many works in more traditional oils, watercolors, acrylics, pen and ink, crayons, pastels, bronze, ceramics and photography.

Subject matter ranges from self-portraits to landscapes, and from still lifes to outer space fantasies.

In addition to showcasing the work of talented artists who are affected by neuromuscular diseases, MDA's Art Collection allows the artists to articulate their distinctive vision of living with a disability.

The Culture of Disability

The MDA Art Collection illustrates the emergence of artists with a sense of pride in their experiences, including those as people with disabilities. Their work is an important element in, and vehicle for, the unique culture of disability. These works provide kids and adults served by MDA with the opportunity to visually communicate their experiences with neuromuscular disease.

Exhibits

MDA Art Collection exhibits are initiated by either MDA or the host location. All exhibits are underwritten by the participating facility or by corporate/individual sponsors.

Exhibits typically consist of 20 to 40 works and vary in duration from about four to eight weeks. The curator selects the works to be shown at each individual venue. Some exhibits emphasize range and diversity while others have a specific focus (e.g., landscapes, self-portraits, etc.).

Selected art from the collection has been exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art; Cork Gallery at Lincoln Center and The Forbes Collection in New York; Tucson Museum of Art; Bishop Museum in Honolulu; Chicago Public Library; Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art; Los Angeles Children's Museum; JFK Center at Vanderbilt University, Nashville; Fresno Metropolitan Museum; Duluth Art Institute; Capital Children's Museum, Washington, D.C.; the Henry Ford Centennial Library in Dearborn, Mich.; and Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

To date, the MDA Art Collection has been viewed by more than 3.5 million people nationwide.

Support the Art Collection

The Muscular Dystrophy Association welcomes your support of our Art Collection and our efforts to find research breakthroughs across diseases, care for kids and adults from day one and provide services and support for families in hometowns across America. MDA's programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors and generous organizations. Contributions to MDA are tax deductible.

 

  • Sunflowers

    Jennifer PattisonLimb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)

  • Sunset

    Sarah Mac IsaacCongenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD)

  • Sunset at Camp Marie

    Mathew MurdockSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Sunset at Lake Estes

    Charles MotisherLimb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)

  • Sunset Dip

    Luke ChristieAll Disease

  • Sunset Under the Pier

    Lynn UptonCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Super K

    Kaalan WilsonAll Disease

  • Supercalifragilizard

    Nicholas OlsonFriedreich's Ataxia (FA)

  • Susan Kinney

    Susan KinneyCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Sweet Silence

    Yvonne NievesEndocrine Myopathies

  • Swimming

    Brian StockEndocrine Myopathies

  • Swing Batta Batta Swing

    Daniel PadillaBecker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD)

  • Teddy Bear

    Ariane BermanLimb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)

  • Tenacious Leaf

    Audrey FalkFacioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSH, FSHD)

  • Tennessee Dolls

    Vauta TenneyMyasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • The Birthday Tree

    Sarah SchwegelSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • The Breath of the Spirit

    Carlos SerbiaBecker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD)

  • The Cello Player

    Frank BareInclusion-Body Myositis (IBM)

  • The Christmas Tree

    Kerry RionFacioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSH, FSHD)

  • The Colors of my Heart

    Sarah KiddFriedreich's Ataxia (FA)

  • The Dancing House

    Alex VargasAll Disease

  • The Final Frontier

    Ryan SannerAll Disease

  • The First Day of Harvest

    Charles ReedAll Disease

  • The Flower Cart

    Kim CosilmonCongenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD)

  • The Garden

    Sarah SchwegelSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • The Happy Biker

    David BrunnerAll Disease

  • The Jetty

    Les WoolleyCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • The Marble Table, Herculaneum

    MaryAnn MillerEndocrine Myopathies

  • The Raging River

    David IngersollAll Disease

  • The Scribe

    Monty TopcheAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • The Singing Snowmen

    Sarah EamesMyasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • The Swing

    Tommy RobertsBecker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD)

  • The Texas Inn

    Janice CampbellMyasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • The Tree

    Jeff PetrieAll Disease

  • The Unforgettable Fire

    Elsha StocksethSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • The World in Chaos

    Tomas DiazAll Disease

  • These Stairs Intrigue Me

    Patrick HarrisFacioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSH, FSHD)

  • Things That I Remember

    Jack MaccolemanEndocrine Myopathies

  • This Baby Shines

    Craig WildermanSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Thunder

    Alexander Amble GravdahlCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Tranquility

    Jack MaccolemanMetabolic Myopathies

  • Tree of Life

    Christopher CooksonLimb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)

  • Tucson

    Harry TaylorAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • Turtle

    Christopher BrownCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Twilight in Paradise

    William RossAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • Under the Aloha Sea

    Various ArtistsMetabolic Myopathies

  • Under the Sea

    Destiny SanchezSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Untitled - Alan Pappalardo

    Alan PappalardoCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Untitled - Alex Villareal

    Alex VillarealAll Disease

  • Untitled - Brad Chidester

    Brad ChidesterSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

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