About MDA
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.
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3 Cottages in Saints-Marie
Haleigh MauriceCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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5 Small Bronzes
Al CareagaCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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A Collection of Albany
Matthew CanfieldCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Apple Pearing
Alexander Amble GravdahlCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Aquarius
Melody ClearyCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Brenton Point
Warren BernhardtCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Bud
June Marie SchneiderCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Celebrate the Day
Milda VizbarCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Clown
Samuel WilliamsCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Coler
Lauren SanfordCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Days Gone By
Richard McCuenCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Doilie Symphony II
Elisabeth Preble MorleyCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Dusty Jeans
Nancy GaleCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Fictional Friend
Daniel GregoryCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Fishing Buddies
Samuel WilliamsCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Forth Right
Cathleen Cato GivanCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Freedom, Fun and Friendship
Abbey UmaliCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Genesis Zipping up the Rainforest
Edward FriedlandCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Gone fishing
Amber Lowenstein-WilliamsCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Happy Hanukkah
K Edgar SwadosCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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MDA Camp
Maureen RaischCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Mountain Stream
Rosalie TothCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Mystical Peaks
Les WoolleyCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Native American with Sheep
Rosalie TothCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Northern Lights
Jennifer GetsonCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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On Guard
Richard McCuenCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Peaceful Watch
Cathleen Cato GivanCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Puffin
Amber Lowenstein-WilliamsCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Pumpkins
Melody ClearyCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Remembering
Rosalie TothCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Rest Stop at MDA Camp
Maureen RaischCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Sea Lion
Al CareagaCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Self-Portrait - Heather Harrelson
Heather HarrelsonCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Self-Portrait - Milda Vizbar
Milda VizbarCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Sing Out
Milda VizbarCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Square Curly Ash Bowl
Thomas MumperCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Star Team
Milda VizbarCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Sunset Under the Pier
Lynn UptonCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Susan Kinney
Susan KinneyCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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The Jetty
Les WoolleyCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Thunder
Alexander Amble GravdahlCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Turtle
Christopher BrownCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Untitled - Alan Pappalardo
Alan PappalardoCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Untitled - Lisa Booth-Henry
Lisa Booth-HenryCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Vortex
Jennifer GetsonCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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Welcome
Barbara TwardowskiCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
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What! Stairs, Stairs and More Stairs!
Milda VizbarCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)