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May Issue 2009
Beet Gallery
in Charlotte, NC, Features Works by William Flewellen Heard
Beet Gallery in Charlotte, NC, will present the exhibit, A Whole New World, featuring works by quadriplegic painter and teacher William Flewellen Heard visiting from Mississippi. The exhibit at the Beet Gallery will be on view from May 1 - 30, 2009.
A former high school football star and National Guard medic from Tupelo, MS, Heard was paralyzed in a 2001 car accident. After several years of rehabilitation and reflection, he discovered a passion for painting. With a Styrofoam ball and plastic spoon, he developed a unique method of dripping colorful house paint on canvas.
Heard is also an active community volunteer. The Spinal Cord Trust Fund of Mississippi has awarded him several grants to teach painting to people with spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. He serves on the board of "LIFE of Mississippi" (Living Independence for Everyone), a volunteer group that empowers people with significant disabilities to live independently. As an example, he often drives himself hours to encourage people who are newly paralyzed.
"My inspiration comes from watching everything around me," says Heard. "When I see lakes, butterflies, countryside, lilies, animals, and people, ideas come up. I took things for granted before my wreck. Now I have the time to think about life and why we are here and appreciate just being alive. I have been very lucky."
For further information
check our NC Commercial Gallery listings call the gallery at
704/334-3558 or visit (www.beetonline.com).
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