2023-10-13 15:27:57
Banksy-inspired artist hopes to motivate other learning disabled adults to tap into their creativity
Louis, a learning disabled man from Oswestry, Shropshire, is channelling his passions for art and helping people by mentoring other adults with learning disabilities as he aims to inspire others to experience the same sense of achievement he gets from tapping into his creativity.
Louis is a keen artist who has enjoyed art and performance for as long as he can remember, having studied the subjects at school and college. The now 29-year old has since developed an impressive portfolio containing colourful drawings, textured paintings and unique ‘dotty pictures’.
He has used his home-based workshop to host two exhibitions, the first featuring his staple ‘dotty pictures’ and the second featuring his graffiti artwork, that Louis created using his own abstract letterforms, and a large-scale mural with life-size drawings of himself and his girlfriend, Jess.
He has also had his work displayed in a number of other exhibitions, including at his college and the Methodist Homes Association in Chester, which was his first solo display. Speaking about the experience, he says, “I enjoyed showing my work and talking to the residents about it. They really seemed to enjoy having me there and chatting to me about my art.”
Louis enjoys sharing his creations with others through these exhibitions, including with friends that he has made through local friendship group Luv2meetU, run by learning disability charity Hft, which he joined after a period of loneliness in 2020.
“I am inspired by Banksy and other graffiti artists, like those in Berlin where my sister lives. Mostly though, my ideas come to me in my head and not by looking at other artists’ work,” says Louis.
“I love colour and use it in an intuitive way, building on what feels right until I feel the picture is finished. When I am doing my art, I picture what I want it to look like in my mind before I put pen to paper.”
Louis’ favourite creation to date is the ArtCarr – an up-cycled Ford Focus that he transformed alongside friend and fellow artist, Geri Wilkins. He says, “I love cars and it was brilliant to be able to paint my design directly onto an actual car that was no longer used. I really enjoyed using spray paint, which made me feel like a graffiti artist, and enjoyed getting my design for the seats printed onto fabric and learning how to make a pattern so we could cover the seats and headrests.
“When you see how bright the ArtCarr is, both outside and inside, it makes you realise how boring car colour schemes normally are.”
The ArtCarr is just one of the upcycling projects Louis has worked on. He first got involved in upcycling items in college where he transformed old furniture, such as chairs and cupboards, into more modern art pieces.
Wanting to share his passion for art further and allow others to experience the sense of achievement he gets from creating art, Louis is now pursuing mentoring. He explains:
“I am a caring person and I like to help others by showing them different art. I have been looking for voluntary opportunities to support people and I know Makaton to help communicate with people who don’t speak.”
Louis recently used Makaton to help someone choose colours for their artwork and helped with the use of the art supplies, making art more accessible to them.
What’s next? Louis would like to show others how to do his signature ‘funky lettering’, as well as continuing with his upcycling work and experimenting with different furniture and materials.
If you would like to follow Louis’ journey and view more of his art, you can visit his website here: https://louiscarrart.wordpress.com/.
Notes to editors
For further information please email media.enquiries@hft.org.uk
About Hft
Proudly established in 1962 by a group of visionary parents, Hft is a charity supporting more than 2,500 learning disabled adults in England and Wales. Together, we are creating a future where learning disabled people and their families can live the best life possible.
Providing personalised support. Creating solutions for living independently. Coming together to campaign for positive change. Fundraising for new opportunities and a bigger impact.
In 2033, we’ll live in a world where learning disabled people have greater choice. About where they live. The support they need and want. And how to spend their time and money.
Learning disability versus difficulty
A learning disability is different from a learning difficulty but the terms are often confused and used inter-changeably. A learning difficulty does not affect general intellect, whereas a learning disability is a life-long condition characterised by a reduced intellectual ability and struggle with everyday activities.
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For more information about Hft please visit www.hft.org.uk
