WOOD CARVING BY ILLINOIS ARTIST
ACCEPTED BY MDA ART COLLECTION

"Lean on Me When You're Not Strong"

TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 23, 2003 — Adetailed wood carving by the late Lois Thayer Lewis of Flossmoor, Ill., has been accepted by the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Art Collection. Now in its 12th year, the Collection features artwork by people from across the country with neuromuscular diseases.

The memorable piece, “Lean on Me When You’re Not Strong,” portrays two camels leaning on each other and shows the importance of friendship. Artwork by Lewis, who passed away in May at age 71, has been displayed in numerous exhibits and shows in Chicago and surrounding areas.

An ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and professional artist who owned Siol Art Gallery, Lewis was found to have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in November. Using heavy machinery to create her art pieces became extremely difficult as she lost strength in her hands. Lewis had worked in wood carving for 25 years. She also painted with oils and taught creative stitchery.

ALS is a disease of the parts of the nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. As nerve cells are gradually lost, the muscles they control become weak and then nonfunctional. Respiratory complications are typical in ALS.

“We’re deeply honored to welcome Lois Lewis’ work into the permanent MDA Art Collection,” MDA President & CEO Robert Ross said. “Her contribution to our Collection will undoubtedly move all who see it as it travels to galleries and museums as part of special exhibits of the Collection.”

The new addition by Lewis will be displayed at MDA’s national headquarters in Tucson, Ariz. The Collection was established in 1992 to focus attention on the achievements of artists with disabilities, and to emphasize that physical disability is no barrier to creativity.

The permanent Collection comprises some 300 works by artists aged 2 to 82 and represents all 50 states. Each artist is affected by one of the neuromuscular diseases in the MDA program.

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

MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. MDA maintains clinics for Chicago-area adults and children affected by neuromuscular diseases at University of Chicago Hospitals, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center.

The Association’s programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors.