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.

 

  • Electric Miles

    Tommy RobertsBecker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD)

  • End of the Line

    Lee BakerMyotonic Dystrophy (DM)

  • End of the Trail

    David MosherSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Engraved Tile

    Kevin KageSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Explosion

    Julie LongLambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS)

  • Fairy of Hope

    Reagan ImhoffSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Falling Water River

    Vauta TenneyMyasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • Feathered Snowman

    Chad CahillAll Disease

  • Ferrari

    Kyle BrodbeckAll Disease

  • Fictional Friend

    Daniel GregoryCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Fierce Hope

    Raymond WestAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • First Date

    Monty TopcheAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • Fishing

    Shawna BormanSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Fishing at Camp

    Nick GerstlerAll Disease

  • Fishing Buddies

    Samuel WilliamsCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Flip Flop # 5

    Harry TaylorAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • Flower Power

    Aubrey OlsonFriedreich's Ataxia (FRDA)

  • Flowerbox Window #2

    Jessica M. KellerCongenital Myopathies

  • Flowers for Gladys

    John AyersFacioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSH, FSHD)

  • Forged Iron Sculpture

    Douglas HendricksonAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • Forgotten Phoenix

    Jackie Edwards Jr.Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Forth Right

    Cathleen Cato GivanCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Four Puppets

    Chris WeeksAll Disease

  • Free to Fly

    Julia Lee SandersCongenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD)

  • Freedom, Fun and Friendship

    Abbey UmaliCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Fresh Picked Apples

    Margaret DrummondLimb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)

  • Friends

    T.C. (Troy) BlackburnAll Disease

  • Friends and Heroes

    Mallory PartonLimb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)

  • Frightening Lightning

    Blanche CubaSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • From Russia with Love

    Lynette BattlesMyasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • Geckos in Reverse

    Jeff PetrieAll Disease

  • Genesis Zipping up the Rainforest

    Edward FriedlandCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Giraffes at Sunset

    Elsha StocksethSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Girls Weaving

    Various ArtistsMetabolic Myopathies

  • God with Us

    Elisabeth HowellSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Gone fishing

    Amber Lowenstein-WilliamsCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Good Birds

    Rob MyersSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Good Tidings of Great Joy

    Audrey FalkFacioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSH, FSHD)

  • Grand Cayman Archway

    Michael BougherAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • Grandpas Pride

    Lacy GustafsonMyotonic Dystrophy (DM)

  • Greystone Castle

    Carl YeagerSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

  • Hanging Geranium

    Barbara MisheckLimb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)

  • Hanging Out II

    Sybil KleimanMyasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • Hanging Out III

    Sybil KleimanMyasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • Hanging Out V

    Sybil KleimanMyasthenia Gravis (MG)

  • Happy Hanukkah

    K Edgar SwadosCharcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

  • Have Wheels will Travel

    Katy HinckleyAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • Having Fun at Sea

    Kaitlyn KuleszCongenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD)

  • Head Turner

    Erin WorshamAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

  • Heaven on a Summer Night

    William RossAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

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