Last weekend, Enter Gallery welcomed prominent British artist, presenter and activist, Alison Lapper, to the gallery, to host a Kids Club inspired by her artistic practice. It's safe to say, things got messy!

Renowned for being bold and provocative, Alison Lapper has enjoyed an artistic career that spans 40 years. Each of her energetic paintings exploring themes of love, grief, physical beauty and more are painted entirely with her mouth. This is because Lapper was born with a condition called Phocomelia, which means she has no arms and shortened legs.

We were so excited to introduce the Kids Club to Lapper, so they could master her technique and see that anything is possible when you’re determined to achieve your dreams. Here’s a rundown of what happened, and some photographic evidence of a wonderful morning…

Meeting the Artist

Lapper is currently appearing in our group show, The Mix, which features original artworks from some of the most exciting contemporary artists on the scene.

Lapper’s appearance also coincides with the release of her latest BBC documentary, In My Own Words, which is available to watch now on iPlayer.

The session began with an introduction from Lapper, who shared her fascinating journey to becoming a successful artist. She spoke of how having a creative outlet helped her to navigate a difficult childhood and how grateful she is to have found an artistic practice that helps her mental health.

Next, she demonstrated the mouth painting technique she has mastered, inviting the children to grab a brush and try it for themselves.

Mouth Painting

The children were encouraged to draw inspiration from the artwork adorning the gallery walls, painting anything that caught their eye. While some kids opted to paint trees and acid men, others preferred to take a more abstract approach!

Lapper chatted to the kids, offering helpful pointers on everything from how to perform the best brushstroke, to adding texture to a painting.

This was such a special couple of hours, and we can’t wait to do it all again next month!

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Read more about Lapper’s background and her latest work over on our blog.