New Painting for End of Life Exhibition

My name is Antonia Rolls, and I am an Artist and a Soul Midwife (an emotional and spiritual companion for those facing the end of life). Art can help people facing illness, dying and bereavement in ways that words cannot, and so, I paint, interview and accompany people who are facing their own dying. The exhibition that I have created, A Graceful Death, travels around the country in order to educate and to raise awareness that the end of life is not only normal, it can be filled with love, joy and wisdom.

I don't charge for the paintings or work that I do for this exhibition. Each finished painting and accompanying text, representing the life and image of the sitter facing the final journey, joins the exhibition, and begins its work to inspire, help and educate all those who come to see it as the exhibition travels to new venues.

My plan now, is to raise enough money, painting by painting, so that I can continue this work.  The painting I want you to help with now, is about a man called Mike, who has Motor Neuron Disease. Mike is full of wit and humour, and is unable to breathe, feed or move without the help of machines.  He communicates with a computer attached to his wheelchair.  But Mike is passionate about life, and wants to tell not only his own story, but to educate us all about what MND is and how to cope with it.  He is going to be a challenge to me, as I have not painted anyone in a wheelchair yet, but Mike is full of fun and life, and while he can, we want to capture this spirit before he deteriorates further.

The money I raise from here, will pay for the travel to and from Mike, who lives far away from me.  It will pay for the materials to paint him, it will pay for the time spent with him learning about him, transcribing his story, and working on making MND a part of the exhibition.  It will also cover the time spent doing the painting, in my studio here in Bognor Regis.

I have four paintings to complete for A Graceful Death this year.  Once the painting of Mike is covered, I will introduce the other three extremely inspiring and wonderful sitters and raise funds for their paintings too.  I hope to complete these works this year, as my sitters have only limited time.  But they all have an amazing sense of life and love, which is why the exhibition and we, who are left, need to know them more.  So many many thanks to all of you for your donations. I am full of admiration and gratitude for your support and kindness.  Love, Antonia