Artist with Paralysis Paints Realistic Portrait of President Tharman with His Mouth, Gets Noticed by the Man Himself – Mothership.SG

With a paintbrush in his mouth, artist Aaron Yeo creates beautiful works of art.

Among the former hairstylist’s creations was a realistic portrait of President Tharman, which was spotted by the man himself.

In a Facebook post on October 19, the president shared Yeo’s artwork, calling him “amazing”.

“Aaron made this mouth painting of me from a photo. I will cherish it,” he wrote.

President Tharman also talked about Yeo’s journey.

After a motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, Yeo was “lost and sad”.

By chance, the tetraplegic discovered art and received formal training at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

He now paints full time.

“Aaron’s oil paintings, his every move and his determination to overcome tremendous adversities in life are inspiring,” President Tharman wrote.

The president, who is a noted supporter of the arts along with his wife Jane Ittogi, also shared another painting by Yeo called “Peaceful Calm.”

A serene illustration of a water lily pond, described by the artist as “a reminder to cultivate inner strength, allowing us to weather any storm and find beauty in our unfolding lives.”

Impressed? Do you think it would look nice on your walls?

Yeo’s work, along with that of 200 other artists with disabilities, can be seen at the Shaping Hearts 2024 art exhibition.

Check it out from now until November 3 at Our Tampines Hub, or buy the artists’ works online here.

Top image by Tharman Shanmugaratnam/Facebook