TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — After weeks of opening the mailbox to find political ads, pretty soon, you can expect to see a lot more cheerful deliveries. We’re talking about Christmas cards.
When Chris Kuster started mouth painting 20 years ago, he never thought his artwork would ever leave this studio, but now his snowman Christmas Card is being sold worldwide.
“I was injured in a shallow water diving accident in 1992,” said Kuster. “Jumped in the water, hit my head, broke my neck, became paralyzed and have been in my wheel chair ever since.”
Chris may not be able to pick up a paintbrush with his hands, but he can paint just as well with his mouth.
“I’ve done hundreds and hundreds of Christmas card designs,” said Kuster.
This year, out of hundreds of disabled artists nationwide, Chris’ snowman design was one of six selected by the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists group to be sold as part of their holiday card collection.
“I’m humbled, I really am, because when I was told that my little snowman was one of the cards to be used this holiday season, to think about all the people that will see that, hundreds, thousands, who knows where, what little pocket of the world, maybe they’ll look me up on the internet,” said Kuster.
The Mouth and Foot Painting Artist group consists of more than 800 artists from 160 plus countries. However, Chris said it’s not a charity. It’s an outlet.
“We want to be able to support ourselves through the sale of our art and being that we are disabled or homebound we normally wouldn’t have the venue to do that, and this gives us the venue and opens up possibilities around the globe,” said Kuster.
Kuster hopes to inspire people to put down the phone and pick up a pen when it comes to greeting friends and loved ones this holiday season.
“Everything is such a digital presence,” said Kuster. “There is nothing better than something that is tangible, you can hold it in your hand, you can pinch it to the Christmas tree, it’s there, it’s a piece of paper, somebody took the time to write it, stick a stamp on it and send it.”
For more information on how to purchase holiday cards designed by Mouth and Foot artists, click here.
