From the depths of despair to discovery of great talent

by John Hale

Keith Jansz was born in London in 1961 to Sri Lankan parents who had emigrated to the U.K. when his father served in the Royal Air Force. The middle of three children, Keith's childhood and youth was marked by his brilliance at all and any kind of sport. Just weeks before his accident, he had completed the London Marathon in less than four hours.

Keith and I worked together in financial services, and I was at a client's home in 1995, when our office manager called to say that Keith had been involved in a serious car accident. Keith's car had skidded off the road and struck a tree. A passing motorist spotted the upturned car and called the ambulance service.

Cindy, his wife, myself and various friends and family, rushed to the hospital where Keith lay in Intensive Care. I recall Cindy, sitting in a state of shock, with a lady doctor kneeling before her and holding her hands. She asked the doctor if Keith was going to die. The reply was that they did not know, but if he survived the night, there was a chance that he would live.

Fortunately, Keith was in Stoke Mandeville Spinal Unit, considered by many, to be the leading such unit in the world. Christopher Reeve's accident had occurred at about the same time, and his surgeon had regularly phoned to seek advice from Keith's surgeon.

The prognosis was that Keith had broken the 5th and 6th vertebrae and after a few days was able to breathe un-aided, unlike Christopher, who broke higher vertebrae, and always needed aid. However, it was clear that Keith was paralysed from the shoulders down, with limited arm movement, but with useless fingers, unable to pick up even a pencil.

After about six months in hospital, Keith was sent home. The next few months, as is normal for paraplegics, was one of extreme depression as the dread realisation of what life then consisted of, sank in. Then one day, Cindy's mother brought Keith a book entitled 'Painters First' a collection of biographies of the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists. Keith was able to empathise with the artist's tragic stories, and was inspired by reading of their triumphs and successes. Eager to encourage this spark of interest, Cindy, arranged a meeting with the mouth artist, Trevor Wells, who persuaded him to try holding a brush in his mouth. Despite disastrous early efforts Keith persevered and in 1998 he was accepted as a student artist by the MFPA, the international self help organisation. This achievement spurred Keith on to work with such dedication that his painting skills improved dramatically and in 2000 he was promoted to a full member within the Association.Since then, Keith's paintings have been sold as reproductions worldwide. He has held a number of solo exhibitions in the UK and his paintings have been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world including Lisbon, Madrid, Copenhagen, Shanghai, Atlanta, and Vienna.

Keith's skill has progressed in leaps and bounds, earning the attention of Prince Philip and Prince Charles as well as some of the most senior academicians of the Royal Academy in London. Professor Ken Howard R.A. told me that he was astonished at how Keith, with his mouth, was able to do what he, Ken, struggled to do with his hands.

Keith's painting style is that of the "Impressionists". The camera had been invented at the time of Monet, Renoir and the others, and they considered that it was no longer necessary to paint every tiny detail, but rather, by the clever use of light, put the viewer in the picture. Keith calls this, "The Art of Light" and it is this skill which has earned him so many accolades from the world of art.

Keith's way of giving thanks for the discovery of the innate skill, which enables him to support himself and Cindy, is to give time and effort to the raising of funds for charities and good causes, including his own village church, which can be seen here on youtube

John Hale.
Father-in-law

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From the depths of despair to discovery of great talent

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From the depths of despair to discovery of great talent