When art defies physical deformity
Despite losing his right hand and leg to a stroke, this artist paints with ease using his left hand
At the age of 68, he has the enthusiasm of a teenager. With brush in his left hand, he induces life on the canvass. His paintings reflect his skills to such an extent that viewers hardly get any hint that he is half able, unless so mentioned.
Avinash Godbole is not a southpaw by birth, although he now works with left hand producing marvels out of brush and colours. He was forced to switch to left hand after paralysis stroke took toll of entire right part.
He is immobile and depends on his family for his personal chores. Yet, the artist in him has continued to flourish.
Godole, an artist working with an advertisement agency in Mumbai, eked out his livelihood with paint and brush.
Everything was fine till disaster struck in the form of stroke at the age of 59. His right part of the body lost strength completely all of a sudden.
As the disease has painless symptoms, he did not rush to get ‘right’ treatment in time. It was too late when he realised that the disorder could be reasonably treated only if he got medical attention within three hours of experiencing the symptoms. “Ignoring the signs was the biggest mistake I made. The moment I suffered stroke, I should have gone to an expert. The mistake cost me my right arm and leg”, he says recalling the traumatic moments.
Irreversible deformity
Though the deformity was irreversible, he did not give up his desire to paint. He underwent training on using his left hand. After four years of constant practicing, he regained confidence.
Now, again he paints with ease as if he were born southpaw. Paint and brush mean so much to him that he says, “it is painting that has kept me going.
My life is ruined because of stroke, but I am surviving because of the sheer desire to live and paint”.
With both son and daughter being artists, now he has his own mission – to spread awareness about the need of timely treatment for stroke. In fact, he has painted a 22-piece art titled ‘Confession’ through which he explains how traumatic the disorder is and how he would have recovered he had got timely treatment.
He plans to write a book on the theme. He says preparations are on for it.
For one, he is a living example for defying disability when it comes to his passion – paint and brush. He shows the world as to how one can cope with physical odds and proves nothing is impossible.
