Blind artist Ko Aye Thein makes a living from his bamboo artwork.

MG Zin Minn Htet works intently on a painting at the Eden Center for Disabled Children, holding a brush in his unsteady right hand. Despite his disability, the 29-year-old has become an accomplished artist, with considerable demand for his works of art.

Born with cerebral palsy, Mg Zin Minn Htet has never had full control over the movement of his limbs. But, after taking up painting in 1992, he discovered a technique that allowed him to still create artworks for which he has won many art competitions.

“I cannot control my hand when I paint on canvas with an easel; instead, I lay the canvas down on the floor to paintbrush. However, it takes a long time to finish one work this way,” he says.

“Painting became my pursuit at the age of thirteen. At that time I was interested in realism and now I have turned to impressionist landscapes. I like this style of painting, how it uses color to show the effects of light on things rather than showing exact details.”

Mg Zin Minn Htet also depicts the vivid memories he has of his childhood, particularly his mother and siblings. His paintings recreate the memorable occasions of his family life, which he remembers in almost exact details, according to his father, Dr Van Khar.

“In spite of his disability, he is neither shy nor timid and has learnt successfully how to stand on his own two feet. He knows his own mind and has very firm ideas about what he wants to do,” says his father.

“He is very talented,” Dr Van Khar continues, relating how his son became interested in art. “One day, he visited to an artist’s workshop close to our home and fixed his eyes on the works of art — since then, he has spent most of his time at the canvas.”

Ma Kathy Moe is another artist overcoming her disability. She says art is, for her, a way of helping her forget her problems.

“I felt depressed about not able to stand, walk and go everywhere like other people can, so I decided to try my best at my hobby. Now it is satisfying for me to make bamboo crafts really well and do this for my career,” says the 24-year-old artist, who has been confined to a wheelchair since the age of three.

“I devoted myself to drawing at home after I saw art techniques books my father had bought. Initially I liked drawing ladies, later I studied bamboo craft at Aye Myitta Center,” she says. “Now I create pictures from strips of bamboo glued on fabric.”

“I have had a congenital deformity since birth,” says 43-year-old Ko Tint. “But, for 16 years, I have really enjoyed painting.”

“I started my career selling my works at the staircases of Kyauktawgyi Pagoda,” he says. “I am generally content with what I can do but sometimes my weakness disappoints me. I can console myself though with the thought that I always do my best.”

Ko Tint creates watercolours as well as oil and acrylic paintings and has had his work shown at an exhibition organised by the Yangon Disabled Resource Center (YDRC).

Like many young people hit by disability, Ko Aye Thein says it took a long time for him to come to terms with his new situation. Born blind in one eye, he lost the rest of his sight to a disease of the optic nerve aged 24. He was helped through this difficult period, he says, by a combination of art and religion.

“In 1991, I moved to Yangon and joined St Mary’s home for the blind, where I met fellow-sufferers who were in the same boat. That helped my morale. With their sticks, they could walk just as a sighted person can work — and so can I,” he says. “As time went on I grew more and more patient and could accept the changes.”

“[But before this] I was disheartened, I felt hopeless and I grew lonely. I did not want to survive in this world and I felt free from the cares of the day. What frustrated me was that, as a blind person, I had to rely entirely on others for help I didn’t know who would take care of me when my parents passed away.”

“Discrimination from people around me is one of the most serious challenges I face, but now I have a positive attitude and I have overcome it. I’ve dedicated myself to God and my career,” he said.

Now, he has created a life for himself in the world of art — his wife is also a blind artist and he makes a living selling his wares. He also has three children and many friends in the blind community.

“My children are my life, they are very supportive,” he says. “My daily life involves meeting lots of blind people. They are my friends. Most days, I go to church and pray and listen to God. Now I never have much trouble with my physical disability.”