|
Stroke Doesn’t Stop Prize-Winning Artist Things looked bleak for Liz Fermoyle’s career as an artist on Thanks-giving Day, 1995. While most people enjoyed a traditional turkey dinner, she rode an ambulance from a hospital Intensive Care Unit to a rehab center after suffering a massive stroke. "We just prayed that she would recover something approaching normal functioning capability," reports Liz’s husband Ken Fermoyle. "We didn’t even consider the possibility of her continuing as an artist!" Thanks to quick response by paramedics, excellent care at the hospital and rehab center, plus her own hard work and great determination, Liz not only picked up her paint brushes and pastel sticks again but went on to win some 16 ribbons at Southern California art shows since 2002. She began 2004 in an especially big way. First, she won a special Board of Directors Award at a San Fernando Valley Festival of Art for a pastel portrait titled A Compassionate Gentleman. The club president confided that it was his favorite of the show. Next, just three weeks later, she took first-place at a Westlake Village Art Guild show in the People/Portrait category for La Femme, an ethereal, somewhat abstract pastel. Just to prove her versatility, she won a second place ribbon in the Still Life category at the same show. "Winning the Directors award and first place for La Fenne were special high points for me," said Liz at the time. "I received quite a few ribbons in the previous two years at various art exhibits and festivals, but these two are the highlights of my career so far - especially since they, and the second-place Still Life award, all within weeks of each other. I’m walking on air right now!" Just to prove it wasn’t a fluke, she won another 1st place blue ribbon in the same show’s Still Life category in January, 2005! These were just the latest awards Liz received. Previously, she picked up a dozen 2nd and 3rd places in a variety of exhibits. Husband Ken hasn’t been surprised by his wife’s success since her stroke. "What did amaze me was walking into her studio the day after her release from rehab and finding her working on a porcelain piece she had started painting just before suffering the stroke. I was even more stunned when I realized she was working with her left hand! "Liz was strictly right handed before the stroke. She explained that she still didn’t have full strength or control with her right hand, so she thought she would try using the brush with her left hand. And it worked. She finished the porcelain piece and has been pretty much ambidextrous in her art work ever since, whether doing china painting, pastels or oil painting.
|
La Femme
(pastel)
Seascape #2 (oil)
Red, Red Rose (oil)
|
