Our Artists

Fifteen years ago at the age of 50, James McKenzie’s life was changed forever when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. “I had no idea what to expect”, he says, “but I was fortunate enough to have the support of my family & friends”.

Despite the despairing news, one of the first things James did following his diagnosis was to volunteer for a new procedure called deep brain stimulation. This novel way of reducing the tremors endured by people with Parkinson’s was only possible thanks to the support of charities like Parkinson Canada, and the bravery of people like James.

Over the next fifteen years, James, now bound to a wheelchair after suffering a small stroke, took to art therapy from his home at the Altamont Care Community in the east end of Toronto. It’s here that James, with encouragement of ISI foundation and CEO of ISI Alex Dudarev, where the idea of turning his new passion for art into a gift for the community became a reality.

As he puts it, “I thought I’d use that gift that was given to me and give back”.

With the support of Parkinson Canada and the ISI Foundation, James McKenzie is using his love for painting to raise money and awareness for people with Parkinson’s disease.

Aura Burditt is a London Ontario artist who is inspired by the breathtaking beauty of Canadian landscapes. She has a friend and co-worker who has been affected by Parkinson’s for many years. She supports their annual walk to raise awareness and is dedicated to ongoing support by donating her artwork for the cause.

Aura is a member of London Community Artists as well as the Gallery Painting Group. She is passionate about human rights issues and is a public speaker educating about human trafficking prevention. She finds peace in the tranquil act of putting colour onto canvas and hopes that will speak to the hearts and minds of those who view her artwork. She also believes that there is something profoundly healing about connecting with nature and reflects this inherent truth in her landscapes.

You can follow her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/auraburdittart

The meaning of life is to find your gift; the purpose of life is to give it away" - Pablo Picasso

As for my story, I was diagnosed in December 2017 at the age of 45. I have an amazing husband, Paul, most caring daughter and son-in-law, Melissa and Charles. I also have fantastic friends as my support system.

I started painting and doing wood working after I was diagnosed. For me that is the best therapy. When I paint, I get to forget for a little while about my Parkinson. Me and my daughter started a Facebook page where I could sell my paintings to raise money for our Parkinson Superwalk team. It’s called “Charline LeBlanc-Painting for Parkinson”. We are also excited to join Art4parkinson to support this close to heart cause.

Missy Mandel of Toronto, Ontario was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's Disease at age 53. The diagnosis was a shock — consuming her with fear of the unknown. She worried about how the disease would impact her ability to continue doing the things she loved most, like photography.
Over time, she realized what she was most afraid of losing was also what kept her going — her lifeline, photography. Photography gave her the push needed to perform at her best and present the magnificence of nature to all those who see her work.
Rather than letting fear consume her, she chooses to channel her anxiety into action. Missy is deeply grateful to still be able to grip her camera and capture the splendor that surrounds her. She cannot control what fate has dealt her, but she can control how she lives her life. She chooses to live it to the fullest.

Socials
Website: https://www.missymandel.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missymandel_photography/

My name is Esther Maresso and I have had Parkinson’s for ever 15 years I have been doing watercolours for over 40 years and even though my style keeps evolving, I still persist.

I have been very active in the watercolour world here in Quebec: I was president of the l’atelier d’aquarelle de Quebec for 13 years, President of the Société canadienne de l’aquarelle for a year, president of the Symposium d’aquarelle for over 10 years. I was chosen by Quebec City to do watercolours of the winning gardens of the Home and Garden show for five consecutive years and was a member of Canada’s team for the art show in Fabriano, Italy (2020 to 2021).
I’ve been married to a marvellously supportive man for over 50 years and we have 2 wonderful children.

My name is Dianne Bramble and I was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's at the age of 45. That was 13 years ago.

Since then, I have, with the love and support of my husband Tim and our 2 children, rekindled a passion for art and writing.

I have written 2 books and painted over 200 paintings! I sell both my books and paintings to help raise money for my SuperWalk team.

My books can be found at https://www.facebook.com/theaccidentalsuperhero?mibextid=ZbWKwL and my paintings can be found at https://www.facebook.com/BrambleDianne?mibextid=ZbWKwL

I'm excited to share my work with people and to be involved with such a wonderful project!

After raising three children and retiring, I finally have more time to dedicate to creating art. I spent my career working in corporate and commercial interior design. While there were many creative aspects, much of it was very technical and realistic. Now that I am exploring who I am as an artist, I am free to have a much looser approach.

My preferred medium is acrylic paint. I find images that I like and recreate them with my own interpretation. More recently, I have been enjoying painting beautiful landscapes.

My Parkinson’s does not prohibit me from painting, but sometimes it does force me to experiment with innovative techniques to get the desired effect! As with all artists, I am constantly learning and applying those lessons to the next piece I create.

From stills to landscapes and animals to flowers, everything is a worthy subject to paint. When I find my creative flow, I can paint for hours at a time. Over the past few years, I have built a significant catalog of completed canvases.

I hope you enjoy my art as much as I enjoyed painting it!