Artist Creates “Nail Art” to Raise Money for Parkinson Disease Research
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Artist and designer Michele Keir has Parkinson Disease. Shortly after being diagnosed with a tremor in her left hand, Keir took up painting her fingernails in bold, colorful designs. And soon, Keir found herself in a new form, showing her work, and raising funds for PD research. GoLocalProv caught up with Keir while her show, the "Sassy Nail Art" collection, is showing at the Warwick Central Library.
You began painting your nails after your Parkinson diagnosis. Why?
In April I began painting my fingernails in original and unusual designs. The challenge to this was the tremor in my left hand due to Parkinson Disease. I enjoyed the challenge and it became my self-directed therapy. The activity relaxes me and overcomes the tremor. I decided to photograph my left hand "in all its glory" as a kind of journal. I expected this would lead to something, but didn't really know what.
For some unknown reason, I put one of these digital photos into my computer and experimented with Photoshop techniques using my creative talent and graphic design skills. The resulting artwork tempted me into trying these techniques on more photos. Thus began my "Sassy Nail Art Collection."
Where did it go from there?
Excited by the results, I showed them off to other people who found them fascinating and attractive. This is art for art's sake (no one telling me what to do...no commercial use for the designs). I was so creatively stimulated that the collection grew rapidly. I wanted to share my joy and do something with it beyond decorating the walls of my home. I showed samples to the people I come in contact with socially and through my job.
I was flattered when some residents at Epoch on the Eastside Assisted Living Residence, asked me to display my work in their gallery. This recognition jelled the idea of my exhibiting my art and using the art my Parkinson tremor has born to raise funds for the American Parkinson Disease Association. I want a cure for this debilitating disease which runs in my family. My innate creativity has led me to this goal of using my art to raise funds. I have assigned a value of a $50 donation to the resulting framed pieces.
The project is growing. What's next?
The public has been supportive in both its compliments and donations. This in turn has spurred me to both produce more and more original designs and find ways of showcasing them to prospective donors. I have exhibited at Epoch East and two small bazaars. I have a series of three, month long, library exhibits scheduled (Warwick in December, East Greenwich in February and Cranston in March). I have designed and developed two Web sites (keirdesigns.webstarts.com/index.html and sassynailart.webstarts.com/index.html) so people can view a large selection of my work and order framed pieces or from a line of donor cards which feature the "Sassy Nail Art Collection." I tell everyone I come in contact with about my art and show those interested samples of the art in a slide show on the camera I carry with me. The result is money raised for PD research.
My Parkinson tremor is leading me to new creative heights. For that I am grateful and hope to continue to grow as a fine artist and raise money for a cure with my gift.
