Susie Hulks Memorial Award for Art
This award is given in memory of Susie Hulks, who received the Life After Stroke Artistic Award in 1996. This award is presented to a stroke survivor who uses the visual arts to express his or herself creatively. This could include painting, drawing, sculpture or ceramics.
Winner - George Glaves, aged 62, Sheffield
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Picture: Eileen Glaves, award presenter Bruce Forsyth, winner George Glaves and award presenter Graham Cole
George experienced a major stroke in 1999 at the age of 52. He spent five months in hospital and 18 months attending the Day Rehabilitation Unit at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.
George was a self-employed businessman prior to his stroke. Thereafter his life changed dramatically as he could no longer work and this had a serious financial impact upon both his life and that of his family.
He is unable to continue with the hobbies and activities he had before his stroke and needs long-term care from his wife, Eileen.
George has right-sided paralysis, wears a leg brace and uses a walking stick. He is jargon aphasic and is unable to use any recognisable words. He has also lost the ability to read and write, tell the time and work with numbers and money.
However, George has rebuilt his life through sheer determination and hard work.
George became involved in art when he was in hospital after his stroke; he had no previous experience of either painting or drawing. He was right-handed before his stroke and used drawing after his stroke as a way to practise using his left hand.
At that time, he was only able to draw concentric circles but through practice he began to copy drawings and photographs and he has taught himself to paint using his left hand. He now composes his own art works using watercolours and oils and has attained an exceptionally high standard of competence without the aid of formal training.
George has become a respected local artist and is a complete inspiration to everyone he meets. He takes his disability in his stride and has ‘refused to give in to it’.
