When Dianne Baughman paints, her focus is on the landscape taking shape on the canvas, the colors on her brush, and the joy the process brings her.

“Sometimes when I paint, I don’t know when to stop because I just get started and it takes me somewhere. When I paint, I feel independent; I don’t feel like I have a disability,” she said.

Dianne has been an Amigo owner for over 45 years. She first learned about personal mobility vehicles when she was a student at the University of South Carolina, where she saw another student using one. After a little research, she discovered the Amigo, and she said she just had to have one.

“One thing that made me want the Amigo so much was that it could be customized with a rocker switch. I have limited use of my arms and my hands, and I can’t turn the key. With the switch, I can just flip it up or down,” she said. “Also, they’re just made so tough.” 

Dianne said she has many favorite things about her Amigo, but the most useful features are the power seat lift and infinite seat rotation because they helped her care for her son when he was a baby and while growing up. 

“I could lower the seat to change his diaper or to get him out of the play pen or whatever,” she recalled. “Sometimes we’d go for walks, and I’d be driving the Amigo, he’d be walking, and if he got tired, he would get on the base of the Amigo and sit down, and away we’d go.” 

The features also help her when she paints. 

“I’m a mother, I’m a grandmother, and I’m a mouth painter with Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA),” Dianne said proudly. 

Dianne got her start in painting when she was caring for her mother. Her mother did oil painting in the past, so there was no shortage of art supplies in the home. 

“I started piddling around with some cheap brushes and paint when she was resting,” Dianne said. “One day, my Aunt Rachel came over and saw one of my paintings, and she told me about the MFPA. She said she sent them a letter about me, and they told her to send in some of my art.”  

The MFPA is an international, member-owned co-operative of artists with disabilities that was founded by artist and polio survivor Erich Stegmann and a small group of disabled artists from eight European countries in 1957. The association functions as a business and reproduces its artists’ work for sale as greeting cards, puzzles, calendars, and more.

The MFPA’s United States motto is “Self Help — Not Charity.” It gives artists with disabilities the opportunity to receive financial support while honing their skills and earn income or royalties once their work is sold. 

What started out as a hobby quickly turned into one of Dianne’s greatest passions. She uses acrylics to paint what she loves: landscapes, birds, flowers, and animals. She said she’s inspired by God’s creation, her husband, children, her grandchildren, and her best friend Stephanie, who comes over and helps Dianne set up, get her brushes and paint colors out, and anything else needed to assist her.

Dianne thinks everyone who is interested should try mouth and foot painting for themselves. 

“My advice would be to give it a try because it is so rewarding when you look at what you created, and it’s so relaxing and fun,” she said. “For me, it’s really emotionally healing and so much more fulfilling than I can even put into words.” 

With her Amigo helping her stay independent and active, Dianne is able to keep doing what she loves most, whether that’s spending time with family, exploring the outdoors, or capturing the beauty of nature and life on canvas, one brushstroke at a time.

Mouth and Foot Painting Resources

Mouth and foot painting can be done using standard art supplies. Many artists simply adapt traditional brushes and tools to meet their individual needs.

Dianne shared a few resources that the MFPA provides to help new artists get started.

• MFPA’s Learn To Paint series
• USA MFPA student members and scholarships
• Paintbrush recommendations:
  • Liquitex Acrylic Paintbrushes (set of 6, 5, or 4)
  • Royal & Langnickel paintbrushes (set of 12)
  • Pencil grips or foam tubing to use as mouthpieces
  • Masterson Sta-Wet Pallets
• Liquitex Acrylic Paint
  • Good pigment without the professional price
  • Widely used and trusted
  • Excellent for beginners

“I love to paint with acrylic because if you mess up, you can go right back in about 20 minutes and paint right over it,” Dianne said. “As a matter of fact, if you want to move on, you can use a hair dryer and hit the picture with it and paint over it sooner.”