Painting: Finding a Different Method
Dennis Francesconi

Lands End

"Only after you've helped others in similar situations, do you truly begin to understand why all of this has happened in the first place."

—Dennis Francesconi

Dennis Francesconi is an amazing artist from California. Dennis had suffered a water-skiing accident in 1980 at age 17 that caused him to be a C-5 quadriplegic. After learning to sign his name by holding a pen in his mouth, Dennis learned to sketch and paint this way and went on to achieve great things! His diverse subjects range from the California Missions to flowers, landscapes, seascapes, Christmas designs, and Victorian homes. Currently, Dennis is experimenting with work of a more surreal and abstract nature. You can see many of his paintings on his Web site: http://www.sconi.com.

Through hard work, determination, and the support of his wife Kristi, Dennis is enjoying a successful career as a professional artist. Following rehabilitation, Kristi encouraged Dennis to attend college with her and the two earned Associate of Arts Degrees, membership into Phi Theta Kappa, and inclusion on the National Dean's List. Despite the demands of college, Dennis kept sketching, and rapidly advanced to working with watercolors.

White Lilies

In early 1993, Dennis heard about the prestigious Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, Worldwide (AMFPA), and quickly submitted samples of his work for review. By late 1993, Dennis was accepted as a student member. Five and a half years later, Dennis climbed the ranks to a full membership position within the AMFPA.

As a full member, Dennis is paid a generous salary that allows him to be financially independent and completely self-supporting. Not being dependent on government aid is a major accomplishment close to the hearts of many people with severe disabilities. "I'm proud of the fact that through my work and the unique business model of the AMFPA, I'm no longer a burden to the American taxpayer, not even for healthcare," says Dennis, who is a taxpayer himself.

About AMFPA
The AMFPA is not a charity, but a for-profit, international corporation that markets the work of its artists as greeting cards, calendars, stationary, and gift wrap, etc. in approximately 70 countries. Dennis has published an abundance of information about his work, the AMFPA, and their domestic publishers, the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Inc., in Atlanta, included on his Web site (listed above). Dennis also enjoys helping other artists.

Dennis has exhibited his work in Los Angeles San Diego, New York, Chicago, and Atlanta, as well as in Vancouver BC, Vienna, Austria, Sweden, Geneva, Switzerland, the Peoples Republic of China, Great Britain, Sydney, Australia, and Lisbon, Portugal.

Adaptations
"For working with watercolors, I use a drafting table slanted towards me at roughly 15 degrees. My paper is either 140 lb. or 300 lb. cold press, taped tightly to a piece of plywood to prevent rippling. I don't use an extended mouth-stick because for me, a longer reach means less detail. I prefer to use regular pencils and brushes, although I do add a soft rubber tip to the end of each that I grip with my teeth. For oils and acrylics, all of the above applies, except I use a table easel on my drafting table so I can paint those pieces upright. Depending on the size of a piece (watercolor, oil, or acrylic) at times I rotate the painting sideways and/or upside down, in order to reach all areas."