Digital portraits of Parkinson's patients

Artist Timothy Cumming has digitally created heart-touching portraits of Parkinson's patients, an exhibition of which was just held at the Gallery Oxo in London.

He elaborated, “It's all about a special group of people - those involved in today's Parkinson's story. Right now it's a pretty remarkable moment in the history of this disease - cures are emerging from labs. There's hope, but still a way to go before affordable, safe meds are available. So this show was necessary. I want these portraits to illuminate the personalities and roles of a heroic community because for me, art has a valuable role to play in charity, both as a communicator of ideas and as a hub for philanthropy.”

That's why he is backing The Cure Parkinson's Trust and donating all proceeds of the exhibition to it. As potential cures are emerging and clinical trials are gaining in both efficacy and size, now is a great moment to spread the word about people who live with, care for, support, cure or fundraise for Parkinson's.

Revealing what prompted him to paint, the artist adds: “Many of us know people with Parkinson's. For me, it's two young women who are at differing stages of their illness, dealing with the loss of strength, dexterity, energy and until recently, an uncertain future. I hope this show can throw light on their needs, and help to fund the medical research necessary to the final closure on this disease.”

Timothy Cumming is a Scottish artist working mainly in digital oils and acrylics. A painter of both abstract figurative paintings and portraits, he has developed digital canvas and portraiture techniques that reflect both the sitter and the location. He works with local and natural materials as much as possible, because they bring a touch of reality to the work, according to him. 

Cumming works in mixed, print and large-format digital media. A late entrant in the domain of art, he studied engineering at Glasgow University, and has worked in the creative industries - mainly music, design, photography, web and software - both as artist and technician. He's based in Wiltshire, UK.