Shining talent lights up the dark days

HIDDEN talent artist Garry Holt

A HIDDEN talent that has helped a Royton man through the darkest days of an incurable illness has finally given him the chance to shine.

Garry Holt (38) has had a daunting journey from hospital room to art gallery in 12 months.

Diagnosed with the muscle-wasting condition Kennedy’s Disease — a motor neurone disease — at 30, he was forced to give up his job at 34 as he struggled to manage the condition.

Following a routine operation last year he was suddenly unable to walk and suffered uncontrollable muscle spasms, which forced him into six months of intensive rehabilitation.

Wheelchair-bound for months, his spirits were boosted by the hospital’s art therapy staff, who helped him to discover a gift for collage

Last year he wowed audiences with pieces at Tochdale’s Touchstones Gallery’s People’s Art 2014 event and now he has been invited to stage a solo exhibition there.

“Good to Feel the Breeze of Fear” opens on June 6 and features 65 of Garry’s collages.

“It was just something to help me mentally, I never thought I could produce actual art as I’ve never been involved in anything artistic in my life,” said Garry.

“When I started doing them in hospital people started telling me how good they were and it encouraged me to carry on. It’s something I turn to when I’m down in the dumps, it makes me happy. The collages reflect all sorts of emotions: some are funny, some are dark, some are surreal, but I’ve got miles better since I started doing them.”

For details of the exhibition visit his Facebook page “Room 8 Gallery” - named after his hospital room.