Chris Hay tells us of his artistic abilities...

My name is Chris Hay, Born in February 1976, I was diagnosed at the age of six months as having cerebral palsy. The condition is severe and has left me without the power of speech and without the use of my hands. I depend on my family, friends and carers to assist me with my day-to-day basic needs.

I believe I get my artistic abilities from my granddad, Eric Williams, who was always drawing and had great talent. He also excelled at playing the drums and was a well-known local entertainer in the Holywell area. Sadly, he died four years ago and is still deeply missed by my family and me. Some of my granddad’s work has been framed and hangs on display in my conservatory at home. And this gives me inspiration.

All my artwork is done with use of my computer using different software, my creations are painstakingly drawn with as much accuracy as I can manage working from an original photograph. I work using a headswitch and it takes a considerable amount of time to complete even one picture.

My aim in setting up a site to show my work to a wider audience so that I can get many more commissions, thus turning my hobby into a job.

For the first four years of my life, I lived in Holywell, north Wales, with my parents. My mother Anne stayed at home to look after my sister Claire and me, while three times a week I travelled to the nearby Abergele Hospital for physiotherapy.

My Feats to achievement...

In June 1980, I moved with my family to Llandudno, also in north Wales, where I attended Ysgol Gogarth, a specialist school in Llandudno for children with physical disabilities. It was here that I began to develop my skills in art with the aid of a computer.

At the age of 18, I left Ysgol Gogarth to attend a specialist college in Coventry, in the West Midlands. Here I further developed my artistic and computer skills, while also learning to become more independent. I was awarded City and Guild certificates for a number of my achievements.

I was not happy living away from home and after contracting E coli and being seriously ill, I decided to return home.

A few months later, I enrolled at Llandrillo College, Rhos on Sea, where I studied AUTO-CAD designing software and continued with my art. I studied at the college for five years and had some fantastic tutors, learning so much. My time at Llandrillo was one of the best periods of my life and I enjoyed being in the college environment.

My hard work at the college was rewarded when my tutors nominated me for the 'Learner of the Year 2000' award, which I won.

Commissions...

I am hoping that setting my website will drive new leads to help me get more commissions. Starting from an original photograph, it can take up to three months for me to complete a picture.

I have had a number of commissions, the latest being from a family friend, Linda Griffiths, who lives in Spain. She has commissioned six pictures of friends’ houses. It was after starting on these pictures that I was motivated to pursue my hobby of painting as a business.

I have recently been commissioned to design pictures of a number of police stations to be featured in 'Y Glas', a quarterly magazine that is distributed to all homes in north Wales. The original artwork will then be displayed in the police stations. I am hoping that this series of pictures will be on display at the north Wales Eisteddfod.

A special thank you...

Chris would like to thank his family and friends for all the encouragement that they have given over the years.

Special thanks to my mother and father, Anne and Will Hay, our friend Linda Griffiths for encouraging me to take my hobby further and Linda’s nephew, Matthew Evans, for setting up this website.

My website can be visited at www.christhepictureman.com

Old Llandudno Enthusiasts would like to wish Chris
the very best with his hobby and venture