Raymond Hickey Mouth painter gets gold

RAYMOND Hickey’s studio is full with piles of brushes, books on art and canvases on the walls and desk.

The only difference between him and other artists is that while many others work with their hands, Raymond holds the brush quietly between his teeth.

He began painting that way after a car smash into in south Waikato in 1962 left him a tetraplegic.

The Howickian has been a member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists for 11 years and has just taken out Bruce Hopkins monument Art Awards.

Painting with a brush in your mouth sounds bizarre; the 69 year old told the times.

“But it is what is in your head, not your mouth, that is important.”

His second placing was goes an abstract work called Cosmic Clash.

Raymond has entered the awards some times before, winning several places, as well as first back in 2009.

In spite of his success, Raymond wasn’t excessively confident going into the competition.

He says, It does not always work out with the judges. They are a peculiar bunch, a bit like cricket umpires.