Arnaud DUBARRE

Short Biography

Arnaud is a charming young man with an open attitude to life and a pleasant manner, who has found a way to express his feelings, his joy and his pain through painting. Right at the beginning life dealt him a heavy blow as, on 6th June 1981, he was born in Fontenay Le Comte (Vendée) with arthrogryposis of the arms and legs. He grew up in a loving family and received care at the Centre d’Acceuil Médico-Social in Biard three times a week. On Saturday mornings he attended the kindergarten in his village, to sing songs with the other children and listen to nursery rhymes. Later on, he regularly attended the state primary school at Biard. Outside school, he devoted himself to handicrafts such as painting and carving in wood and plaster. Up to the 8th class, he attended normal lessons and afterwards lessons designed for the disabled. He learned to live independently in a three-year training. He has already been an enthusiastic player of electric wheelchair football for ten years. He also spends his free time playing table tennis and blowpipe shooting. Through meeting Serge Maudet, he discovered painting techniques adapted to his disability. Arnaud has always been eager to learn, and during a seminar with Serge Maudet he was delighted to discover watercolour painting, a technique which he likes enormously. His favourite motifs are landscapes and flowers.