Parreño Rivera Manuel

Manuel Parreño Rivera suffered from polio at the age of seven months resulting in the paralysis of his arms and hands. For this reason he was compelled as a small boy to use his feet for doing various activities. He felt a painter's calling from a very early age: he completed his first drawings at the age of four and won first prize in a school competition at the age of eight. He further developed his artistic techniques in painting and drawing both on his own initiative as also at the School of Art in Seville. The foot painter became a member of the Association as early as 1957 and has been a member of the VDMFK board since 1995. Drawing and painting have remained his favourite activities. His work has brought him numerous awards and honours over the years. Manuel Parreñó Rivera was among other honours appointed Professor of the "Taller Municipal de Artes Plásticas" in his homeland in 1980. In 2000 he was appointed an honorary member of the "Pontificia y Real Archicofradía de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de la Portería" in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the patron of which is Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain. The reason for this appointment was the presentation and the consecration of one of his works for a local church. Public attention has been drawn to his work worldwide in one man and joint exhibitions. In addition to this he also lectures widely on the work and the objectives of the Association, as well as on art in general.