Artwork by Oregon Artist to Exhibit at MDA Art Collection

An acrylic painting created by Amber Stock, 17, of Eugene, Ore., has been accepted into the Muscular Dystrophy Association Art Collection. Now in its 22nd year, the Collection features artwork by people from across the country with muscular dystrophy and related disorders.

"Diamond in the Sunset" is Amber's first donation accepted into the Collection. She attends MDA Summer Camp and painted this piece for the Collection.

Besides painting, Amber's other hobby involves experimenting in the kitchen with new dinner and dessert dishes. Her passion for cooking spurred the Dessert of the Month Club where she and a friend bake and sell goods monthly, donating the proceeds to both MDA and The American Cancer Society.

Though proficient in crocheting, sewing, and quilting, Amber's favorite artistic medium is painting. Painting serves as a stress reliever and an opportunity to lose herself in the canvas.

Amber has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a genetic disease affecting the part of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movement.

"Diamond in the Sunset" is on display at MDA's national headquarters in Tucson, Ariz., and can be seen here. The pieces also will be included in MDA Art Collection traveling exhibits.

"We're honored to receive this colorful painting by Amber into the permanent MDA Art Collection," said MDA Community Relations Manager Courtney McEleney. "Her work is an outstanding example that demonstrates having a physical disability is no barrier to creativity."

The MDA Art Collection was established in 1992 to focus attention on the achievements of artists with disabilities. It comprises 400 works by artists age 2 to 84, representing all 50 states. Each artist is affected by one of the more than 40 diseases in MDA's program.

Selected art from the Collection has been exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art; Cork Gallery at Lincoln Center and the Forbes Collection in New York City; Chicago Public Library; Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art; Los Angeles Children's Museum; Capital Children's Museum, Washington, D.C.; and many other sites.

MDA maintains clinics for area children and adults at Providence Medical Clinic in Medford, Oregon Health and Science University and Shriners Hospital for Children in Portland and Sacred Heart Hospital in Springfield.

About MDA
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the world's leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to finding treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit mda.org and follow us at facebook.com/MDAnational and @MDAnews.

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