Artist with paralysis paints realistic portrait of President Tharman with his mouth, gets noticed by the man himself

With a paint brush in his mouth, artist Aaron Yeo creates beautiful works of art.

Among the former hairstylist's creations was a realistic portrait of President Tharman, which got noticed by the man himself.

In an Oct. 19 Facebook post, the president shared Yeo's artwork, calling him "amazing".

"Aaron did this mouth-painting of me from a photograph. I will treasure it," he wrote.

President Tharman also shared about Yeo's journey.

After a motorcycle accident left him paralysed from the neck down, Yeo had been "lost and in grief".

By chance, the tetraplegic discovered art, went through formal training at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

He now paints full-time.

"Aaron’s oil paintings, his every stroke, his determination to overcome immense odds in life, inspire," President Tharman wrote.

The president, who alongside his wife Jane Ittogi is a known supporter of the arts, also shared another of Yeo's paintings, called "Peaceful Calm".

A serene illustration of a water lily pond, it's described by the artist as "a reminder to cultivate inner strength, allowing us to weather any storm and find beauty in our unfolding lives".

Impressed? Think it'd look nice on your walls?

Yeo's work, along with that of 200 other artists with disabilities, is on display at the Shaping Hearts 2024 art exhibition.

Check it out at Our Tampines Hub from now till Nov. 3, or purchase the artists' works online here.

Top image from Tharman Shanmugaratnam/Facebook