The art of defiance

TALENTED Peter Rushton has opened his much-anticipated exhibition after utilising his love of art to help him recover from a devastating stroke which left him partly paralysed and unable to use his right hand, the one he used to paint with.

Determined to use his creative talents, he mastered using his left hand to sketch and paint a new collection just five weeks after leaving hospital, as reported in GulfWeekly.

Alongside undergoing tough physiotherapy sessions and therapy to help him fully recover his speech, Peter, 57, succeeded in his goal to unveil a selection of his work in an art exhibition at Moda Mall this week.

The exhibition entitled ‘The Rhythm of Life’ runs until November 6 and is located at the Jewellery Court, near Gate 5, and more than 100 dignitaries and invited guests attended the launch event on Sunday.

Peter, head of corporate communications at Kuwait Finance House (Bahrain), said: “My art is very personal and subjective but I hope that within this collection there is something that will appeal to all.”

It is a collection of works which depicts various art styles and moods from abstract to realism.

Not only are the art styles broad there is also a range of subject matters and form from the vibrant colours in the abstract piece named ‘Sun, Sea and Sound’ to the muted colours of the realism piece ‘Calm before the Storm’ which represents a fierce storm forming over a calm sea.  

Peter heralds from the Welsh city of Swansea and is married to Julia, client services director and acting general manager of marketing company Gulf Marcom. They live in Saar with their son, Digby, 11, who attends St Christopher’s School.

Peter has been in Bahrain for 14 years and originally came out to join a newly-formed advertising and marketing agency as creative director. He had staged successful art shows in the UK before his move to the Middle East and was planning to stage his first exhibition in Bahrain after the summer holidays before he suffered his stroke.

Peter studied Industrial & Fine Art at Swansea University and his successful business career, happy family life and blossoming plans to stage the art show were suddenly dealt a massive blow. But, showing true grit, he remains defiant in adversity and is determined to work on his health issues, remain confident and creative and inspire art lovers across the kingdom.