‘Colours give me the strength to move on’

TWO of God’s gifts to man are said to be health and strength but, some persons are not as fortunate as others in the sense that they were born with deformities or become incapacitated due to an accident or natural causes.

A few years ago, Carey Baird was working as a carpenter in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) when he fell and broke his spine.
“When I woke up, I was in the hospital but something wasn’t right. I could barely move my hands and I couldn’t move my feet no matter how much I tried. The doctors then told me I broke my spine and was paralysed,” Baird told the Guyana Chronicle during an interview at the Cheshire Home which is located in Mahaica, Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica).

Baird told this publication that he lived alone but after he became paralysed, he had nowhere to go until he found out about the Cheshire home. He said he has been there for just over two years.
“When I first went there I thought that I gon sit in this wheelchair and do nothing for the rest of my life,” he said, adding that his negative thoughts faded quickly after he realised his artistic skills.

The young man whose lower body is paralysed and hands are barely functional, said at first he used to just “play around” with the colours until he learned to grip the markers and drawing utensils properly.
As the days went by, he gradually created his own way of drawing and colouring. After noticing his skills, the management of Cheshire Home allowed him to decorate the walls of the building and make most of their posters.

His drawings range from animals to portraits of people. Baird also believes that he can draw anything once he gets a visual picture of it.
“I could look at people and draw them. Every day I do something different. I use it as a means to be active and keep my body fit,” he said, adding: “I like colours, it brings me back to life. You see my position, sometimes it feels like I’m caught up but every time I draw something new, I shape it up and make sure it nice.”

Baird’s work speaks for itself but he did not always dream of being an artist, so he counts his accident as a new path and an opening to things he never knew he could do.
He said he wants to be taught more so that he can further develop his skills and possibly make it into his own profession.

“I want persons to encourage me to get back on my feet and tell me positive things because I know I could do it. When I started drawing I was amazed at myself and even questioned how I doing these things, but people encouraged me and tell me positive things,” a teary-eyed Baird told this publication.

The young man said he does not intend on giving up, noting that he will “rally out” his paralysis and get his strength back some day.

Even the management of the Home urged persons to help Baird in any way possible because he has the potential to do great things.