28 Sep 2013 Chris Carrino Foundation Scholarship Recipient Announced

We are proud to announce the recipient of the 2013 Chris Carrino Foundation Scholarship is Bryan Villa.  The award was presented to Bryan at our 3rd Annual Dinner Dance at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach, NY on July 18, 2013.

Bryan suffers from Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy, a condition that has left him severely immobile.  Born in the Philippines, the 22 year old came to America when he was 6 years old.   Coping with this disease is extremely difficult, but Bryan has found a way:

“At an early age, art has influenced me. Through art, I am able to express myself in ways that help me. My work is drawn from observation. I am fascinated in formal quality of image-making and particularly, in small details. My passion for details has given me the ability to draw things smaller than they appear. I want the viewer to enter this miniature world that I create. Many of my paintings are inspired by collage sketches of composition that I create. I also utilize technology in my work. Programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign provide me with shapes that I can manipulate to generate an artistic image. Through this generated image, I explore a variety of compositional strategies for larger pieces.”

Bryan’s passion for art has led him to pursue a career in Graphic Design.  He is currently majoring in Graphic Design at New Jersey City University:

“As a Graphic Designer, I want to use graphic images to nourish the world’s eyes with vibrant visual colors and shapes. By creating works of art in design, I hope to motivate others to enjoy and appreciate the variety of art forms in everyday life.”

What’s even more impressive about Bryan’s artwork and will to succeed is the fact that his mobility is limited to just his hands.  The work he does is impressive regardless of circumstances.  But given what he has to overcome, his work is inspirational.  Bryan sets an example for everyone living with some kind of disability and represents everything the Chris Carrino Foundation for FSHD is about.

“I will continue to motivate myself to achieve my dreams and goals. What motivates me to fulfill my dreams is that I want to prove that people like me with a disability are capable of achieving.”

Click here to view some of Bryan’s work