Born on 26 august 1962 in London, Theresa Helen Matthias was a thalidomide baby, and for this reason, she was born without arms and legs. Since her artistic talent was obvious at a very early age, she perfected her talent by taking art courses during her school education. Her parents who had always supported her gave her the opportunity to take private lessons for several years which promoted the further development of her mouth painting technique. In 1991, she was granted a stipend by the MFPA. She was therefore in the position to continue her artistic career and to intensify it. In 2000, she became an Associate Member of the MFPA.
Theresa’s favourite motifs are portraits, animal studies, oceans, and landscapes. It was a great honour for Theresa when one of her paintings was used for a special Christmas stamp edition by Canada Post. Moreover, she has also presented her works to the public at several exhibitions in Canada. Besides painting, Theresa Helen Matthias is a very successful sportsman. In her category, she won several medals and prizes at regional swimming competitions. Swimming is a source of relaxation and a break from her intensive painting activity.
