Former John Kyrle High School pupil, Alaina Banfield, who has Cerebral Palsy, recently graduated with a first in BA(Hons) Surface Pattern Design from the University of Wales. Alaina studied at Trinity Saint Davids (Swansea).

She creates all her bright and colourful artwork using a headpiece and has just started up her own business called Banfield Designs which has a variety of products on sale.

Being a student with Cerebral Palsy was challenging but Alaina is used to fighting to get where she wants to be. When Alaina was at school she had to work hard to be allowed to take Art at GCSE, which she passed with a C grade. Later she discovered she is dyslexic but has found painting to be a good way to express herself and something she could carry out independently.

Alaina paints wearing a headpiece which has a head pointer attached to it. By bending forward slightly and using the movement of her head she is able to control what she wants to create on the canvas. Her ideas are inspired by flowers which she paints from still life.

The Banfield Designs 2016 Art Exhibition ran for three days in March at the Creative Bubble in Swansea. The show included a selection of Alaina’s work which received such good feedback for the beautiful, bright paintings that she was inspired to set up her own business.

Visit www.banfielddesigns.co.uk to see more examples of Alaina’s work or to make a purchase.