Claustrophobia

Henry

2019, Acrylic on canvas

100 x 80cm

Hear Henry talking about his experience.

Henry had a difficult childhood. After being homeless in his late teens, he moved to the north of England and focused on a career in IT. “Due to my background, I was forced to be confident and outgoing, almost as a survival tactic. This helped me a lot in a way to move forward with my career and navigating very difficult times.”

An adrenaline-seeker, he loved mountain biking and motorbikes. “I lived and breathed motorbikes for years, when I wasn’t riding and exploring England and Europe, I would be in the garage working on bikes. They were my quiet place in a way, a way to shut everything else out and destress.”

In 2018, after starting a new IT role in Leeds, tragedy struck. On his fourth day, while commuting, a car hit him, crushing his foot. “Without much choice, and help from the charity Day One Trauma Support, I elected to have my lower left leg amputated.”

Adjusting was overwhelming. “The first time I got a wheelchair… it was the first time I felt the compressed, panicky world of being disabled.” Everyday tasks were exhausting. “Even now… every time I get back in it, I get the same sense of claustrophobia.”

Andy’s painting captures that feeling.