Teen artist with painful skin condition inspires through his work

Adversity often exposes who and what we really are.

Richard Flamenco was born with a rare skin disorder that never allowed him to do the things most boys like to do, but he discovered he has an amazing talent.

Richard has a genetic skin condition known as Epidermolysis Bullosa which causes his skin to be extremely fragile.  The painful condition has stunted his physical growth, leaving the 18-year-old roughly the size of an average 12-year-old.

Flamenco has spent a significant amount of time in the Alberta Children's Hospital and has never been able to participate in sports.

“I've always had to find something I can do which has been video games and then being at the hospital, I couldn't do that because I had the I.V.,” says Richard.  “I couldn't move a lot so I just decided to pick up a pencil.”

When the teen picked up a pencil, an amazing artistic talent was revealed which changed his life.

“Instead of thinking ‘I wish I could play sports, I wish I could do this stuff’, I found something I'm good at.”

Deb Wozny, an art therapist at the Alberta Children's Hospital, says Richard's natural talent is amazing, but it goes deeper.

“What has really inspired me about him is his motivation to keep going with it and that it's something in his life now that he can take to another level,” says Wozny.

Wozny says there have been people who have expressed interest in purchasing one of Richard’s pieces and a company has offered to assist Richard if he chooses to pursue his art as a source of income.

Danni Flamenco's pride in her son goes far beyond Richard’s artistic talent.

“How he inspires others I think is where I'm inspired by him,” says Danni.  “How he's inspired his sister just with his art work and in school.  There were kids that said, you know Richard's taught me not to be a bully because being his friend you can't be aggressive.”

Richard's sister Sara was inspired by her brother at an early age.  By following Ricahrd’s example, Sara won the Stampede Aggie Days Art competition in 2012.

Danni Flamenco says she doesn't have much of her son’s work at home because he gives it away.

“It always seemed to be his attending nurse, or the doctor, or whoever was taking care of him that day that went away with his piece of art.”

For the way he overcomes huge challenges and uses his talent to brighten the lives of others, Richard Flamenco is this week’s Inspiring Albertan.

For more information on Epidermolusis Bullosa visit DEBRA Canada.