KOCHI: When life throws you lemons, make a lemonde. Jilumol Mariet Thomas, a 28-year-old artist from Thodupuzha, can tell you plenty about such resilience. She suffers from locomotive syndrome— a disorder that reduces mobility due to impairment of locomotive organs. Despite being born without a functional pair of hands, she now works as a graphic designer at Viani Printings, a leading desktop publisher in Kochi. Her first solo exhibition at Ente Bhoomi Art Gallery features 21 of her newest paintings. The show started on December 29 and will conclude on Thursday.
Jilumol has gracefully outlived her disability through art. She writes and draws with her right foot. “The support from my family, teachers and friends helped me a lot, and gave me the confidence to overcome my limitations,” she said. She has been studying painting for one and a half years under artist Benny Varghese.
The artist was raised at Mercy Nursing Home at Karukachal after the death of her mother. She was just four years old at the time. “I’m grateful to the nuns there for helping me discover my talents and encouraging it. I delved into my artistic potential with the colour pencils they gifted,” Jilumol remembers with a smile.
As a kid, she had to live through isolation and exclusion that most of us wouldn’t dare imagine. “Once I accepted the situation, I stopped focusing on what I couldn’t do, but instead on what I can possibly do. This acceptance gave me the willpower to stay strong and survive. I didn’t want my disability to ever be a burden on me or anyone,” she said.
Jilumol is now trying to get a driving licence. Society plays the villain once more, as she was sent back by the officers who picked on her disability. Her car, which is altered to suit driving with legs, hasn’t been provided registration for this reason. Despite all the hurdles she has faced, Jilumol has just one advice to those struggling with problems in life. “Things may seem hard sometimes. The key is to never ever give up. Struggle until you taste the sweetness of success. You are capable of amazing things. Don’t ever forget that,” she says.