These half a dozen children tried so hard because they were inspired, and
because their teacher did.
Jules Epstein is a quadriplegic. He paints intricate watercolor-and-pen cityscapes with his mouth.
Every Thursday evening, Epstein teaches painting at the Roosevelt Boulevard hospital through ArtReach, a new program for the disabled that was started in January. The Abington Art Center in Jenkintown, the Glenmede Trust Co. and the hospital are the sponsors.
Last week, Epstein sat slumped over in his wheelchair because his spine, damaged in a diving accident 30 years ago, refused to support his bulky frame. He gripped a paintbrush, equipped with a hard plastic handle, between his teeth.
He dipped his brush into a cup of water and swirled it around in the white color on his tray. Then he delicately outlined against the blue background a vase with a bunch of five-petal flowers.
"It's something I can do completely independent with my particular setup," said Epstein, 57, who has been painting for only the last two years. At his home, Epstein has an upright board attached to an old television stand. A mounted hair dryer helps remove moisture from the painting, and a pouch slung on the side of his wheelchair holds his brushes, pens and pencils.
He manipulates his neck with the grace and agility of a swan, painting minute areas of color to create an image. His favorite subject is the city - Rittenhouse Square, City Hall, Broad Street. He uses pale blues and reds, inking in details with a pen.
"I'm a city person," said Epstein, a Philadelphia native who has lived in Center City with his wife, Hilda, and their daughter, Barbara, 15, for three years. Their son, David, 23, also lives in Philadelphia.
Because he cannot use a camera, Epstein paints from memory. "I go to an area and absorb what I see," he said. "I pick up the essence of the scene."
