Prosthetics are works of art

Dr Mark Williams DBA PLY made LIMB Art by accident. On a whim, with leftover paint from rebuilding a car, he decided to spray his prosthetic leg to match the colour of the finished Landrover. When his wife Rachael put the photo up on social media he started receiving requests from people to paint their prosthetics and it went from there. 

LIMB Art won the Sir Stelio award in 2018, and received funding in their first year to design and create a wide range prosthetic leg covers with many designs. Each cover is custom made so can be built with your bespoke measurements in mind. The cover can be finished with a different top coat - either high gloss or satin.

Mark, former Paralympic swimmer and medallist, explained that his covers help prosthetic users build their confidence.  He feels that people with lower limb loss should be proud of what they have and have fun whilst showing this off! 

Since wearing a cover Mark has noticed a shift in the conversations he has. He used to be asked how he lost his leg, this was intrusive and negative. “You would notice people looking but no one would know what to say or they would ask if I lost my leg in the war.” 

But Mark is changing the narrative with his outlandish and striking designs that make you stand out. The conversations he has are now positive and he is often asked for selfies! Mark recently collaborated on a study with University of Wales to analyses how people look at amputees. Tracking eye gaze with Amazon software, the study assessed micro glances and his hope is that his prosthetic covers “give permission” for people to look as they draw the eye for the right reasons. 

Having lost his leg at the age of 10, Mark reflects on his journey with pride. He says that if given the chance, he would still choose to stay in the road that day but wishes he could have launched LIMB Art sooner.  However, Mark acknowledges that the world might not have been ready for such a bold concept back then. He credits the recognition of equality in disability to the Paralympics, which began to change perceptions and he feels that this was solidified at the London Paralympics in 2012.

LIMB Art’s most recent addition is a cloth matching service to cover a prosthetic so the lining or lapel of a suit or dress fabric means your prosthetic seamlessly integrates with your outfit. 

Mark Williams’ LIMB Art is not just about aesthetics, it’s about changing the narrative surrounding prosthetics and inspiring pride among users. Through creativity, innovation, and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those with limb loss, Mark is changing the narrative from dull and lifeless prosthetics to proudly celebrating limb difference with colour and eye-catching designs which are never grey.