A Creative Spirit from the Start

Jonah has always found ways to create. As a child, he loved to draw. Over time, as muscular dystrophy made traditional tools more difficult to use, he began experimenting with new methods. In high school, pencil sketches evolved into watercolor experiments, an early sign of his willingness to adapt and push boundaries.

His breakthrough came in a moment of playful curiosity. While filming videos of himself running over objects with his wheelchair, Jonah discovered that paint, unlike the ketchup bottles he originally used, left behind beautiful, expressive trails. With his grandmother's help in setting up canvas and materials, he began experimenting with this new technique, transforming the motion of his wheels into art.

Painting with Motion: The Wheelchair as Brush

Jonah’s unique method involves covering his wheelchair tires in press-and-seal wrap to prevent mess, then layering on acrylic paint mixed with Flow Trial to achieve a dripping, fluid texture. He paints on both loose canvas and canvas boards, the former requiring more paint due to its flexibility but Jonah's process varies. Sometimes he applies one color at a time, carefully building up layers. Other times, he’ll lay down multiple hues at once for a more dynamic, chaotic energy. Because each pass of the tire is unique, creating “matching” pieces requires doing several at once, capturing that spontaneous movement in real time.

Audiences got to witness this incredible process firsthand during our 29th Annual Art in the Park at Fiesta Gardens in April, where Jonah performed a live wheelchair painting session amidst the chaotic festival energy. Soon, we will be launching a live auction featuring Jonah’s work to support Art Spark Texas and continue uplifting artists with disabilities - stay tuned on Instagram for more details!