Egremont artist's lifeline of hope to abuse victims

"I know my time is limited and at some point I won't be able to paint anymore," Ms Hunt says

An artist with a life-limiting condition is helping abused women to find hope through art while she is still able to paint.

Emma Hunt, 45, from Egremont, has a degenerative condition which affects her heart, lungs and joints.

She taught herself to paint to get off painkillers and holds free, online classes for learners around the world.

Now she is raising money for Women Out West (WOW) in Whitehaven which helps domestic abuse and rape victims.

So far orders for her 2021 calendar, inspired by landscapes and sea views around west Cumbria, have raised more than £3,000 for WOW.

Ms Hunt, who has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, gave up her job as a radiochemical analyst at Sellafield and became dependent on painkillers, until November 2019 when she weaned herself off them and taught herself paint.

She cannot travel to beauty spots in Cumbria because of her condition and relies on people sending her their photos to paint.

Rachel Holliday, who runs WOW, said women said they were "rubbish" then produced work to be "proud off"

Emma Hunt raised more than £800 for the NHS during lockdown

Despite only learning to paint last year, Ms Hunt's paintings often fetch more than £300.

Earlier this year she raised more than £800 to buy personal protective equipment for medical teams and district nursing staff in Cumbria.

She said: "I'm so prolific as my condition is deteriorating so I'm grasping the chance and doing as much as I can as my ability will peter off in coming years, at some point I won't be able to paint anymore."

The calendar features landscapes and sea views of west Cumbria including Maryport and Silloth

Ms Hunt had been giving vulnerable women art classes, but since April has been tutoring online.

Rachael Holliday, who founded the WOW enterprise scheme, said a rape victim recently had been reluctant to take the classes because she said she could not paint or draw.

Ms Holliday said: "Now when she paints she gets comfort and reprieve from what is going on.

"We give women the tools to have a go and the sense of elation, wellbeing and good vibes they get is amazing.

"Some of the women say: 'I'm rubbish, I can't paint then go on and produce something they are proud of'."

Ms Hunt added: "When your brain is engaged creating art, you are not worrying about the pandemic or how your bills are going to be paid."

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