Artist, 94, thrilled by House of Commons exhibition

A 94-year-old man with dementia said he was "very happy" to be given the opportunity to have his artwork exhibited in the House of Commons.

Eric Fawley, from Blackpool, has produced hundreds of drawings since arriving at Greenbanks Care Home in Watford, Hertfordshire, over a year ago, after a fire at his home.

His drawings and paintings depict the world around him, as well as his former bosses at BT.

Nirmala Singhvi, the lifestyle coordinator at the home, said: "Eric's story offers a warm and thoughtful look at creativity in later life, as well as the individuality and imagination that remain after a dementia diagnosis."

Fawley's work is due to go on display in the Upper Waiting Hall at the Houses of Parliament in October.

The exhibition was facilitated by the Watford Labour MP Matt Turmaine after he saw Fawley's work at the care home.

Fawley said he began creating artworks from an early age, encouraged by his mother, a violinist, and his father, a gifted amateur painter.

His family were unable to support his ambition to attend art school.

He left school at the age of 14 and worked in a variety of jobs, including electrical work for the famous Blackpool illuminations, before going on to become a Post Office engineer with BT.

Fawley relocated to London, after he married his wife Olive, and he continued to work for the telecoms company.

From there, he rose through the ranks of the company, taking charge of an office where his portraits and keenly observed caricatures of colleagues were prominently displayed.

Fawley said he enjoyed "sending up colleagues" and that they "secretly used to like it".

When drawing someone, he said it was important to start with their hair.

"If the hair is wrong, then everything is wrong," he added.

Since moving to Greenbanks in March last year, Fawley has continued to sketch.

He said being creative helped to focus his mind and "ensures that every day is different".

He has held exhibitions across Essex and also performed a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at an exhibition at Harlow Library.

Staff at the care home are "super proud of him" and are "excited" to see his artwork gain wider recognition, with Fawley challenging perceptions of what people can achieve in care.

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