Colin Hanssen was given little chance of reaching his first birthday. He’s 31 now, painting his way toward Perth’s galleries.
Hanssen, a Western Australian artist who lives with cerebral palsy, creates abstract works from his wheelchair using only his right hand. He’s largely non-verbal. Paint speaks for him. He recently completed his first exhibition at his rural studio in Redmond, on the outskirts of Albany, and has been selected for this year’s Southern Art and Craft Trail. Now he’s preparing a collection for possible exhibition in Perth galleries.
A Voice Without Words
Hanssen blends painting with performance, layering colourful and earthy tones to express his lived experience. His talent surfaced only six months ago, during an art therapy class. His mother, Wendy Hanssen, remembers when the possibility became clear. “That was when it was brought home that actually this could be an outlet for Colin,” she said. “This could potentially be his voice.”
For a man who can’t easily communicate through speech, that’s no small thing. It’s the difference between being spoken about and speaking for yourself.
Art therapist Serena McLaughlan has worked with Hanssen since he started painting and helped curate the exhibition collection. She said visitors were drawn to the work, curious about its story and process. Much of it draws on his time living in Africa. “Engaging with vast expanses of landscape is a lived experience that comes through in the painting,” she said. “It’s the power of art to talk of his lived experience and his stories over words. Art is pre-verbal — drawing, music and dance is all before words.”
Beating the Odds
The family’s journey began with a grim prognosis. Wendy Hanssen said a neurosurgeon told them to love Colin while they had him, because he wasn’t expected to reach his first birthday. “Colin’s first birthday came and went, and we knew that we were clearly on the right track,” she said. “Thirty-one years later, he’s still with us, beating the odds left, right and centre.”
That early verdict shaped the family’s expectations for decades. Access changed things: an art therapy class, a trained therapist who recognised potential, and a studio where he could work. The creative outlet only came into view once the right support was in the room.
Doors Opening in Perth
Recognition is arriving fast. Wendy Hanssen said two artists from different Perth galleries have asked whether Colin would exhibit with them. “We’re going to look at getting a series done,” she said.
His selection for the Southern Art and Craft Trail, a regional showcase in 2026, gives him a platform beyond the family’s own circle. It’s a modest start. Visitors are already stopping to engage with the work and the story behind it.
Why This Matters:
Hanssen’s story shows what happens when people with disability get the right support at the right time. A skill went unrecognised for 30 years, then emerged within months of an art therapy class. That’s a pointed reminder: talent isn’t the scarce resource. Access is. Art therapy, trained practitioners and inclusive exhibition spaces don’t appear on their own; they depend on public and community investment. For the many Australians living with cerebral palsy and communication barriers, programs like these can mean the difference between invisibility and being heard. Hanssen’s emerging career suggests the audience is there. The question is how many other voices are still waiting for a brush.