PERSEVERANCE=Real Heros: Shirley Armstrong overcomes MS to win blue ribbon
Shirley Armstrong of Rancho Bernardo shows off her winning watercolor, ‘Leo,’ which helped earn her a best of show honor at this year’s San Diego County Fair....

Shirley Patrick Anderson has multiple sclerosis, a neurological disorder that changed her life, put her in a wheelchair and almost robbed her of a cherished pastime — creating animals in watercolors.
Like others with MS, Anderson found a way to cope with the symptoms and move past them. After she lost the feeling in her right hand and arm, it looked like her ambition to become a better watercolorist was doomed.

But, she worked diligently to retrain herself to be a left-handed artist.

It was fairly frustrating to make that transition, but she eventually got the hang of it and now produces stunning, blue-ribbon art.

Winning “best in show” in the student division at the San Diego County Fair this year is turning out to be a personal testament to the ultimate goal of not giving up and moving past obstacles, Anderson said.
Her entry, a regal lion — resplendent in golden colors, some orange and browns — is aptly named “Leo,” a contribution her husband, Andy, helped provide.

The fair’s judges had no idea that Anderson is confined to a wheelchair with MS, said her art teacher Jenny Leeg. And that’s the way it should be: judge the art, not the artist.

“She didn’t win because she has MS,” Leeg said. “Her art was selected because it speaks for itself — and her ability.”

Art allows Anderson to release something of her inner self and show others her abilities, while she stretches beyond her physical limitations, Leeg said.

If nothing else, Anderson’s outgoing, positive personality is demonstrated in her brush strokes.

Leeg has observed the effect that Anderson has on her fellow art students during classes, which are hosted by Palomar College at Joslyn Senior Center in Rancho Bernardo.

“She’s inspirational to all of us,” Leeg said. “She’s always smiling and never seems to have a bad day.”

Leeg has been teaching that particular class for six years, five of which Anderson has been a student.

The camaraderie that has developed during class time, has expanded outside the center with students meeting for lunch and other social activities.

At least four students have become close friends with Anderson, sometimes volunteering to meet at her home to massage her legs so muscles will get the workout they need, she said.