Climbing mountains: How Leon turns life with MS into meaningful art

Leon Waldhuter always has a purpose in mind when he paints.

“It’s pretty nice when people paint flowers and lovely things like that, but when I paint something, there’s got to be a message in there. I paint about my life, current affairs or whatever else,” he explains.

“Sometimes people can look at a piece of art, see different things and then make up their own minds. I love creating something that has an impact on people and takes them on a journey they didn’t expect.”

Leon’s powerful painting Climbing mountains with disability won the Barry Allen Art Award at last year’s MS Plus Virtual Art Show. 

“It has a fairly simple message, which is that we are all climbing mountains, but when you do it in a wheelchair it’s more special when you get to the top and to achieve those goals,” he says.

The watercolour on 100% cotton piece explored Leon’s life with MS, having been diagnosed in 2013. For the last few years, Leon has volunteered with MS Plus’ peer support group in Frankston, which has had a profound impact on him.

“It’s fantastic that once a month we can all sit down and have a chat and ask each other, ‘how are you travelling’? People have often got stories to tell and we encourage one another. Some people have concerns about different things that are going on, and we can relate to each other,” he says.

“I’ve done a lot of different type of volunteer work across my life, and I always feel better at night when I know I’ve helped someone.”

Entries are now open for this year’s MS Plus Virtual Art Show – which marks the 20th anniversary of the event. Entry is open to people living with MS, their carers and those with other neurological conditions. This year, there is also a new prize open to young people aged 17 years and under who have a parent, grandparent or guardian living with MS.

A variety of creative works – including paintings, illustrations, sculptures, craft, digital artwork and photography – can be entered.

Leon, who lives in supported disability accommodation, says art has been a fantastic tool to help him connect with people around him including his support workers.

“I think art is like a therapy, where you sit down and put on some nice relaxing music and think about something that might start off a spark in your head. Quite often what you start out with in the painting may not be anything close to what you finish with,” he explains.

“Art can take you away to another place and maybe share a message about what’s happening in the world, and ask people viewing your work what they think about it.”

Entries to the 2026 MS Plus Virtual Art Show close on May 8 2026. Visit msplus.org.au/ArtShow for more information.