in Good Business

These Sisters Transform Wheelchairs Into Rolling Art Galleries

There is some pretty incredible power in art. It’s one of the biggest forms of self-expression out there and has incredibly therapeutic benefits.

Two sisters from Ireland are utilizing art’s power to allow people to express themselves via their wheelchairs. Together, they’ve created Izzy Wheels, a company that sells wheelchair covers that encourage self-expression.

Izzy was born with Spina Bifida and is paralyzed from the waist down. According to the Izzy Wheels website, Izzy “has always seen her wheelchair as a symbol of freedom but never felt it expressed her personality.” Ailbhe used her college project to come up with a solution for Izzy, and everyone else with a desire to add personality to their wheelchair. She worked on creating wheelchair covers and came up with multiple designs in bright, diverse colors.

The sisters have always decorated Izzy’s wheelchair, as it gave Izzy a confidence boost. Now that they’re both adults, Ailbhe has come up with a more efficient decorating plan and the two have grown a full-fledged business, collaborating internationally with other artists, designers and brands. In 2018, the sisters were featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.

Recently, Izzy Wheels was featured on the Twitter account @womensart and received a positive response.

According to Izzy, the brand empowers “wheelchair users to make a statement about themselves, it makes a person’s wheelchair into a friendly object rather than something purely functional. Having stylish wheels on your chair that match your outfit or show off your interests immediately addresses the chair and opens conversation.”

Currently, the website offers dozens of unique designs to choose from. You can view the collection here.

Art

Avatar

Written by Lindsay Patton