HOPE LIVES: ART FOR ALS 2025
Research Renderings
A curated exhibition sponsored by the
International Encaustic Artists organization.
Hope Lives: Art for ALS and the International Encaustic Artists (IEA) invite all IEA members in good standing to apply for Research Renderings. This exhibition is a fundraiser for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and awareness event that takes place each May in San Francisco, CA, during ALS Awareness Month. Artists are invited to submit up to three original and newly created encaustic or cold wax artworks inspired by one of the 3 scientific photographs (below).
Please choose one image to inspire each new artwork that you create. Artists may select a different photograph for each artwork, but may not select multiple images for one creation. Please remember to indicate the number of the photograph in the image title. (example 3_HopeLives.jpg)
Become an IEA member here.
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1) This image presents atrophy of human skeletal muscle under a microscope. Muscle cramping, twitching and atrophy may be one of the first symptoms of ALS. Eventually, it is a physical trait faced by all diagnosed with the disease. When a healthy person uses their muscles, it is a result of neurons firing messages through the synapses to their muscles for movement. In the case of someone with ALS, neurons deteriorate leading to disruption in synaptic communication and ultimately causing muscle weakness and atrophy.
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2) Image of a human spinal cord, nerve, cerebellum, cortex and motor neuron under the microscope in a lab. When a person has ALS, the neurons that run along the spinal cord deteriorate and stop communicating with other parts of the body. This causes muscle atrophy and loss of movement. ALS imprisons the person with the disease. It steals a person’s ability to function and move, yet their minds remain whole and active. Ultimately, the breakdown of bodily function includes breathing. ALS symptoms appear differently in each person, making it one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose.
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3) This is a microscopic view of a neural network of brain cells. The brain’s neural network sends thousands of messages to every part of a person’s body for voluntary muscle movement. ALS disrupts the health of neurons, thus cutting off vital messages to the rest of the body. ALS specifically targets motor neurons, both upper (from the brain to the spinal cord) and lower motor neurons (from the spinal cord to the muscles), causing them to deteriorate and die. Scientists have yet to discover what causes ALS, and although there are some medicines that may temporarily slow symptoms (up to 6 months), there is no cure for ALS.