Scottsdale artist Lori Landis overcomes great odds

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - The Scottsdale Art District has its Art Walk every Thursday night showcasing more than 100 galleries. 

There's one artist stands out from the rest. Lori Landis loves to paint. "It's my life,” she said.

However, she came very close to never being able to pick up a brush.

"I had a terrific headache. Then my limbs started to, I just couldn't move them."

At 7-years-old, Lori was scared, and what she found out next would affect her life forever.

"In 1950, at 7-years-old, I contracted polio. I was completely paralyzed from my neck down," she said.

Since then, Lori has slowly recovered, but there's been one thing that has always been there for her. Painting.

"I get to do a beautiful thing. I get to make art."

Today Lori has regained feeling everywhere but her left arm.

"Physically, I couldn't hold up my arm to do landscapes on aisles because you need perspective."

Some might think this would limit her to smaller paintings, but "I do big paintings 5 by 7 feet,” she said.

If you think Lori wants you to feel bad for her, think again,

"You just accept it, you have to. You just don't waaa waa all the way home. There's so many people that are much worse off than I am, so how can I feel sorry for myself?”

Lori has since been a very successful artist. She opened up a gallery in Scottsdale over ten years ago and is still painting every week.

"The journey is the part that is most pleasing. You cant quit you have to keep going," she said.

You can see Lori's paintings showcased every Thursday night during the Scottsdale Art Walk.