BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — With a paintbrush held gently between her teeth, Brittany Marcum leans toward the canvas, guiding careful strokes of color across the surface.
The scene might look unusual to a casual observer, but for the Inez artist it is both an act of creativity and resilience. Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, last year, Marcum has learned to paint using only her mouth, transforming a devastating diagnosis into an unexpected outlet for expression.
ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease slowly destroys the motor neurons that control voluntary muscles. As the disease advances, muscles weaken and waste away. Eventually, the body loses the ability to move.
For Marcum, the diagnosis arrived March 7, 2025, after nearly a year of unexplained symptoms, and “feels like a life sentence.”
Yet each day Brittany finds a small escape from that sentence, holding a paintbrush in her mouth.
A life that once moved fast
Before ALS changed everything, Brittany’s life was defined by movement.
She grew up in Inez and graduated from Sheldon Clark High School in 2008. An active outdoors enthusiast, she filled her time with sports and adventure.
“I was super active,” she recalled. “I loved volleyball, scuba diving, hiking and outdoors stuff in general.”
Today, daily life looks very different.
“Before, I was able to do everything on my own,” Brittany said. “Now I rely on my husband for everything.”
Her husband, Shane Marcum, has been part of her life for as long as she can remember.
The two met in church when Brittany was 7 years old and Shane was 11.
“We just kind of grew up together,” she said.
That lifelong friendship eventually turned into marriage—and today it has become a partnership of determination, creativity and caregiving.
Finding a new way to create
Art has always been part of Brittany’s life.
“I dabbled here and there,” she said. “Different types—photography, painting, drawing, crafting, pottery.”
Shane describes her interests simply.
“She likes anything creative,” he said.
But ALS forced Brittany to rethink how creativity could look.
“I did paint a little here and there before,” Brittany explained. “I had to figure out a different way to do it. Shane was the one who actually encouraged me to try.”
The adjustment meant learning to paint with a brush held in her mouth.
Her first attempt was modest: a mushroom.
“It turned out really well,” she said with a smile. “So I was like, ‘Maybe I have a knack for it.’”
The success surprised her—and opened a new door.
“It was really cool to see that I could do it,” Brittany said. “It would give me something to do. I can’t play on my phone in a traditional sort of way or anything like that.”
Art as therapy
Brittany’s paintings lean toward whimsical scenes drawn from nature—animals, trees, flowers and landscapes that reflect her love for the outdoors.
“In nature, it doesn’t matter if it’s perfect,” she said. “I really enjoy it. It’s a way to have some fun, to play with colors and see what comes of it.”
Often, she begins with only a loose idea.
“I get some idea, then I start painting and see where it goes,” she said. “It might not always be what I think it will be, but it ends up turning out all right.”
The process itself matters as much as the finished piece.
Brittany describes herself as someone who has always been task-oriented.
“If I could get something completed, I would feel good,” she said. “After I do a picture and see it—all of its pieces—it’s pretty neat.”
More than anything, painting helps quiet the constant awareness of ALS.
“Just to get out of my head,” Brittany said. “And to focus on something and then have it to reflect on.”
A partnership in perseverance
Creating a painting is a team effort.
Shane prepares the workspace, setting up Brittany’s easel, canvas, brushes and paints. During the painting process he helps switch brushes and colors as needed.
“Shane’s a big tool that I use,” Brittany said with a laugh. “He helps me switch brushes and change colors.”
For Shane, the role goes far beyond technical assistance.
“ALS doesn’t have a cure,” he said. “The best thing doctors have is to slow it down. The best thing a patient with ALS can do is stay out of their mind, stay out of the negative mindset and try not to be depressed.”
Painting gives Brittany a way to do exactly that.
“This disease feels like a life sentence,” Shane said. “But painting, for her, and watching her, helps clear that mindset. She can focus on painting and not on everything else that is going on around her. It brings her a sense of enjoyment every day or at least a sense of accomplishment.”
A global audience
What began as a personal coping strategy has grown into something much larger.
Brittany’s artwork now reaches viewers far beyond Martin County through social media. Shane manages her online pages and creates videos showcasing her paintings.
“Her paintings have already gone international,” he said. “The United Kingdom, South Wales, Canada.”
The couple even began experimenting with artificial intelligence to create music for their videos. Shane says Brittany plays a key role in that creative process.
“She can type on her phone; she uses a stick to type on her phone,” he explained. “She does that to find inspiration to help me write lyrics or whatever we can come up with. She helps with a lot of that.”
Viewers often watch Brittany paint live on TikTok. Recently, she created a Valentine’s Day bear after a follower requested the design.
“Everyone has been encouraging,” Brittany said.
Giving art away
Despite growing interest in her work, Brittany and Shane have made a deliberate decision not to sell her paintings.
“The only thing we have anyone pay for is shipping,” Shane said.
Instead, the couple accepts optional donations through links on Brittany’s social media pages. Supporters can also contribute through an Amazon wishlist for art supplies.
Acts of kindness from around the world have surprised them.
A group in the United Kingdom recently donated $100 to The ALS Organization in Brittany’s name.
“It’s amazing, the support we receive,” Shane said. “Her parents are also good to us; they just do so much for us.”
Encouragement for others
Inside the Marcums’ home, Brittany’s artwork fills the room—colorful scenes of animals, trees and landscapes that testify to persistence.
Her goal as an artist is simple.
“Just to get better,” she said. “To blend better and get better overall.”
For anyone facing limitations or wondering whether to try something new, Brittany offers straightforward advice.
“Try,” she said. “If you think you can’t do it, give it a go. You might be surprised.”
When she is not painting, Brittany and Shane enjoy quiet time at home, often relaxing together with their dog at their farmhouse.
But the easel is never far away.
Each brushstroke is a reminder that even in the face of a devastating diagnosis, creativity can still move where the body cannot.
Find Brittany’s art on Facebook at “This feels like a life sentence – ALS.”