A drawing by Dhruv Prasad, of Dublin, Ohio, has been accepted into the Muscular Dystrophy Association Art Collection. Now in its 20th year, the Collection features artwork by people from across the country with muscular dystrophy and related disorders.

A pencil drawing, “2011 Lexus GX-460 Premium” ” is the first artwork by Dhruv, 11, to be accepted into the Collection. The original drawing features the artist’s rendition of a 2011 Lexus parked on a city street with skyscrapers and other city buildings outlined behind the car. Dhruv submitted the black-and-white drawing on white paper which, with his permission, was then reversed to white on a black background.

Dhruv began drawing as a very young child and particularly likes to draw car and “Star Wars” characters. In addition to art, he also enjoys playing video games.

Dhruv is affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

“2011 Lexus GX-460 Premium” is on display at MDA’s national headquarters in Tucson, Ariz., and can be seen at mda.org. The piece also will be included in MDA Art Collection traveling exhibits.

“We’re honored to receive this terrific drawing by Dhruv Prasad into the permanent MDA Art Collection,” MDA Interim President Valerie Cwik, M.D., said. “Dhruv’s use of perspective demonstrates his blossoming talent and ability to communicate through art.”

The MDA Art Collection was established in 1992 to focus attention on the achievements of artists with disabilities and to emphasize that physical disability is no barrier to creativity.

It comprises some 380 works by artists age 2 to 84, representing all 50 states. Each artist is affected by one of the more than 40 neuromuscular diseases in MDA’s program.

Selected art from the Collection has been exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art; Cork Gallery at Lincoln Center and the Forbes Collection in New York City; Chicago Public Library; Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art; Los Angeles Children's Museum; Capital Children's Museum, Washington, D.C.; and many other sites.

MDA maintains clinics for area children and adults at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Ohio State University Hospital, both in Columbus.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education.