Week 2 – yet again inspired!

Who would have thought – a seed sewn about 4 years ago would sprout into what looks to be a vine I can assume no control over. I can only cultivate the soil under it and learn to know that the result will be as it will be.


This adventure into blogging about Art and Soul is a way for me to share this experience. Somewhat tentatively, I have turned up to facilitate another workshop for this group of participants that I am now reluctant to call "mental health challenged". I am not a therapist and I have no experience what-so-ever in teaching or mentoring arts (hence my nervousness!!). All I have is a philosophy and an intention to walk a path not followed (by me!) before. A chain of synchronistic events happened, and now here we are. People mysteriously came out of the woodwork, stuff manifested! I shake my head to comprehend the fact that I now have this entity to somehow caretake, and somehow I will learn to sleep at night while I seem to be this vessel that something is piling all this inspiration, visions and incredibly valuable insights into.

My insight from yesterday's workshop – and I was able to articulate this to my helpers Denise and Kylie, was that these participants of this Art and Soul program, are not to me people with "labels" – they are "creative beings" as we all are. The reason I think we are able to observe these participants respond the way they have in the space we have provided for them, is because we have made sure they know there will be NO "judgement", there will be NO "assessments", there will be NO "diagnosis", and more importantly, there are NO "rules" around techniques and how we expect them to use the art mediums supplied. We provide a safe space to be only in the moment. Anyway, that is my little bit of reflection on the matter at hand.

Week 2 workshop program consisted of, first of all, a relaxed chat about the week gone by; visual diary use; the observation of more aesthetic consciousness; the collection of "objects that mean something". We then had our first guided meditation which is part of the ongoing routine for each workshop from here-on. Although I felt it may have been a touch long (I observed as I also participated!), I found the experience to be quite profound and grounding.

We were then all in the "zone" and proceeded to work on the next layer of the collaborative mural. Kylie Stevens, local contemporary artist, was in charge of the group while she demonstrated some mediums and loosely guided. We continued to use music within the space to provide a "rhythm" – a sensory to play a part in the process.

The principles laid down for this mural further illustrated the process of: surrendering "control"; releasing "expectation"; "trusting" the "process"; allowing the "flow" of "expression"; and more importantly how one can contribute and integrate "safely".

Meanwhile, off to the side I spent some time allowing a new participant to paint her paper bag self portrait. Again, allowing a "self" interpretation without expectation of physical "likeness" proved to be more than rewarding. This amazing creative being is obviously already striding along her path. Her work in progress was geometrical, intricate, but spacious – a piece that would not look out of place in a high-end contemporary architectural space! It was a reflection of her self and she was quite sure of it! This participant was shining at the end of the session with all sorts of intention to go home and create. My only concern is that her pet dog may be a little too involved in the process since he may become the theme – the "object that means something" to her. I must go and source the copper sheet this person is yearning to create with too. Anyone in the know or who can donate, please, please contact me immediately!!
A chat over Denise's fantastic coffee and cake celebration, about our objects of meaning explored the "energy" around our objects – the stories they tell; the allowance for imagination and what can come from it. To further inspire some work to come from the object interpretation, Kylie and I demonstrated mixed mediums and the drawing mediums based on our own objects that mean something to ourselves.
Canvas', paints, brushes, drawing mediums and goodness knows what else was packaged up by each participant to go off home in their own space to start creating around their object themes. What will become of this is now in the lap of the Gods!

Again, thank you Denise for all your help and support. Thank you Kylie for giving of your valuable time to show what you do. Thank you to all the people that have shown support for this project to date. I am grateful for the inspiration that comes from the results already evident as a result of this program.

Layer 1, day 1 of collaborative mural

What an amazing first day!

We had 7 participants all up. Denise Darnel from Queensland Health assisted me and her help was priceless on this first day. Her passion and sheer excitement for the program is nothing but inspiring. I'd also like to thank the Ipswich Art Society and Brian from 

OCHICA (The Old Ipswich Courthouse managing body) for their support and for supplying the space for our temporary studio.

What can I say – all left with huge smiles on their faces at the end of the workshop today. We started out with self portrait paintings on the side of brown paper bags. There were no mirrors involved in the process. The requirement was to paint "who they are" at that moment. Every portrait was spot on. They managed to interpret their personalities perfectly. (I look froward to seeing the "objects that mean something" which will be brought in their brown paper bags next week for subject matter). 

Our first group exercise was a collaborative mural. We painted and drew on one huge canvas laid flat on the tables. The fun part was that each individual was encouraged to move to music (African drumming and new age). Lots of blue and purple hues to start with, water, finger painting, hand painting etc. etc. The canvas was lifted vertically to let the paint run into some amazing patterns and accidental marks. This mural will be a work in progress with many layers over an 8 week period before it will be exhibited as part of the group exhibition.

I was amazed and to be honest, did not expect to see such a surrender to the process at hand today. It was like watching kindergarten children in that free state of mind that we had before we were influenced by so much constraint around expression.

I have sent all participants home with homework. They will be working in their visual diaries on a regular basis (hopefully!); and will also be spending time contemplating their items "that mean something to them".

Next week we will be adding another layer to our collaborative mural, demonstrating mediums, and starting work on the subject studies.