Proof in the Pudding – The Results Are In!

Be sure to see Art and Soul in the Children's Court at the Old Courthouse Gallery, Ipswich Qld (closing Nov. 6, 2011)


Art and Soul, as it has been know has sadly come to the end of this phase of its life. The final week's session before the hugely successful opening night on October 13 was a mixed bag of finishing up and review. First of all, following the guided meditation, a gratitude session – what each participant observed in themselves as a result of their experience while taking part in Art and Soul. Lovely stories, of "having fun"; "re-opening of eyes" came about among others. My most treasured feedback came from one of the "Stars", in the way of a speech given on opening night. Please read on:

The following is a transcript of a gratitude speech given at the opening of Art and Soul by Robz Davey who was a participant of the Art and Soul program. The work of this talented participant has attracted much attention and managed to sell out of all but a few pieces on opening night.

Art and Soul has been an amazing experience for me. Kristy Day – the creator of this program, and Denise Darnel – Kristy’s side kick are undoubtedly some of the most genuine people I have met to date. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you both for taking the time, patience, and empathy out of your lives and injecting it into this program, and trying to engage and guide us in whichever direction you did. It is very much appreciated.

Little did I know that art could be a force to be reckoned with. Almost like a drug, capable of such huge mood alterations, Like a hug or a rainbow after a storm, this held a nexus of other awesome possibilities. Colours, textures, patterns, fields, paper bags, mixed mediums, music, light. Freedom from barriers, consistent with play, interactive with possibilities. The mentality seemed to be, why not? Not Why? Go for it. - Awesome! I think it might be appropriate to quote from Banksy: or maybe that is just in my world. “Think from outside the box, collapse the box and take a *#!*! knife to it.”

An outstanding part about Art an Soul was the unknowing removal of all labels, previous judgements, disability or diagnosis, and the replacement of an adhesiveness of sorts - a type of self discovery, and synergy.

I think the most rewarding part of this entire experience has been watching people interact with one another, through their processes, their communication and expression through colour, mixed medium, or whatever it maybe that they like to play with. Art really is a universal language. It’s like a smile, it’s contagious. It’s something you look at, and no matter what, you are forced to interact and feel and engage with it.

For me, I’m not so great with my feelings. So, it’s something I like to observe in people. Especially in Denise, she has been a fantastic source of entertainment. I think she helped invent excitement.

Without this program I know I would be less then I am now. It has given me so much, I feel I owe something I will never be able to return. I find it a little hard to articulate. I now understand why artists are poor, they do what they love, and some live off a meager amount but they are thriving inwardly. Perhaps thats what it means to be happy? To have nothing in your pockets but a smile on your face and a full heart. Although, at times during the program we have all had our own trials and tribulations, been enraged, or just out of sorts. Most of the time paint, crayons and buttons, have been a fantastic coping mechanism. It far better exceeds the others.

So what have we learnt? When in doubt, - rip it up, or throw a little paint on it. - We’ve all got a little Jackson Pollock in all of us!

I would like to thank the following people and organisations that made this whole program such a benift to all that took part:

Kristy Day, Denise Darnel,

Kate from Art time Supplies.

Kristy Day Graphic Design

Photoline

Ipswich Art Society

After Care

Open Minds

Queensland Government

Ipswich Regional Advocacy Services Inc.

Mental Health Careers

Oz Care

FSG Australia

Richmond Fellowship QLD

City of Ipswich

Kambu

Jacaranda Clubhouse

If I have missed anyone. Sorry, it happens. But, your still important, Come see me, and I’ll give you a Smiley sticker.

And all other participants for
their good humor and awesome artworks. :)

Finally, all in all, this prodigious effort, after 9 weeks has drawn to a close, and has left me, a little sad, I think. However, what I am certain of is that there is a communal need for a consistent and permanent structure – a future art space.

Robz Davey

It is my intention to keep Art and Soul going into the future. It seems I have secured a space within Ipswich CBD but it still depends on funding too. We have managed to attract Local Government attention, and we also have many leads and offers of assistance in applying for grants. I will be walking that path as soon as my feet hit the ground again.

I want to take this opportunity while I finish up this phase, to thank Denise Darnell for her tireless assistance, and for germinating this seed I stuck in the ground way back 4 years ago! Denise if one of those people that come into your life that make you want to check to see where their wings are hiding! She's and old soul – a visionary; and the Qld Government is better for having employed her. She stands out as a shining light, leading in her own way, and it is a Good way!

Thank you also to the people that came out of the woodwork to encourage me when I was in a place of self doubt. Thank you to the people who assisted to physically lug the gallery system from point A to point B and back to point A again – naming Chris Davey – proud father of Robz Davey; and hanging assistant and close friend "Crazy" Sue Rosenberg.

With gratitude

Kristy Day

Watch this space!

 Robz Davey with her installation receiving rave reviews

 Robz Davey's work (sold out)

 Helpers Robz, Denise and the Angel Man Chris Davey

 Tireless helper Denise Darnell (Camera shy)

An especially wonderful show from my flowers

 The collaborative mural etc. installed in the Children's Court at the Old Courthouse Gallery, Ipswich

Marcus' work

Angie's work

 John's work

 Renche's work

Lyle's work

PS. Loving thoughts go to my special friend Rita Broadway who at this time is coming off life support in an Adelaide hospital. Rita was my special high school art teacher, and a life-long friend. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be who I am as an artist.

Week 7 – And So We Played!

What to do this week without our collaborative mural! 


That was what I asked myself over the weekend as I lay awake one night. The saying goes: "ask and you will receive". "Prints"...potato cut prints; mini lino cut prints. Let's put them onto cards to sell for gold coins or the option to "make an offer" at the exhibition. I hadn't done any lino cut printing since a one off print as part of an assignment for a book cover design at my school of advertising and graphic design in the mid eighties! Before that, it was during high school in the early eighties!! Potato cut printing? Well, I have been known to design logos and have made backgrounds for publications using potato cut prints!

By the time our lovely people walked into this week's workshop, Denise and I had everything from paint, crayons and ink; to donated coloured papers, blank folded greeting cards and thick sliced potatoes placed in the middle of our workspace ready to go. Before the meditation the sight was met with a few childlike giggles and maybe a tiny bit of apprehension!

The meditation was "asked" for when I offered the option of "to meditate or not to meditate today" so it's nice to know that that part of the session is highly regarded. We repeated last week's meditation just because it was so good. Being the 2nd to last session, I felt we were winding down a little this week. We had a few late comers who missed out on the meditation and it was easy to see their unease. Some repeated reinforcement and encouragement offered to commence and then refocus on their art play a few times over eventually brought some at least aesthetic meditation into being, and then harmony soon returned. Alternatively, let go, I gather that one person's drama could have been let play out in its normal pattern and it would have been a different story. I felt grateful that there was a distraction in the form of art in this situation while the therapeutic dynamic played out in front of our eyes and validated it's self.

With minimal demonstration of potato cut prints, pieces started to appear in front of our eyes. The lino cut printing fortunately had a competent player in one of the participants. She had spent the week lino cut printing at home and had brought in a strong body of work already. Even though she knew the technique, others fearlessly went ahead and used acrylic paint on their lino cut designs, transferring and creating magnificent rustic pieces adorning roll folded blank cards – some into triptych. The play continued with stuff like melted crayons over mixed mediums, and layers of torn pre-prepared abstract works on paper shared and worked on collaboratively.

The most rewarding aspect of today's workshop was the evident transformation of the state of mind. The play from a distance – from an outsider's perspective – may have seemed a little chaotic with what seemed like maybe too many materials on offer to choose from. From my perspective, when given time to interact with the participants one-on-one, it was easy to slip into their zone and appreciate how much fun they were having while surrendering to this play with no rules. Who cares if the edges of the lino cut prints were unruly! The raw nature of the pieces created today were magnificent. I know that this week was one of the most enjoyed sessions.

I continue to get regular approaches from participants and their carers in regards to these workshops and their possible continuation into the future. What set out as a mentorship to get these people to produce a body of work for an exhibition has turned into another whole entity. As I am informed, we really have a "recovery model" here in this work. I still rather call myself the "cultivator" here though. These people have simply been allowed to play, and be seen to do something they can do rather than surrendering to a disability label they may have been given. It is clear that we need to make these workshops regular and accessible. Now all I need to do is cultivate the time to explore funding options and see what sort of facility we can manifest to house a permanent studio. All radars are on, searching for empty (maybe flood effected Ipswich buildings). Or an unused historic building loft with some amazing skylights! ...all while I keep graphic designing on the side to pay the bills.

Oh, to visualise... and a little less sleep!

These are some of the fantastic pieces that will be on sale at the exhibition opening next Thursday night. Oct. 13. Start saving the gold coins, or prepare to make an offer!