Conversations

Participants of Northern Rivers Arts Health & Wellbeing Inc's

1st Creativity and Wellness Workshop

"Conversations Through Art"

- Conversations

7th JULY 2012: Opening of the group exhibition

Conversations

on Saturday at 1pm.

Northern Rivers

Arts Health and Wellbeing (NRAHW) Inc

invites you to the opening of

Conversations

- an exhibition of expressive works

created using art,

music, writing and meditation

over a series of 10 workshops

by people living with cancer.

Official opening by

Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Light refreshments available.

On view until 16th July.

Art helps cancer survivors healby Samantha TurnbullABC Online - 28th June 2012An art exhibition featuring works created by people living with cancer is about to open in Lismore.Image by Samantha Turnbull, ABC

When Lismore artist Tammy Allen (pictured) was diagnosed with skin cancer eight months ago, she managed to recover physically but needed emotional help.

She heard about a program being run by Northern Rivers Arts Health and Wellbeing and decided to give it a try.

To read the complete ABC article or to listen to the interview:

Art helps cancer survivors heal

Expressive works

Group 'Mandala'

Statement

Towards the end of the workshops,

all present contributed to a group message

which expressed our interconnections and

individual feelings at this one point in time.

Standing around a large piece of paper

with a large circle drawn in the middle,

oil pastels in hands,

we started drawing in our own ‘sections’.

I instructed us to ‘not think’ but to follow a feeling.

Also, I made a tentative time limit of 20 minutes

to complete our mandala. The medium we used

also encouraged rapid expression.

At certain times people moved around the image

away from their original position in the mandala,

swapping places to respond to each other,

creating layers and developing new ideas.

The energy seemed to gather momentum and,

not even watching the time,

there was a consensus about

when it was finished.

I found it a wonderful and uniting experience

and how the whole group felt

is shown in the image.

- Liz Dowling, facilitator,

July 2012

'Mandala'

Mixed media

by the "Conversations Through Art" group

Available as a blank card with envelope

@ $3 each (postage not included)

- proceeds to NRAHW: please contact the Serpentine.

'No Pink Ladies Here'

Pencil and shellac on paper

'Struggling'

Acrylic on canvas

by Tammy Allen

'Feeling the Elements'

Terracotta, glazes

by Corinne Batt-Rawden

Untitled

Acrylic on canvas

by workshop facilitator Arne Schafsma

'Life's Precious

But Things Aren't'

Clay, fired in the furnace

by Deborah Murray-Kippax

'Wish Balls'

Clay, underglaze, colours, glaze

by workshop participants

'Wish Ball'

Terracotta, burnished,

sawdust-seaweed-cowpat fired

by Penny Moore

'The Faceless Feline'

Terracotta, underglaze, colour, glaze

'Bowl'

Terracotta, burnishing, glaze

'Release'

Text and acrylic on canvas

by Tammy Allen

'Mask'

Terracotta, slip, glaze

'Stoic Landscape'

Acrylic on canvas

'Diagnosis'

Acrylic on canvas

by Penny Moore

'After the Fire'

'Dome of Sanity'

'Turn Around'

Mixed media on canvas works by by Deborah Murray-Kippax

Artist Statement

'One of the important things in my recovery

was to walk along the country road

where I live with the guideposts

becoming my measure of wellness.

I loved these walks

that connected me to nature and

I collected little treasures along the way.'

- Dawn Thirlaway, July 2012

'Walking 1' and 'Walking 2' - Crayons and ink on paper

'Inspirational T-Shirts'

Texta, watercolour on paper by Penny Moore

'Unconditional Love' - Crayon on paper

Artist Statement

'It only takes a few words and your life changes forever.

Aggressive, Infiltrative, Immediate surgery.

The shock was like taking a breath and not being able to let it out.

I was engulfed with a fear so great that all I could do was curl up and cry.

But

I had two beautiful souls I had to fight for.

I fell apart after being diagnosed with a second cancer. While not as aggressive it was still cruel.

But

The gentle touch of my daughter stroking my hair,

the brilliant smile my son would have for me when he saw me.

I didn’t care about the scaring or losing my hair.

The precious life of my children is what I fought for.

My work is not about the cancer. It’s gone now. It’s about healing, overcoming fears,

inner strength, gaining confidence, new faces and taking control.

These works are dedicated to all my family and friends who, with their love and support,

made a dark time in my life shine brighter.

Thank you

I am happy

I have my precious soul’s xx'

- Tammy Allen, July 2012

Untitled

Terracotta

'Layers'

Mixed media

'Mask'

Terracotta

Anon - various artists

'Contour line drawing exercise'

'Old Critical Me'

Pencil, crayon, goldleaf on paper

Artist Statement

'Cancer undid me

- but the good news is I get to sew myself up in a way I can live with

- not how the rest of the world

wants me to be.'

Deborah Murray-Kippax

July 2012

'Postcard to Myself Five Years Ago'

Collages on paper

by Corinne Batt-Rawden (left) and Kerrie Divett

Artist Statement

'After receiving

the latest cancer diagnosis

in January I went to my studio

and worked with the clay.

This was the first time I had

such an immediate

therapy session with myself,

and what came out was fascinating.

The words on the clay

came out the day I received

the results of the PET scan.'

Dawn Thirlaway, July 2012

'Raw' - Terracotta, glaze

NRAHW's version of 'With A Little Help From My Friends'

- music from Conversation's week 8 workshop

'Bowl 1'

'Bowl 4'

'Bowl 2'

'Pot'

'Bowl 3'

'Potplant'

Terracotta works, burnished and sawdust-seaweed-cowpat fired

by Penny Moore

'Lily'

White earthenware, glaze

by Penny Moore

'Help For Peace'

Clay, slip, underglazes, glaze

by Dawn Thirlaway

'Conversations 1' & 'Conversations 2'

Oil pastel, pencil, ink, goldleaf, paint, porcelain, feathers and yarn on canvas

Artist Statement

In the first of Kerrie Divett’s drawing sessions

we learnt ‘contour’ drawing where you follow

the line of your face with one hand whilst drawing with the other.

After adding some paint and gold leaf I had the urge

to cut the drawing in half, which I resisted until arriving home

The drawing was cut, glued to a canvas,

then some porcelain, feathers and yarn were added.

A few weeks later I understood that cutting the drawing in half represented

the conflict in my mind regarding medical treatment.

Part of me did not want this radiotherapy

and another part of me was quite fine about what was recommended.

It’s amazing how our unconscious can use the creative process

to process information, feelings and emotions.

- Dawn Thirlaway, July 2012

'Pinch It Out'

Terracotta, sawdust fired

by Corinne Batt-Rawden

'Tool Box'

Terracotta, glaze

by Corinne Batt-Rawden

Artist Statement

The palette knife was a new discovery for me

in Corinne’s expressive painting session.

I could move paint around the canvas

in a way that is not possible with a brush.

To add a blob of colour

and spread it to blend with other colours

was for me having a conversation

with my inner self.

I added the lines later to represent

the radiotherapy hitting my physical body.

- Dawn Thirlaway, July 2012

'Upgrade' - Acrylic, pen on canvas

The opening celebration

Everyone gathers for the opening speeches.

With her own personal experience of cancer, the Northern Rivers Arts Health and Wellbeing project

is one close to the heart of the day's first speaker Lismore Mayor and

spokesperson for the Northern Rivers region Cancer Council Jenny Dowell.

NRAHW Media Officer Janet Grist was next to speak followed by

Dr Marie Bracker opening Transmutation, a combined exhibition by Dawn Thirlaway and

Amber Louise, showing concurrently in Gallery 2.

Many conversations and hugs, and much laughter filled the gallery.

A moment for art appreciation and a chance to get a deeper understanding

of the works as artists' statements are read.

Arne provides a gentle musical backing for the event.

Festive flowers and lots of tasty food for all to enjoy.

Spicy mulled wine and warming pumpkin soup with cornbread

are a hit - Could we have the recipes please?

The new 'Cycle II' works in the gallery's Rotations Gift Shop draw interest.

* Exhibition and artwork images by Amber Louise, Christine Devine, Shaun C Murphy and Sue Alford.*

About NRAHW Inc

Northern Rivers Arts Health and Wellbeing is a new organisation

that has been born out of the need to link

arts practice and wellbeing in the Northern Rivers.

Incorporated Nov 2011, NRAHW is currently run by a steering

committee who is made up of local medical professional,

journalist, director of the local gallery, and arts facilitators

and artists. This group is creating a directory of local artists,

medical services and community health organisations.

Through connecting creativity and wellbeing in our community, NRAHW aims to improve the quality of life for people experiencing ill health through activities using creative art forms. NRAHW networks and collaborates with social services, health services

and arts practitioners to achieve a holistic approach.

This is our first arts project and we are all excited :)

This is a pilot program that NRAHW is developing which could be

modified to suit specific groups as needed. Basically this project

is founded on providing professional arts tuition to ultimately

provide an experience that belongs to the participant

at a time when they feel out of control of their lives.

The Arts provides an avenue for healing

and the exploration of social and personal issues.

This project aims to bridge the gap between

arts health and wellbeing in the Northern Rivers.

Project consists of 20 art sessions comprising of music therapy,