Published in 'Newslink', Headstart ABI Service; December, 2016
FROM the 5th to
the 26th of November, the old
David Jones building in town was home to an art display. With over forty pieces
entered, it was a broad selection and varied from photography, various styles
of painting, acrylic based works, performances in different mediums to the
humble pencil on paper.
A grant from Accessible Arts
meant that the Octapod was able to
run an Artist Run Initiative in Newcastle. It was designed to enable and
empower artists with disability through professional skills and networks
development. Through admin support, structure, expertise and access to networks,
the backing of the Octapod gave the
group a strong foundation. Monthly meetings were held,
which allowed for the encouragement and motivation for members of all
practices. Such has been its success that there is talk of replicating the
project with the help of Maitland
Regional Art Gallery next year!
Through my own connection
with Culture Hunter, an off-shoot of
the Octapod, I was approached last
year by its Director about an idea they
were considering. I then met with the Project Manager Justine Cogan, and we
discussed how my musical and writing skills could be brought to the group.
This was a great opportunity
as it saw me focus my talents, ultimately showcasing a number of musical
pieces. Foleys pianos was tremendous,
as they were good enough to lend me a digital piano for the day. And the other
week, my sister spoke the other week of “letting go of control”. Spot on, I later
thought, as by doing just this things really came together!
Curator Clare Weeks spoke of curating saying, “I’ve always loved it. This one was like a hotch-potch because of its diverse nature.” This variation made it an interesting show, and a number of works caught my eye
Curator Clare Weeks spoke of curating saying, “I’ve always loved it. This one was like a hotch-potch because of its diverse nature.” This variation made it an interesting show, and a number of works caught my eye
There was Black Crow with
her canvas Mind of God. With its myriad
of colours, I instantly thought of the awe-inspiring colours of the
Universe. Elizabeth’s muted blue-and-white
Keys to the City came from her many bouts
of house-sitting. Trever presented two very earthy canvas paintings based on
his 13 years teaching in Papua New Guinea. And Dom’s cleverly photo-shopped
self-portrait actually sold during the exhibition! With a face set below an
unravelling bandage it was, he said, an image for all those “faceless people who
no longer warrant the thoughts of society.”
Overall, the outcome has
been positive. From what Justine and others have said, it’s clear the project
has been beneficial in much the way hoped for. Despite different mediums,
common ground was found in people’s ability to build networks and learn more
about whatever particular industry approprotiate. Odds are good then that this
won’t be a one-off show…
