Artists: "The artist sees what others only catch a glimpse of." (Leonardo da Vinci)
“Pictures of You” is an innovative program linking physically disabled and mental health consumers with a network of established artists and galleries, to work in collaboration in producing a portrait honestly reflecting the consumer.
The idea is one of equal balance of control in working with the artist to vocalise their experiences and feelings, collaborating to produce a visual and accessible perspective for reference by the consumer and carers and the wider community. Many art therapies can be abstract and inward-looking, with a certain imbalance in the consumer being 'provided the service' by the therapist, within a systemic mental health paradigm.
On this website you will find a call-to-action for consumers, organisations, care-givers and artists to register interest – either as a participating consumer or collaborative artist. The end result will be a combination of a healthy and balanced exploration of issues and a source of pride in the consumer; with the artist’s natural creative ability to empathise with and interpret their subject in new ways by working WITH the consumer.
What’s more it is a truly two-way process, as feedback from artists tells us that they, too, have developed and gained insight into their own interpretative processes by participating in such a scheme.
On a more practical level, engaged consumers – and care-givers where relevant – can work with the artist at a pace and in a medium of exchange (online, face to face etc.) that is comfortable and suitable for both parties. One of our pilots projects involved a consumer in Australia collaborating successfully with an artist from the UK!
The idea is one of equal balance of control in working with the artist to vocalise their experiences and feelings, collaborating to produce a visual and accessible perspective for reference by the consumer and carers and the wider community. Many art therapies can be abstract and inward-looking, with a certain imbalance in the consumer being 'provided the service' by the therapist, within a systemic mental health paradigm.
On this website you will find a call-to-action for consumers, organisations, care-givers and artists to register interest – either as a participating consumer or collaborative artist. The end result will be a combination of a healthy and balanced exploration of issues and a source of pride in the consumer; with the artist’s natural creative ability to empathise with and interpret their subject in new ways by working WITH the consumer.
What’s more it is a truly two-way process, as feedback from artists tells us that they, too, have developed and gained insight into their own interpretative processes by participating in such a scheme.
On a more practical level, engaged consumers – and care-givers where relevant – can work with the artist at a pace and in a medium of exchange (online, face to face etc.) that is comfortable and suitable for both parties. One of our pilots projects involved a consumer in Australia collaborating successfully with an artist from the UK!
