The Arts for Health and Wellbeing Team at Cardiff & Vale Health Charity are delighted to commission and support a collaborative project between artist Louise Jensen and the 4 Winds Mental Health Resource as part of the joint Arts Council of Wales and The Baring Foundation initiative, Celf a’r Meddwl I Arts and Minds.
This new funding initiative enables the Arts Team to support a network of artists and health professionals to co-create and deliver innovative arts interventions and opportunities for adults in recovery and in need of mental health support, building life-skills and a network of support within our communities.
Working in collaboration with 4 Winds,
Louise began creative arts sessions at the Grange Gardens Bowls Pavilion in December, and has now completed the second phase of the project;
Inspired By…
‘We have just completed our second phase of the project ‘Inspired By..’ in which we are exploring all of those things that inspire us to reach that bit further, those things that breathe life into us. Fuelled by a visit to the Cardiff National Museum we began by creating small matchbox portraits of the people that inspire us, and have more recently been exploring, through different monoprint techniques, the things in nature that we enjoy and take sustenance from.
So far we have had over twenty participants joining in at some point or another and we have had some lovely pieces of work along the way. There is a core group who have been attending nearly every session and over the last month in particular we have managed to build on new skills and explorations week on week.
One of the participants commented on ‘how good it has been to have something different and creative to focus on, to see the creative process of other people and the diversity of what has emerged.’
One of the most important elements of the arts process here is to try to introduce ways of working that absorb and engage us, without too much fear of failure. I try to encourage as best I can a spirit of playfulness and experimentation, with as little worry about outcome as possible. There is always that little voice inside us that wants to criticise ourselves, and compare ourselves unhelpfully to others. By nurturing our ability to see beauty in those small details, that might otherwise be missed, I hope to offer ways in which we can be surprised and gain delightful insights into our own process. To be inspired by ourselves!!
The final part of the project will be running in May.’
-Louise Jensen, Artist
Creative conversations and art sessions are open to all, and are provided on a first come, first served basis. If you would like to join, please email 4 Winds to sign up for sessions: contact@4winds.org.uk
Or please contact Louise Jensen: stiwdio3@gmail.com for more information on her museum visits and workshops.