blog-post
August 10, 2022

A Year of Community Engagement

2021 was the year that I completely heard my true calling, and when I decided to listen to it. I love people. I love working with people. For years I have been a closet people lover, and allowing only those close to me to come near, but in 2021, the year of lockdown, I decided that I needed more people in my life. I know, ironic, right?! So I put out a few feelers, and then boom, a year of community engagement and social practice began.

Allow me to share with you some of the projects I have delivered and some of the organisations I have now worked with.

Caithness and Sutherland Women’s Aid – A staff wellbeing day.

Discover Thurso Festival – Outdoor Painting Workshops

Lyth Arts Centre – Harbour inspired Painting workshop as part of the Northern Lights Festival

Thurso Community Development Trust – A 6 week block on online classes to reach remote and rural communities.

Farr North Community Development Trust – A 6 week ‘How to Paint’ course delivered in the rural community of Bettyhill.

Lyth Arts Centre – A 10 week Artist in Residence placement at Busy Bees Nursery and Bower Primary School.

Step Forward Wick Youth – A Painting Workshop delivered at Wick High School as part of a summer holiday club.

Lyth Arts Centre – Outdoor Botanical Painting Experience workshops delivered in the Unexpected Garden.

Sinclair’s Bay Community Council – Wellbeing and Painting Workshops delivered within the Sinclair’s Bay area, funded by North Highland Initiative.

Collaboration with Dunnet Forestry Trust – To deliver an outdoor family workshop in the forest, using botany and plants as inspiration and texture.

Lyth Arts Centre, Wellbeing Workshops – with Keiss Primary school and parents. One session with P1 -4, gathering nature and leaves to use as texture and paintbrushes, and the creation of a large collaborative painting. Second session with P5 – 7 and parents and family members, delivering a Wave of Hope project.

Caithness KLIKS – The preparation and delivery of Christmas art packs for young carers.

I have a feeling this is just the beginning. In fact, in August 2022 I launched my own project called the Wave of Hope project that I hope to deliver in partnership with local organisations, community groups, schools and corporations. Please click here to find out more about the – The Wave of Hope Project.

I continue to deliver online painting classes and in-studio painting experiences to those who can afford to attend, and I still continue to sell prints and originals, both online, and in various outlets. Visits to the studio are welcome by appointment.

It’s been a year of immense enjoyment and satisfaction, and I am excited to see where the next year takes me, and to perhaps meet and work with some of you in the future.

I’ll leave you with some feedback from some of the workshops that I have delivered –

I loved the (financial) accessibility and inclusivity of the class which enabled anyone who wanted to join, the opportunity to join in. I also think the benefit of a creative space being created cannot be understated – particularly for mental health and emotional wellbeing. Both are so important as we emerge from a pandemic and are facing significant increased living costs.

It helped me to zone out from a busy life. Being creative is really important to my self care and it was great to be able to access a class for free. I recognised through the outdoor watercolour session how accessible (grab and go) painting could be and have already bought myself materials to do this again. While we all worked separately and quietly, it was lovely to be in a creative space with others.

I’ve been inspired to build on what I’ve learned and have continued practicing. Another real benefit was having that time to do my busy life and exist in a new, quiet time for a time, where art and gentle focus were all I needed to think about

I have learned new techniques, I have painted in a group of total strangers( a bravery test for me) .It has encouraged me to keep going with my painting .Painting/sketching outside in a group where you don’t feel as obvious as when you are on your on was very relaxing and felt therapeutic. And it’s great to do it just for the enjoyment with no pressure to produce a finished picture.