Yeah, art is a good thing to do. It’s a good way to express your feelings. You know, in some way, make everything bright. It’s interesting. Yeah, the Museum is good too, a good place, it’s really nice. Doing art there was just fun really. I wouldn’t do art all day or every day, so it’s just something nice to do once in a while. So just, yeah, a chance to tap into your creative side!
In this May workshop for the siblings of young people connected to the hospice, we wanted to find ways to make elements of the collections of Fitzwilliam Museum visible.
We kept in mind the ideas around well-being that we had used in previous arts workshops: take notice - be curious- catch sight of the beautiful. Everyone was invited to identify one image from the collection of postcards bought from the Museum that they were drawn to. They described it to a partner, thinking about what had caught their eye and how it made sense to them:
I chose this one because I thought it was like an untold story. I liked it that there was mostly blue, but then there was this big space too. I really like it how it’s clear at the front then it kind of blurs at the back. Because it’s not clear what’s happening, you can make up your own story. You know, what are they waiting for or what are they looking at?
We explored frames and labels and how they change what we see. It was fascinating to see the very different styles and intentions people explored with the work they produced for themselves:
I’m just making the frame around my picture. I thought I’d extend the waves into the frame. I chose these because I really like water. I can just look at it for ages, it makes me feel really calm.
I was drawn to this picture immediately. I like everything about it really. You’ve got the different colours merging together to make the fields. Then you’ve got the sky, full of nice blue, but then there’s that bit of black to show the clouds. Lots to really look at and um, think about here! It feels peaceful, feels warm but like, there’s a nice wind. When I looked at it, I just thought, I just chose some colours to go with the picture. It looks like it’s still carrying on into the frame. You know, from the beginning, right to the end.
Finally we considered how we would curate the framed images in the hallway – discussing whether we presented the images thematically, or by size, or colour – and at what height to display the images. The changed hallway is already drawing responses and comments:
I don’t know who is responsible for the lovely artwork/picture frames lining the walls of the corridor near the siblings room but it looks beautiful and the accompanying words from the young people are wonderful, really thoughtful.,
Sue, Clinical Educator
I was also able to show a parent whilst walking through the corridor last week. She was very pleased to see the work of her children up on the wall.
Charlotte, Family Support Practitioner
The programme began in August 2013 when families were invited to visit on a Monday when the Museum is closed to the public. It continued with a workshop for the sibling group that meet at the hospice in the autumn half-term with further workshops scheduled for 2014.
