Change

“Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes. ” Hugh Prather 

The last time I wrote a blog was 4 years ago so please excuse me, I’m very out of practice….

These past 4 years have been the most life changing few years yet.

What with loss and serious diagnosis’s of close families members and the loss of the use of my left hand, everything has shifted… and I turned 50, but TBH life has never been so meaningful, where the small things in life have become more valuable.

Devastation set in with the loss of strength and ability in my hand. Creativity has always been a coping mechanism for me as well as a livelihood. I thought I was going to go mad!

After hand surgery in 2024 and a new semi bionic hand, I can still work, but just nothing near the extent I used to. Family members sometime step in to help with production of homeware products and I am just more mindful when using my hands and don’t take them for granted.

I am still occasionally creating ‘the lives of birds’  commissions for private collections…..

but personal art making practice, through drawing and paintings, has really helped process the ups and downs of the last few years.

Art making and creativity can play a supportive role when going through change and adversities.

This power is something I am passionate about, so much so I am in the second year of a ‘Arts and engagement’ masters in Cork MTU. It has backed up and given value and inspiration to the practice as an artist in a health care setting and as artist in residencies in education.

I work as activities coordinator and as facilitator in a nursing home day centre and in several schools; both primary and secondary residencies every year.

Art is a way to create connections and to strengthen community. It harnesses well being and offers greater meaning to our lives as well as creates opportunities for new ways to learn in education. There is an increasing awareness of the power of art and creativity for change in public settings, but it has a long way to go.

A creative communities project award allowed me to run camps for neuro- divergent children for 2 years consecutively. This was very successful and hugely rewarding. We offered a flexible space for creative individual led projects.

These projects have not only enriched the members in these communities , but have greatly enriched my own life and I am very grateful for that when so much has changed.

What do you do to keep creative?

See more art facilitation image here;