Gone workin'...

For the last 12 months a significant amount of time (OK, every hour not at work) has been occupied by renovating my house, however this year a few more community art activities have been popping up, many as a sideline to my day job as a youth worker on the NSW South Coast. Here are a couple of the latest

 

CareSouth refuge mural based on jigsaw design- to overcome the limitations of a diverse and transient refuge population the mural was broken down into jigsaw pieces- many elements which could be worked on by the participants and then assembled as a whole.

 

Headspace Nowra also opened earlier this year, and CFY Illawarra supplied an artist to work with local young people to create a mural to promote positive mental health. Young people created an awesome design based on the ‘lightbulb moment’ you realise you can seek support and change your life, and the artwork now takes pride of place in the Headspace office.

 

As part of Access Community Groups ‘Connect the Dots’ Youth Week event a CFY Illawarra artist was on hand to produce event signage and an interactive artwork with local young people. This was a popular event in spite of the horrendous weather, and the youth artwork was selected by Shoalhaven Council to be displayed in the council offices.

 

 

 

Nowra Youth Centre has also had a number of youth art programs running, including a series of workshops creating graphics and theming for the ACG/NYC ‘Going Viral’ event as part of Hepatitis C Awareness week. The event was a hit, including a life size interactive game board and prizes all based around safe behaviours and risk situations relating to young people. The way-finding concepts and game stations were developed in consultation with local young people, who then all helped out painting the imagery under supervision of CFY Illawarra artists. The original format and the stylized game graphics was so well received that the Hepatitis Council would like to have a proper board game made to distribute on a wider scale.

 

 

 

Another quick art project in partnership with the Nowra Youth Centre and Headspace Shoalhaven saw this Mental health Month mural painted by local young people mentored by CFY artist, ‘Stress Less’! This mural then formed the backdrop for a group of local young performers to play at the Celebrate Connect and Rock gig the following day.

 

This followed on from a previous school holiday aerosol art activity at the centre run  by local CFY artist promoting the centre.

 

 

 

 

For a laugh some actual fine artworks have been made too, including a Damien Hirst ‘For The Love of God’ parody ‘diamond’ encrusted spray can (Unfortunately not the greatest photo), and a portrait tribute to the ubiquitous Ibis. The Ibis artwork was well received in a small group show in Wollongong at the Gallery 5 Crown Lane, and was even more well received in another show in Darlinghurst where it was stolen off the wall!

...Until next time, stay frosty...