OUT & ABOUT
Josh
‘‘We held a silent auction last year at the Millenium Galleries as part of the Special Olympics. But we felt awful and proud at the same time when parents were ringing up to offer £50 on their son or daughter’s work and we had to tell them it had already been bought for £500’’
Emmie
based on his imaginary character, Elijah, an autism fairy. “We never saw him smile for about three weeks when he first joined us but now he never stops,” Kayleigh says. Partially-sighted Emmie
absorbs herself in the many tactile art workshops they do and even suggests unconventional ways to make art more physically engaging for those with sight loss. Tim too likes texture and creates stunning canvases from layers upon layers of acrylic, with each layer bringing a new dimension and colour tone to his pieces.
Katie loves photography and often uses Kayleigh’s professional kit from her TV days to set up and document her surroundings; Heather expresses herself through dance and drama; while Gerald is a visionary in
the textile world and creates abstract fabric to turn into items to sell. Inspiration comes from the many places they visit including museums across the region such as the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford and Yorkshire Sculpture Park. With a huge and varying body of work created each week, the team at Artworks are also passionate about providing a platform for these emerging artists to be seen and so organise regular gallery shows and exhibitions. “We held a silent auction last year at the Millenium Galleries as part of the Special Olympics. But we felt awful and proud at the same time when parents were ringing up to offer £50 on their son or daughter’s work and we had to tell them it had already been bought for £500,” Kayleigh says.
Along with creating authentic pieces of art, the service users at Artworks also gain valuable life lessons which play a big part in weekly happenings at their centres. From swimming lessons, fitness classes and a game of basketball or tennis, to healthy eating and a breakfast club, and even baking cakes and treats to serve afternoon tea at a local care home; all activities are designed around knowledge and well-being.
They also work alongside South Yorkshire Police and Fire Service to
deliver safety programmes targeted at those with disabilities. Being part of the Artworks scheme also means service users have the chance to undertake voluntary placements in the community to gain work experience. From undertaking interviews at Sheffield Doc/Fest and Tramlines, to walking retired greyhounds, they also tend to the gardens at Wentworth Woodhouse and create gifts to sell in the visitors’ shop, with the team hoping to open a gallery space at the stately home, too. “We’re all for empowering our service users to access a wider range of jobs out there. What if they don’t just want to limit themselves to working in a café or a charity shop? It’s about having equal rights and equal chances in life,” Kayleigh says. Of course, it’s not just all work and no play – the group get up to a range of fun activities each week away from their art and placements. Whether it’s going to the coast for fish and chips, battling it out on the bowling lanes, going indoor climbing, or having tea and cake in a local café, the service users are involved every step of the way. They also recently enjoyed a week’s break to Butlins in Skegness and last year went to an open- air showing of the Labyrinth at a cathedral in Leeds where they made their own costumes and learned the dance moves.
“We always ask them, ‘What shall we do this week?’ And every week we get the same answer – they want to walk the twins!
“The other Halloween we took them to a thriller ball and invited a special effects makeup artist to turn them into ghouls and goblins. It just so happened I didn’t go as I went into labour and they were sending me photos so my phone is littered with pictures of babies and zombies.”
The Artworks service is available to adults over 16 with autism, learning or physical disabilities and operates Monday to Friday 9am- 4pm. Service users can be referred by the local authority or can contact Liz and Kayleigh direct.
They offer free taster days to get to know more about the service before joining.
All staff are trained and they are always on the lookout for volunteers or local artists to come in and host workshops.
For more information, see their website
www.artworks-sy.co.uk or their Facebook page.
aroundtownmagazine.co.uk 41
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
