whelmed.

Okay, so i am awful writing blogs. I go on and on and on about how much i’d love to write for website blogs and how i’ve been told my style of writing would be quite suitable for something like that, but i just can’t keep up with it! Whether that’s because i’m too boring or whatever has been going on with my life has been too much of a routine to break out of for 5 minutes to write, or whatever, i don’t know, i’m just useless. But here’s where i’m looking not just to change my blog writing, but my direction of where i’m heading. 

So today i went along to a lovely place called the Quo Vadis Trust. They work with people 18+ suffering from Mental Health problems, and work to give them the care and support they need to get by in life, from 24 hour care to 8 hour care a week. They don’t just focus on the basic needs of the people they care for, but they also look at improving skills such as reading, writing, cooking etcetera too. This is where i come in to the picture; I study Art, and i’m looking at my options for when i finish my course. Freelance would be lovely but so unrealistic for me; i feel i maybe lack the confidence to try it? I don’t know, but what i do know is that it’s competitive and i think i’d struggle to make my voice heard. So my other natural calling comes to my people skills; hey, not biggin’ myself up or whatever but i can be quite a hoot! Ever since being very young, i’ve been quite a well-voiced character, a social animal; i feed off company and communication. So, putting my art and social knowledge together, BOOM you get art therapy. 

So anyway, i turn up to QVT to shadow a trainee art therapist who is currently studying at Goldsmiths. She seemed nice enough, and began questioning my own art practise and all the generic stuff us artists ask one another. She began setting up the activity room; obviously, art therapy can be a very delicate subject and so i cannot go in to see actual art therapy sessions however i can view and join in with the art/creative sessions they host. A very large group began to gather inside, and before i knew it i ended up being the designated tea and coffee lady. All of the patients seemed to be in a good mood (i’ve been told there are days where everything isn’t quite so calm….hey maybe it’s the sun lightening everyone up), and they were all introduced to me, some being a bit more friendly than others. 

I sat and stood round the table watching all that was going on; some patients were really interested in beginning to make, one particularly wanting to create some body art! while others sat back and just gave themselves a little bit of time before making anything. They all gradually made at least one image each. It was quite fascinating - there is access to pens, paper, paints, even clay. It was a really relaxed session, and i feel i’ve come away with some new friends. Afterwards, there is an opportunity to talk about work, and whilst some didn’t want to share, others did, which was really nice to hear. 

I have to say i didn’t notice a lot of actual therapy techniques when the trainee therapist was talking to the patients, other than when they questioned her if she thought the work was good, she would respond “well, do you think it’s good?”. I took the moreso encouraging approach and sort of telling them that there is “no good or bad art” - i mean, you can say there is but your toilet could be someone’s duchamp…. if that makes sense. 

Anyway, i came away feeling really really good. I guess it’s still very much up in the air as to what i’ll experience next, whether there will be some good days or some bad days, but eitherway i’m really looking forward to returning. The trainee is away for a 2 week break so i may have to host my second session - bit scary, but i’m determined to go for it! 

In other news, Kids Company have also responded to me, and after an interview and 2 inductions, i may have to go for another interview but this time to be accepted into a placement area. I swore they only really did this with people who are studying art therapy, whereas i’m just doing  a BA in Fine Art, but if the opportunity is there i’ll definitely snap it up! Otherwise i’m more than happy to just begin volunteering with the children and putting on art workshops for them! 

Things are busy but after today i’m feeling more determined to get where i want than ever! 

Probably until next week, tumblrweeds x