A new exhibition opening in Thames will celebrate the unique work of The Supported Life Style Hauraki Trust.
The Perfection of Imperfection exhibition will open with a gala evening from 5pm until 7pm on October 23 at the Grahamstown Bar and Diner, where the exhibition will run until November 8.
It will feature work from those who attend the Artsider and Originalworx workshops, two community spaces of the trust, which supports people with disabilities.
About 50 people meet regularly at Artsider workshops to take part in a range of creative modalities, including painting, textile art, ceramics, mosaics, printmaking and sculpture. At Originalworx, the focus is creating unique pieces primarily with wood.
Artsider tutor and local artist Deb Brock said the aim of the exhibition was to showcase the artwork of about 15 people involved in the programmes.
“Every single piece is unique and pretty gorgeous,” she said.
“We have a person-centred approach – people are encouraged to work with what they are drawn to.”
Artist and tutor Amanda Ewing said creating art was beneficial for people with disabilities.
“It’s not just a place to come and have fun – for some of our guys, it’s very therapeutic,” she said.
“There’s a lot of studies that show creativity is important for wellbeing.”
Originalworx tutor Pete Randall said woodwork and construction was a tool for multiple learnings and also a pathway to enhanced self-esteem.
“All tutorship is tailored to an individual’s style of learning and each person is supported to create their piece from initial design plans to completion,” he said.
Many of the art works exhibited will be on loan to the exhibition, though some will be for sale.
Three pieces will be auctioned at the gala evening to raise funds for the workshops and the artists. The gala event will also include drinks, nibbles and speeches.
By TERESA RAMSEY
PHOTO: Rachel Osborne displays some of her art work during the Artsider workshop.
