The Abbey Wood Art Fair, September 2024: Sending a ripple through Abbey Wood

An Art Fair in Abbey Wood? You mean down the hill, the East of Bexley? Yes, how Abbey Wood has changed following the installation of the Elizabeth Line!

Set in beautiful, ancient woodland and by the ruins of the Abbey, sits the Lesness Abbey Lodge, a modern glass fronted building alongside the landscaped Monks Garden. Here the fourth Abbey Wood Art Fair was hosted, a one day event with 30+ Artists selling their creations.

A new opportunity for Centrepieces and with a team of 4 volunteers, we trooped across the park in glorious sunshine at a seriously early hour, with a selection of paintings from Centrepieces artists. The set up worked like clockwork, aside a short break from being orderly, and in just one hour we had laid out our display area and table with works of Art, clearly labelled with title, Artist and price all on a DIY hanging system.


We were unsure of what to expect, lots of people? no-one? one man and his dog? The day turned out to be fabulous with a steady stream of people wandering through the Fair with their children and dogs in tow. Many people were just opportunistic and in the park and stumbled across the fair, others were family and friends and some Art enthusiasts. With our happy band of volunteers, very few managed to get past our stand without a chat, an explanation and lots of cooing (not the owls). As usual people were happy to buy our beautiful cards and we sold two pieces of Art. The event put a smile onto so many people’s faces as they engaged with artists and then sat in the sun outside. 


That’s the thing with an event, people want to stay, by talking to strangers they then feel connected and enjoy this so stay in the park for longer over going home and being insular.

As we reflected after a lovely day we realised the wider effect of getting Centrepieces out into the community. As a result of the day we expect at least three people to contact to either join as artists or to volunteer.  The band of volunteers all experienced a role engaging the public and valuing  our art and organisation. We worked collaboratively and set up an amazing stand, took it down and all went for a cup of tea afterwards, bonded and triumphant. During the day, and in response to the excellent social media produced by Carla, three members of CP came over to see what was happening and supported the volunteers and also received support from them. A member who has not been for a while came with their mother who was trying to encourage them to re-engage with CP. A new trustee responded to the social media and came and met us all, saw the art and was enthused by our presence at the Art Fair and we all enjoyed a group selfie! We loved engaging with the Trustee, it makes us whole as an organisation. A young artist who has just graduated openly discussed their mental health and I was able to signpost them to SANE arts funding. We all engaged with other artists looking at their work and discussing techniques and effects. 

None of the above would have happened if we hadn’t taken the risk, invested in the fee to take part and given our time and energy to the community and to CP. For me it was an extremely good return on investment!

Volunteers : Jean, Carla, Wendy, Sally, Monique, Paul & Fatma

A special call out to Bozena Koj who organised the Abbey Wood Art Fair, thank you for all your efforts and putting on an event for Artists to engage with their community. @bozartwork

WJC
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The Cycle of Joy – A bit of insight from what I understand to be Joy - by WJC

 I have coached many sports and seeing people develop and find Joy in achieving is amazing, a deep part of my life. So when I had to stop sport due to weak bones, I switched my coaching to Art, and it works! 

I love leading workshops at Centrepieces Mental Health Arts Project as when people grow and achieve, I feel great! I realise that this is an experience of Joy. 


Joy is important as it fuels our inner being; so what is Joy? I find it difficult to put into words so here are some bullet points that made sense to me. Sorry for the technical speak that follows but bear with!

Joy is a state developed by our will; you have to commit to being joyous even if you don’t feel it! Believe in Joy even if you don’t feel it now.

You need to seek activity that stimulates our natural neurological process that produces the state of Joy. Example: finishing a painting you like.

We can decide to pursue activity that leads to a state of Joy. (even if we feel down).

Once in the state of Joy we can then stimulate Joy in others 

 Joy is a cycle; it depends on us to choose to energise the cycle by giving and receiving Joy. 

Mother Teresa, ‘The Ambassador of Joy’ said:

“Joy is very infectious; therefore, be always full of joy!”

Hopefully you have read my blog on the reservoir of Joy, If not it’s on this blog.

#LGCartprize2024


To vote for WJC's artwork in the LGC Art Prize 2024, follow this link and vote on entry number 96.

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Some thoughts about Joy - by WJC

The Theo Paphitis Art Prize this year has chosen the theme of Joy for artists to respond to. This I found both challenging and thought provoking as Joy seems a somewhat difficult concept for someone with anxiety and depression! If they had set sadness. I would have been fine!

Three weeks later, thank you LGC as the theme of Joy caused me to think hard and research what Joy is, and even why it’s a bit alien to me. The first and very important point for me is that a reason I do not relate to Joy is because it’s a bit like waiting for a London Bus, I only remember the ones I missed that left me feeling dejected, not the ones I just got and left me with a feeling of Joy. So there is my first learning point, take notice of Joy when you experience it and enjoy it for the moment it is.

So what is Joy? Joy is an automatic reaction of our emotions, body and spirit to a stimulus. We cannot force it to happen, it must happen naturally. We will all be stimulated by different occurrences to different levels, and we need to absorb Joy and create a memory of that moment and not let it pass us by.  

An example from my life is bumping into someone I know unexpectedly in town or a park. My heart goes warm, I smile, my body relaxes, and I feel energised, all without any thought or effort. Joy catches you by surprise.

As said in my previous blog, my entry to Theo Paphitis Art Prize is a charcoal portrait of Mother Teresa titled ‘The Ambassador of Joy’.  Initially this was because I knew she had brought Joy into so many people’s lives. Then by reading more about Joy and Mother Teresa’s writings on Joy. I realise she had a deep understanding of the psychology of Joy that she has used to create a reservoir of Joy that enabled her to bring so much Joy to others; I want and maybe need a reservoir of Joy!

I am beginning to find that it’s not so difficult to create a reservoir of Joy. It starts with acknowledging an experience of Joy and then storing it in your memory. Although it cannot be guaranteed, I am now seeking three things a day that may bring me Joy. Simple everyday events such as stroking a pet, (thank you Monty), walking out and looking at a beautiful flower in the park, smiling back at someone (please smile at me), producing a drawing, the list can go on and on. I realise that I must acknowledge and store the Joy when it occurs rather than let it pass me by.

This process of entering the competition has enabled me to learn to generate a reservoir of Joy which will now fuel me through my life.

#LGCartprize2024

WJC

To vote for WJC's artwork, follow this link and vote on entry number 96.

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Dancing in the rain - by Lilani Dilrukshan

Painting and words by Lilani Dilrukshan



Dancing in the rain

Oh, dancing in the rain, what a joy it brings.

With every step, my heart takes the wings.

The puddles splash and the drops ignite.

A symphony of sound, a dance so bright.

 

My feet move quickly, and my body sways,

As the raindrops play their melodic ways,

The world around me fades away,

Leaving only the dance, the rain, and I.

 

The thunder drums, the lightning strikes

A celestial show, a dance so unique.

The rainbow's colours, a kaleidoscope,

A dance in the rain, a symphony to hope.

 

The rain soaks through, the wind blows strong,

But my heart sings a happy song,

For in the rain, I find my grace,

A dance in the rain, a wondrous place.

 

Lilani Dilrukshan


To vote for Lilani's artwork, follow this link and vote on entry number 449.


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Things that stop your joy, feelings of failure - by WJC

If you’re new to this blog, I have entered the LGC X Theo Paphitis Art Prize which has the theme of Joy. Therefore I am blogging about Joy for August.

This post is how I think about failure, as I do not want failure to prevent, or dampen, my experiences of Joy.

Managing and living with my mental ill health has often led me to reflect on why I feel so bad but no one mentioned looking at why I feel good! This I think has led me to often think more about negative experiences than positive. This may be also part of everyday British culture? How often do we recount when we just miss a bus but never on how many we just caught? To focus on failure stunts our experiences of Joy.

Failing or failure may be seem so awful that we never try new experiences and if we don’t try, we don’t grow. Therefore we need to rethink failure and get away from, and stop negative feelings of inadequacy, disappointment, being stupid or less than others. 

One step towards this is to set a realistic personal target and ignore everyone else’s targets. Remember you are a novice or beginner when you start something new and therefore expect to only achieve a step towards your target and not the whole. 

Ready for some sport? So Archery;  if you take up archery what is your novice expectation to achieve? In Archery the winner is the one who hits the gold of the target the most. But what about the novice? What is a novice target? Surely you win just by turning up to your first session, that is your gold. And, what if you just enjoy part of the session, is that also part of the gold?

 Maybe the gold medal is actually  just having a go and experiencing a smile i.e. joy along the way?

I never read the memo that says failure is negative, I was always too busy trying anything and everything to avoid feeling bad, in fact I didn’t feel anything at all but adrenaline and excitement. Until I crashed and burnt! In some ways this is a positive from my life experience, I am not afraid of failure, there is no point. I am more afraid of FOMO! (Fear of missing out!)

So don’t crash and burn, please don’t! but do rethink how you see failure and overcome negative feelings by setting novice targets and allow Joy to grow in you and others

Remember, smile at someone and experience Joy!

My competition entry can be seen on Centrepieces instagram.

WJC


To vote for WJC's artwork, follow this link and vote on entry number 96.


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Choosing my entry to LGC X Theo Paphitis Art Prize by WJC

I came to Art from a sports background and having developed weak bones and a broken leg, I had to give up sport and now use my energy for producing art. So a competition? That’s right up my sporting streak, I love to compete and scoring a goal is amazing.  So combining art into a competition was irresistible for me.

I volunteer as a Workshop Leader at Centrepieces and use my sports coaching to develop confidence to produce art in fellow members. As many members will tell you, if you sit at my art table, be ready to score a goal!

Back to the competition; this year’s Art Prize has the theme of Joy and they introduce the writings of C S Lewis to develop this theme. Got me hooked and I started researching Joy as although it’s something I know of, I didn’t fully understand and couldn’t articulate what I understand as Joy. Scoring a goal is excitement, not Joy. I now understand Joy is innate, it’s calm and we just need simple everyday prompts to make it flow. 

Coincidently, at the time of the competition launch, I was running workshops on Portraits using the method I had witnessed at a Frank Auerbach exhibition ‘Charcoal Heads’. I was at the Lodge with Paul helping him finish off his Dame Kelly Homes Portrait and, as he didn’t need my help, I decided to do a quick portrait and pulled a  Mother Teresa image out of the folder and thought “yes, she has a very interesting face”. Then I had one of those sessions all artists will recognize where the image just flows out of you and your sub-conscious seems to take over and there it is, and you’re left thinking “who did that? It can’t have been me”! 


So I took the image home as I loved it and Monique (Partner) also loved it, but what do you do with it? Then Monique looked at me and said, “There it is, that’s your image for the art prize!” I didn’t understand at first;  why a charcoal of Mother Teresa?  Because she brought so much Joy to people in need! I then proceeded to research Mother Teresa and soon found that she has also written a lot about Joy and that Joy was the fuel of her actions. 

I am buoyant as I feel this is now not only an entry into a competition; aligned with promoting mental health management and Centrepeices Art Project,  I believe a social movement on Joy is possible to develop through the process of this competition that will benefit you, your friends and family and thereby your wider community. 

I could quote many quotes on Joy and will do throughout the competition process but here’s one that is powerful in today’s climate of global unrest.

“Peace begins with a smile” - Saint Teresa of Calcutta, AKA Mother Teresa

The competition goes live on August 5th  2024 and I will be posting a link to my entry on Social Media so keep a look out. If my piece and message speak to you please join the movement and vote online for my piece. 

Centrepieces will be developing the message of Joy throughout August so keep in touch.

WJC


To vote for WJC's artwork, follow this link and vote on entry number 96.

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