Centrepieces Mental Health Arts Project

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

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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

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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

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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.

19:13
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Things that stop your joy, feelings of failure - by WJC

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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.

11:02
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Choosing my entry to LGC X Theo Paphitis Art Prize by WJC

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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.

11:53
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Centrepieces@the Pop Up ~ OPEN DAY Saturday 21st October 2023

Centrepieces @ the Pop Up (Sidcup Manor House) Open Day Saturday 21st October 2023

Article written by Centrepieces Artist and volunteer - Lesley Cody

On Saturday 21 October, Centrepieces held an open day at their pop-up premises at Sidcup Manor House. Centrepieces is a mental health arts charity that supports and promotes mental health recovery through the arts.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Bexley were delighted to attend the Open Day and get to know more about the work of Centrepieces. They praised the organisation and the event for bringing the community together to discover the power of art as a recovery tool.

In the morning there was a family craft workshop run by volunteers, followed by a Neurographic Art / Doodle Session, which was perfect for those who wished to explore their creative side or learn a new skill. In the afternoon, there was a card making workshop where attendees were able to craft their own greeting cards using specifically created activity packs and a range of tools and materials which were provided. There was something to suit everyone, regardless of their age or skill level.

The event also featured live music from a U3A eight-member guitar group in the morning and a local saxophone quartet in the afternoon. They performed in a marquee in the garden sheltered from the inclement weather.

Alongside the workshops and the musical performances, there were plenty of other activities to entertain and occupy the visitors. The fundraising shop was a particular highlight of the event, selling jewellery, artwork, cards, craft packs and books. The shop proved to be extremely popular, with customers queuing to snap up the unique items.

Homemade cakes and tea or coffee were available throughout the day, perfect for a mid-morning or afternoon pick-me-up. There was also a raffle and a tombola, with some amazing prizes to be won.

It is clear from the success of the Open Day that Centrepieces is an invaluable resource in the local community and that its work is having a positive impact. The charity is a great example of how art can be used to promote mental health and wellbeing and how creativity can be used to bring people together.

The day was a great success, with many members of the public coming to find out more about the charity and the services it offers. They were able to view the art spaces and see the work of the twenty artists who use them.

16:35
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Centrepieces Celebrates 20th Anniversary

2019: The Year We Turned 20!

Two decades of expressive and exploratory art, promoting a better understanding of mental illness to the wider community

As another year comes to a close, and a new one begins, it seems fit to reflect on the past year. 2019 marked Centrepieces 20th anniversary! And what a successful twelve months it has been for our ever-blossoming charity.

To celebrate the evolution of Centrepieces over the past two decades, artists engaged in workshops and projects, focusing on the theme of 'journeys'; in suit of the journey the charity has taken itself.

One of the most notable changes in 2019 has been the opening of our 'Centrepieces Pop-Up'. In partnership with East Street Arts, an organisation that prides itself on providing space for artists, we have taken over the old Argos space (which apparently hasn't quite got through to some of the general public who frequently enter ArTgos mistakenly) . The pop-up location provides our artists with studio, workshop and exhibition space. It has also been an excellent facility for our annual auction, and various other events throughout the year - working collaboratively with the Young Adults Project from Bexley Mind and hosting an arts and crafts fair.

- Emily Bennett

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Just Trying to Understand by Christie Cassisa

Just Trying to Understand

Sometimes my heart feels like it is going to break and I don’t know why.

I feel stuck, sometimes, like that. At that point where my heart is going to break. And I don’t know why.

Its not a nice feeling, like there is a tornado coming, and you need to close the door, but for some reason the door doesn’t quite close. And you don’t know why.

But its not a bad feeling, like there is an excitement about seeing a tornado, you know that apart from the destruction, you’ve wanted that kind of excitement for some time. But you don’t know why.

You can’t run into the storm, it could be dangerous, but you don’t know why, you can’t close the door, but you don’t know why.

My painting stands on my easel, still wet from yesterdays painting session. A painting of storm clouds, and a dark turbulent sea, yesterday I was lost in it, completely connected in emotion and colour, pouring out how I feel into the wild smeared marks. I felt as if I had opened the door and stood on the threshold of the storm. Today I know that I am excited to return to that painting, but I am afraid too, and I don’t know why.

Perhaps it is an unconscious understanding that I am the storm, and in my mind, I test that theory, I let myself be the storm, and I see a small and fragile person, standing in a doorway of a flimsy shack, looking at me, not understanding anything.

I am the storm. I love that person, in her ignorance, standing in her illusion of safety, with her aura of apathy, crusted around her child like heart. I want to give her a gift. My gift is to attack everything she has built around her, she is trapped in her own poisons, everything she has built up is a prison, I will show her how to be free! She is scared, and it will seem devastating, but she will understand one day she doesn’t need those things. I am her rescuer, I am her best friend who loves her, I will tear down that prison, I will take her hand and we will fly!

by Christie Cassisa

15:14
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Creative Writing by Jo Morris

So ....... we draw, we paint, we sculpt, we mosaic and now we Creative Write! Friday afternoons will never be the same again!

It's always great when we are approached by people offering to share their particular skills with Centrepiece artists. This was the case with Jo Morris, an English teacher with a passion for creative writing who came to us at the right time. As with all our new tutors we ran a trial session to the members and it was so well received that the follow up sessions started almost immediately ~ Karen Larkin, Assistant Coordinator.

Creative Writing by Jo Morris

The creative writing class was established on Friday 18th May after a request by members to re-introduce a workshop similar to one that had been up and running when Centrepieces had been at the Crayford Centre. We are an inclusive and friendly group and everybody is welcome to come along and have a go!

The initial aim of the workshop was to learn about some basic poetic forms and was to run for 6 weeks. However, after some lively and very creative sessions looking at Acrostic Poetry, Haiku, Shape Poems, Limericks and Odes we are still going strong and are now branching out into other forms of creative writing, from descriptive pieces to short stories.

The group is not only a fun way to flex your creative muscles but somewhere to meet like-minded people. We have also struck up friendships and alongside having a laugh and a joke we have talked about many serious issues which affect peoples’ health and well being.

I myself don’t feel like the teacher, I feel we are all teaching and enabling each other in some positive way. “The creative writing group has really inspired me. It has opened up lots of new ideas and has led to a burst of creativity” (NB). “Creative writing get the ‘old grey matter’ fired up!” (BA). “The world is your oyster, when you write” (DT).

The writing speaks for itself with some amazing creative pieces being produced each week …….

"Artistic" an Acrostic Poem by The Centrepieces Creative Writing Group

Avant-garde, Amateur, Andy Warhol

Recreational, Rubens, Robust

Turner, Tempestuous, Timeless

Imaginative, Incandescent, Impressionist

Salvador Dali, Surrealist, Sorted!

Toulouse-Lautrec, Tortured, Temptation

Industrious, Insightful, Illusionism

Chaotic, Chagall, Creative.

"Mental Health" by The Centrepieces Creative Writing Group

Madness can come to anyone

Everyone can experience it one way or another

No apparent solution

Talking helps

Art helps

Literature helps

Hell on earth, sometimes

Easy it isn’t, living with it

Any time it can strike you down

Like minded people get on well together

They share experiences

Help is at hand

12:44
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Be Different - Art in Hall Place Gardens

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Artist: Christie Cassisa --

Using a tree that has shed its leaves during the winter, project artist, Christie Cassisa, covered the bark with coloured tissue paper using water as the adhesive. The result was a tree which stands out from the others, promoting our uniqueness and embracing our colourful differences.

The project was not without its difficulties: inclement weather, strong winds, and the glue-repelling property of the tree's moss made the task of adhering the coloured tissue paper particularly challenging.
Though the decorated tree is dazzingly bright, the vivid greens and yellows of the tree's ornamented branches beautifully complemented the colder, more muted greens, browns and greys of the winter landscape.

A great thank you is afforded to everyone who volunteered their time and efforts to help make this project such a success!

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Never Forget - Art in Hall Place Gardens

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Artist: Christie Cassisa --

Made from materials of clay and earth from the surrounding area, the sculpture was left to gradually deteriorate in the winter weather: a poignant reflection of today’s war-torn, troubled world.

"I realised that the deterioration of the two little figures is actually quite beautiful, and the sculpture has been a success. I am so excited that people have been moved to think more deeply and are understanding how it illustrates the psychological changes and shocks that people experience in the reality of war. I have learnt so much about why we remember, about people, and about myself, and I continue to learn. It has been very inspiring!”

- Project artist, Christie Cassisa

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Drawing the Line - Art in Hall Place Gardens

Artist: Karen Larkin --

Bundles of colourful leaves were collected from Hall Place Gardens and pinned into the hedges using twigs to create an evolving display.

“We have really enjoyed working together on this piece, it has been quite a journey – soul searching and chatting to the public about life, family, and art. We will return to the site over several weeks and record how our line gradually disappears as the weather clears away our playthings and puts the year to bed. Thank you to everyone who supported us and gave us all the wonderful feedback.”

- Project artists, Karen Larkin and Christie Cassisa

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Word Webs - Art in Hall Place Gardens

Artist: Kim Campbell --

Inspired by the children’s book Charlotte’s Web, “Word Webs” involves webs made of various materials and attached to trees around the site, spelling out words, poems or phrases to invoke contemplation, rumination and whimsy!

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Canaletto at the Queen's Gallery

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A group of Centrepieces artists and friends visited the Queen's Gallery in London on 6th November 2017 by invitation, to see the current exhibition of paintings by Italian artist Canaletto (1697-1768) and to take part in a drawing workshop led by Emma Finch, one of the gallery's artists.

We were given a quick talk about Canaletto, then we went into the exhibition to look at some of Canaletto's paintings of Venice and Rome. We were all asked to choose a painting that we liked, and to draw or sketch part of it ourselves.

Fortified by royal tea and biscuits, we were shown how to trace our drawings and make them into a double image, then add other pictures and buildings alongside. Some brilliant pictures were produced.

Afterwards we had the opportunity to see the rest of the exhibition, or have fun with the Canaletto props. Many thanks to the Queen's Gallery and Emma for a very enjoyable afternoon.