THE PERSONAL
IN THE
PRACTICE This handbook has been created for educators, artists and students with work focused on social justice, activism and racism. Choosing self-preservation over self-sacrifice. In healthcare, we speak about resource scarcity – in order for the presence of one provision, resources have to be taken away from another. Finite resources in this context, though usually considered economically, applies to our emotional and energy related capacity. We have a finite amount of energy to exert as we navigate our personal and professional experience, and paired with our intersectionality which will see layers of our identity often pose as barriers in our day-today life, these activities aim to start the ptocess of mindfully navigate selfpreservation. It can be used as a self-reflective tool, or can be used in an academic setting either in group workshops or to guide personal tutorials. Use this as a starting point, and feel comfortable to take it from there. FIG. 1
AMBERLEE GREEN
ACTIVITIES FOR
THE
CLASSROOM
OR THE SELF
Artefact created for Inclusive Teaching and Learning Unit, as part of Pg Cert Academic Practice 2021-22
Fig 1, Portrait of Systems, Line & Honey, 2019
ACTIVITY 1: RECOVERY
Try to define the term 'recovery' from your personal perspective, and use the prompts to further develop your thoughts on what recovery means
What does 'recovery' mean to you?
ACTIVITY 1: RECOVERY
“...is a set of values about a person’s right to build a meaningful life for themselves... Recovery is based on ideas of self determination and self-management. It emphasizes the importance of ‘ hope ’ in sustaining motivation and supporting expectations of an individually fulfilled life”
Making recovery a reality, Shepherd et al., 2008.
Jot down any reflections/thoughts on the above definition:
ACTIVITY 2: REPRESENTATION
Create a storyboard for a film trailer based on this quote by Bell Hooks: "It's really about being enlightened witnesses when we watch representations, which means we are able to be critically vigilant about both what is being told to us and how we respond to what is being told"
Hooks, B. and Education Foundation, M. (1997) ‘bell hooks: Cultural Criticism and Transformation [Transcript]’.
Think about: What do you think Hooks meant in this quote? Who might be an enlightened witness? What could vigilance look like? What is being 'told to us'? Get as creative as possible!
ACTIVITY 2: REPRESENTATION
"It's really about being enlightened witnesses when we watch representations, which means we are able to be critically vigilant about both what is being told to us and how we respond to what is being told" 1.
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ACTIVITY 3: EMPOWERED/DISEMPOWERED NARRATIVES
List three narratives or aspects in your work/project that empower you:
1. 2. 3. Your work isn't 'complete' until it is publicly viewed - an audiences perception transforms your work to its final form - do you agree or disagree?
Consider three ways the aforementioned narratives could leave you feeling disempowered
1. 2. 3. How do we reconcile the above insights so we feel in control and content with the narratives we share?
ACTIVITY 4: HYPERVISIBILITY
There are many motivations for using personal narratives or autobiographical stories in our work: Giving a voice to experiences that are difficult to communicate To represent recovery As a form of activism To increase visibility & awareness of topics Bringing our complex personal narratives into our creative practice can also leave us feeling hypervisible and observed, which at times, can complicate our personal recovery processes. Use this Venn diagram to think through the themes or topics you want to explore, and try to come to a middle ground. What can you create that balances your vulnerability, feeling appreciated, and challenges you to expose honest themes in a safe way?
vulnerable
appreciated
middle
ground
exposed
ACTIVITY 4: HYPERVISIBILITY
vulnerable
appreciated
middle
ground
exposed
ACTIVITY 5: NOURISHED VS. DEPLETED
The burden of social injustice often leaves us neglecting the nourishing activities and spaces which improve our wellbeing. As we continue to take up space, we will often have to deal with negative and difficult attitude's, systems and processes. Being committed to the work we are doing means we often don’t realise what activities further deplete us, and may not always take stock of the processes, communities and rituals that nourish us. How do we introduce a balance? Make a list of all the things that are a part of your daily creative practice including: work or education processes/systems you have to engage with, social or community aspects of your practice, and themes that appear in your work. Put them in the correct category to identify which of these list entries nourish or deplete you: Nourish: increase energy and motivation; makes you feel calm & hopeful Deplete: drain energy and decreases motivation, leaves you feeling on edge or hopeless Things to think about as you seek a healthier balance: ·Are there more Nourishing or Depleting activities in your list? Which nourishing activities can be increased or inserted more intentionally into your experience? Could your view of depleting activities be changed to be more nourishing for you? Which depleting activities could be done differently? When? How? With who? What nourishing activities can you share with your community?
ACTIVITY 5: NOURISHED VS. DEPLETED
Nourishing
Depleting
ACTIVITY 6: DECIDING TO CREATE BEAUTY & JOY
This excerpt is from a poem titled 'Ode to Black Botanical Illustrators': "What does it mean if a black man paints a kaffir lily? Is that the question? I’m doing something beautiful, Chiliza said. A black man said that. Why doubt it?" Harrington, J. N. (2014) ‘Ode to Black Botanical Illustrators’, Callaloo, 37(4), pp. 866
Read the rest of the poem here (open access). As you reflect on what this poem means, take some time to research a few of the flowers mentioned in this poem, and sketch them here. Use this activity as a palette cleanse - a space to relax and be mindful.
There is no need to perfect these drawings - make them as detailed or as doodle-like as you please! Try to enjoy the process.
ACTIVITY 6: DECIDING TO CREATE BEAUTY & JOY
"What does it mean if a black man paints a kaffir lily? Is that the question? I’m doing something beautiful, Chiliza said. A black man said that. Why doubt it?"
WHAT'S NEXT: Ask yourself: What are my motivations? What do I want to say? Have I been able to access support for these things? Does being observed empower or disempower me? What do we get from seeing works based on personal life or experience? How will I serve my own needs (selfpreserve) before serving others (selfsacrifice) in my work? How can I prioritise rest, joy and control in my creative practice?
WHAT'S NEXT: For all I care Podcast – Baltic Art
Intersecting voices of wellness vs. rawness in illustration – Jhinuk Sarkar + Amberlee Green
Do You Know Your Middle? - Joy Miessi solo exhibition Black Eyes Matter: Nuances of Intersectionality and their Impact on Inclusion and Support – Wendy 2017
The Nap Instragram
Ministry
ACTIVITIES
THE PERSONAL IN THE PRACTICE Amberlee Green August 2021
FOR
THE CLASSROOM OR THE SELF