Near the End: The Beginning of a Journey by Valerie Oliver

VOLUME 1 ISSUE Nº1 THE PHENOMENON OF FINE ART AND THE HUMAN ELEMENT QUARTERLY PINKIE MAE PUBLICATIONS, UK FEBRUARY 2021

Editor, Author, Publisher Dr Valerie Mae Oliver

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Welcome Editor’s Note: Welcome to the first volume of The Phenomenon of Fine Art and the Human Element Quarterly by Pinkie Mae Publications, UK. This quarterly derived out of work being conducted post-PhD. I have had the opportunity to gain higher education in both the US and UK in Fine Art practice. I received a Master’s in Fine Art by Project at Wincherster School of Art (Southampton University). Shortly after, I began my research journey at Bucks New Univiersity and recieved my PhD from Brunel University. My art practice began in the US and I have been able to sustain an art career living in the UK. I work conceptually, producing installations using video amongst mixed media materials, which are significant to an idea. My career consists of combining my art practice with working in various educational and community institutions including managing and leading socially inclusion community partnership funded projects with diverse groups. I aim to bridge the gap between art practice research and educational institutions by working within the community. Therefore, I intend to stay within the community and validate theory along with practice. I remain self-employed working along with organisations that support individuals while in education and life-long learning situations. Two peer-review articles have been published since achieving my doctorate in 2016. With the work I am accumulating from my work experience, in the community, it is important to share this information. This will allow discussions to emerge with others and bring on change. I am now at a stage, where I can create a quarterly and I have named my publication after my Grandmother, Pinkie Mae Vaught Calloway, who was Head of Nursing at the Philadelphia Hospital for Contagious Diseases, Bureau of Health. At the moment, I am offering this quarterly without charge. Additionally, please respect that all work presented in this quarterly written and visual (unless otherwise indicated) is the copyright of Dr Valerie Oliver. All rights reserved and must not be reproduced or quoted in any form without the express permission of the publisher and editor. Please make contact with any inquires at valerie.oliver@btinternet.com.

Dr Valérie Oliver Artist/Researcher/Contemporary Art Practice Specialist

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Near the End: The Beginning of a Journey Written by Dr Valerie Oliver

Near the End:

Introduction This written reflection is an introduction to how my journey began post research working out in the community. In April of 2015, an opportunity arose while finalising my thesis. My supervisor, Dr Nadia Wager, was leading an evaluation for Safe! and they were looking for someone to fill the role of visual creative facilitator for their pilot programme.1 Nadia recommended me for the job. I was exceedingly excited to be part of the pilot and could not wait to put into practice what I have discovered during my research journey. I felt it was my chance to validate the importance of contemporary art practice within an institutional context. The progress towards understanding the value of theoretical and practical methods that would lend itself change was my goal. This will also impact on bridging a long-standing gap of the neglect on all art levels, the lack of recognition, and inability to substantiate art’s success on an empirical level. I began with the pilot programme in 2015, and I was able to provide support until the year 2018.

The Organisations Involved Safe! is an organisation located in Oxford, UK that provides support to young people and families who have been affected by crime or abuse. They received funding for their Building Respectful Families Programme, which provides support to families experiencing child on parent violence. This programme used the Break4Change Programme Toolkit. Break4Change was established in 2009 in Brighton, UK. It is a programme designed to help parents/carers and children who are involved in Child-to-Parent Abuse (CPA).

Before I discuss Break4Change objectives and principles, I need to inject a challenge of thought to reflect upon, relating to the above described role of the creative facilitator. Also, please understand that what I am about to explain is my perception that comes from experience. I am not asking you to agree with my perceptions or trust in what I am saying as absolute truth. My perceptions come from direct enagagement, actions, and experiences relating to my theoretical research based in knowledge and practice. The above described role is a tall order to fill, in such a short timeframe, when working with individual complex issues of young people. In my past and present experience individual complex issues are not fully considered or understood. Although, creative activities can provide and allow for a different way to connect to others; to communicate shared feelings and thoughts when engaging with a creative activity.

1 Dr Nadia Wager was my supervisor and Principal Lecturer in Forensic Psychology at Bucks New University. Dr Wager is now Reader in Forensic Psychology at University of Huddersfield. She is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Chartered Psychologist (Teaching and Research), having been awarded a PhD from Brunel University in 2002. 2 Break4Change, (2015) Break4Change Programme Toolkit: for professionals working with families where young people are violent/abusive towards their parents/carers funded by Daphne Programme of the European Union. Brighton: Break4Change.p.45

As described in the Break4Change toolkit, the role of the creative facilitator, was to: ‘provide activities where the learning from the weekly therapeutic workshops can be embedded and explored further, but also enable a sense of achievement and positivity in the young people, to bring them together as a group and help develop their self-confidence and self-expression.’ 2

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However, do they sustain a substantial skill set? In my experience, there is not the opportunity because the time allocated is not enough, especially when you factor in the amount of preparation beforehand needed to have a result of completed creative work. In the case for the Break4Change programme, this is a mixed creative based project that has been planned out by creative facilitators together with the organisation’s concept. Unfortunately, young people miss vital experiences if not given the opportunity to process their thoughts and ideas. Because in reality, they are only given a piece of work that has already been executed by the facilitator regarding idea, theme and prepared work. All they do is execute accordingly to directions given. There is an opportunity missed to develop a connection towards self-efficacy that leads to finding their truth. It is for this reason, I wanted to implement a different way of working with the young people. This provides opportunity to create a space and for change to emerge. Moving ahead, it is important to inform what the objectives and principles of the creative element is in the Break4Change toolkit. These are listed below:

Objectives and Principles:

1) to provide activities where the learning from the weekly therapeutic workshops can be embedded and explored further; 2) bring young people together as a group and help develop their self-confidence and self-expression; 3) take risks in the group and encourage one another and begin to challenge each other’s values and behaviours. What I proposed to do in my planing did incorporate the above objectives and principles. In the next section, I will briefly discuss the aims behind the creative visual sessions followed by what I had learned from the pilot in the conclusion.

Creative Sessions for Safe!’s Building Respectful Families: Discussing Aims I had spoken to one of the creative organisers at Break4Change beforehand to discuss my proposed plans for Safe!’s Building Respectful Families programme. The conversation proved positive, and it was made clear that the creative sessions did not need to follow their prescribed session plan, but respond to the objectives and principles. I would like to discus briefly how Break4Change conducted their creative sessions. These sessions were split between lyric writing to create a collaborative music production and visual art sessions. Originally the visual art sessions were for only three sessions at the end of the twelve week programme. These sessions were to introduce Illustration and street art to produce work on canvas to take home. The overview being: 1) introduction to Illustration and street art; 2) exploring mark-making; 3) creating an environment to stimulate ‘non-facilitated chat’. During the pilot programme for Safe!, the music team and I were able to organise working alternative weeks for the twelve-week schedule.

Near the End: The concept behind the visual art sessions was to embrace the young people individually and allow them to be free to create visual artwork to find their sense of truth and reality within their surrounding space. The use of a sketchbook would give them a private space and the opportunity to learn how to use the sketchbook as a tool to: • • • • • • •

write observations; ideas; plan for future artwork; themes of interest; personal reflections; draw; experiment using mixed media.

Furthermore, the given sketchbook, enabled the young people to use along with their music sessions. Used as a tool, the sketchbook supported the young people to apply and develope skills in both creative areas. At the start of the visual session, the young people were given their sketchbooks which had canvas covers. This gave them an opportunity to personalise their sketchbooks. Thereafter in each session, the young people were shown a new technique to aid in their visual artwork. They had a safe space and time to create various types of collage using different materials, tools and resources for inspiration.

In my experience as a facilitator and artist, I trust that this approach provides freedom for self-discovery without the limitations formed by me and/or organisation. In a safe environment, the young people are being given time to express themselves creatively without a short, quick timeframe to produce a specific outcome. There are some people who do not understand that each mark, idea or written word that is placed on paper or expressed three dimensionally is in fact an outcome. It is a ‘process’ that leads to another. The ‘act of creating’ is a natural structure. Therefore, it is important to allow freedom to exist, which leads to problemsolving and also develop responsibility when given time to reflect on the action of creating. The action of creating also encompasses: • • • •

the importance of ‘the act of processing’ and ‘interpretation’; there is no right or wrong within the creative process; developing intellectual thought; finding truth.

I wanted to find out their interests and I did a good deal of talking with them individually and as a group. Although conversation is good in getting to know individuals’ interests, it is vital to listen to each individual. While talking with one another, the young people would also have material and tools at hand (this occurred in all appointed sessions). In between the first and second session, I went to the public library. I borrowed books and brought them in for the young people to use as a source of inspiration for their ideas to emerge.

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Conclusion Because the young people and families that come through this programme find themselves marginalised by their circumstances it is vital that their ‘issues, moods, likes, dislikes and feelings’ (and/or their placement concerning exclusion) are not mirrored in their visual art sessions. Their ‘issues, moods, likes, dislikes, and feelings may or may not be revealed through their actively taking part in the creative process but boundaries mustn’t be blurred by influences mirroring their displacement. The visual art sessions aim to enhance the young person’s value of their ‘self’ instead of their ‘issues’. Therefore, I was concerned that being in the actual group meeting (held in theraputic workshops) before the creative sessions might influence my perception of young people. This coincides with my findings that focuses on an understanding of freedom and responsibility, the cultivation of the self and supporting individuals in overcoming a ‘marginalised and excluded identity’. I learned that I needed to stay focused on making sure that all young people felt they were given something in return whether it be a new skill, develop known skills further, self-worth, value, self-discovery and efficacy.

By working alongside other facilitators and addressing concerns in debriefs supported my learning it helped shape my role and the responsibilities that came along with the role, which changed from programme to programme. I had developed reflection reports on each individual during the pilot programme and this proved beneficial for my personal journey and supports the programme’s objectives. The reports also gave the leadership and management team an insight into my methodologies used as a tool. Managers and facilitators were able to discuss how the creative process was impacting on the young people. Eventually, I observed a gradual shift in their behaviour and attitude. In the next quarterly, I will discuss in depth about the written reflection reports.

WINTER 2021