Rocket Artists
http://www.rocketartists.co.uk/projects.html and http://www.creativemindsproject.org.uk/community/
Hello my name is Sarah Pickthall and i’ve been working with learning disabled creative people for over 20 years. The art of people with learning disabilities be that, dance, spoken word poetry, visual art, digital, film, drama, installation – (art in spaces) excites me and delights me. I’m with Gus Garside, that sometimes the quality doesn’t come through or isn’t ready to be shown to the big public. Taking part and speaking your feelings through art is important but sharing work out there for me, certain things need to happen to feel and see the ‘quality’ art work of learning disabled artists. Support people – be they careworkers, PAs or artists need to help shape the work but not interfere with it. I am inspired by my learning disabled artist friends – Andy Kee, The Rocket Artists, Oska Bright, Jez Colborne (Mind the Gap), Robin Meader (Open Storytellers) – they say they are supported in the right way, with quality ways to meet together accessibly, develop skills and be at the centre of their artwork. It takes time to get it right. Rocket Artists have the right support, in the right way with Alice Fox and the team – they all work together. I think – their work is quality – why? it’s alive, tells a thousand stories about the artists making it and the support around it is quality The ways of doing things like using Overalls to remember art ideas and ways of doing things – well they became artworks in themselves – that’s me for now. What do you think?
It is hard for me to think about quality without thinking about the circumstances in which art is made. Who decides on whether work is shown or not? Where are opportunities for creating art? I would love that the label ‘art by people with learning difficulties’ does not matter when responding to quality. But it does matter when trying to understand the conditions in which artist can develop or are trying to develop. How many people with learning difficulties are taught art in schools and colleges? How many have access to art courses in further and higher education? I do appreciate art by disabled people being fully aware of the inequality which exists between disabled and non disabled people. And the art which speaks to me is the art which sheds light and gives insight into the particular view of the world or experience of inequality or which reminds me of all that we have in common. I must have a sense that the artist was free to develop and create his work and voice and was supported accordingly.
I agree wholeheartedly with Sarah Pickthall, Gus Garside and Mark Richardson’s comments on quality.
Having a teenage son who is a keen performer and dedicated drummer/percussionist, a member of the Musicians Union, a published songwriter and who also has Down Syndrome /ASD, I have seen him and his friends in many shows over the years. Some productions were somewhat chaotic and far too sentimental for my liking (and his) and others were well rehearsed, structured, thought provoking, entertaining and a pleasure to watch.
Inspired by my son, I now facilitate creative song writing workshops/projects and supported by my own experience, I simply try to guide and inspire students to enjoy and share their creativity and skills and to work outside of their comfort zone. I try never to dismiss anything and from just one word or sound something wonderful usually happens.
The best projects are when everyone in the room (including support staff taking part but not taking over) work as a team. Add to that their enthusiasm, patience, laughter and mutual respect, this, more often than not, results in meaningful, original and quality work that everyone owns, is proud of and ready to share.
Actually, Andy – I think that there are a lot of professional learning disabled artists, performers and film makers out there – all around the world. The thing is that they’re not “recognised” by very many people as professionals. I think that this might be because they have a learning disability, and most people are not used to recognising those people with learning disabilities as equal professionals. Do you think that Creative Minds can start a conversation that will start to change people’s minds? I’m hoping it might……
How easy is it to develop creative minds when other learning disabled people are just about to” get hold of the art ” and support staff take them away as the staff need to change over.
Hello, Jenny here
I was talking to a friend of mine about the Creative Minds Conference, and he said to me that artists with learning disabilities could not always reach a wider audience or enter the “mainstream”, because people with learning disabilities are too vulnerable.
I don’t agree with this- what do other people think?
My Arts training was based in the mainstream working with kids and young people leading to a NVQ LEVEL 3 in Art and Design plus youth work training and taking part in the Big Draw as well!
Hi Jenny – what your friend has said to you is interesting because I think a lot of people think that. Not many people will say it like your friend did. Creative Minds is all about bringing conversations like this out into the open so that we can find a way to show people like your friend that they are wrong. If we don’t talk about it, and bring it out into the open, I think that artists with learning disabilities will always be ignored by most people – in the “art world” and by the “general public”. I’m looking forward to hearing what other people say on this page, and to talking about things like this at the first Conference on 10th March.
I hope I can say this. Deaf Arts have a voice and some great artists.
May be the term ” learning disabled and other such words” make it hard for others to see pass the label. We need more ways of passing down both creative skills and the input from other professional artists to in order to give this group of artists support and a voice.
I hope we all on the day are open to new ideas, networking with others and be able to see other people views .
Hear, Hear!
Both Firebird Theatre and Thalia Theatre are part of the Creative Minds Community. You can see their websites here: http://www.creativemindsproject.org.uk/community/
Making your Art is just Fun and playing about a lot. No i say in order to get quality, good idea to go and see some other artists who work in your artform if you can. you work hard at your art . Go and share some of the art with other artists not from your own space and ask for some helpful creative thinking/feelback. being a single artist on one own, developing ideas for artworks or projects. you need to be able to sound out other creative minds who care about you and your artwork.
Doing your art or making it. You will have a start from which your work comes from eg From life or a idea in your mind. I think that some people are feeling that work done by some ld artists is not very good. I feel that in to gain and develop quality you must have time and space alongside professional artists. You might to start to keep your ideas or images in a hard back notebook along with a pen in your backpack or bag. so draw a bit each day but most of all have much fun.