Maitland Private Hospital 'Connection' Art Showcase

1. 1770

It’s part of the beach where Captain Cook came ashore. To me it means close to water, where I have spent most of my life. I have done this in oil paint, which I find easier than water colours. Painting gives me something to do. It lifts me from the darkness.’

2. Balloons for Angel Babies

My daughter grew wings in 2019. On important dates and anniversaries, we release balloons with hand written messages and watch them fly into the sky and beyond the clouds. This is one of the only ways I can connect with my baby girl. Borealis ‘Bo’ Watts – February 1st 2019. Everything I do, I do for you!

3. Bush Life

First I painted trees, then what connects to trees? Beautiful, colourful birds, so that came next. Then I heard birds whistling, so that came next. I painted a few notes. The painting began to take shape, and I began to feel more relaxed. I then drew a pair of working boots. It was exit time, and the owner had left the “bird choir” to mind his boots. The birds always look free, happy and connected to each other. This gave me great peace.’

4. Circles

Art radiating out from center to edge using many colours predominantly yellow. I really enjoyed doing this art. I feel the benefit of doing art in the presence of other persons in the ward, my support persons, nurses, doctors and others.’

5. Connection is a Process

I had many ideas around the theme of “connection”, and all the ways that we, as humans, do connect with ourselves as well as with others. There are the hows and whys; the people and places; the feelings and the practices. I thought about connection as a process with lots of cross-sections and intersections. Being a lover of words, the game of Scrabble came to mind, and I wrote down some of the words that relate to connection as I see and feel it. This artwork is part of my “connection process”.

6. Glorious Day

The word “connection” makes me think about how seeing something, like a beautiful sunset, connects me to God, the Creator. I am forever in awe of the beautiful colours which fill me with hope and happiness.

7. Life's Connections Aren't Always Black and White

When this topic (connection) was first mentioned in relation to mental health, I had a hard time thinking of what to do. Connections with people? Connections with diagnosis? I finally came up with connections with emotions. I find seeing the world in anything but black and white very hard, so I researched what colours people connect with different emotions.

I have the black and white cogs in the middle as everyone’s minds have an engine room. This is then joined with plain string to each colour. Each colour represents many emotions, some written on them and some not.

The connections are fabrics and string that I find either unattractive or harsh or too soft. This represents that I find these connections very hard and uncomfortable but achievable. The painted paper joining the canvases are to show that some emotions can be more than one colour for different people. It shows the connections some people don’t see.

The last major concept for this work is if you stand back to look at it, there is a giant brain with the cogs at the centre. I hope you enjoy.

8. Lusciousness: Nourishment for Life

Life was bleak, and I struggled to live. Through a multiplicity of increasing connections, I am finding my way towards and tasting the lusciousness and vibrancy of living well. At the centre of my healing and this artwork are the crescent moons representing the open-hearted women’s groups I belong to, and the palette of multi-coloured dots symbolizing my art therapy group and activities. Filling out the drawing are symbols of my deepening and expanding connection with many other elements that nourish, heal and awaken me to the fullness and lusciousness of life: love, belonging, body and sensuality, femininity, nature, creativity and my hippy spirit!

9. Moments of Impact

To me connections are all created through moments of impact:

The moment of impact proves potential for change, has ripple effects far beyond what we can predict. Sending some particles crashing together, making them closer than before while sending others spinning off into great ventures. Landing them where you’ve never thought you’d find them. That’s the thing about moments like these, you can’t no matter how hard you try, control how it’s going to affect you. You just gotta let the colliding parts go where they may. And wait for the collision. The Vow.

10. New Dawn

This art piece represents each day being a new day to connect with oneself and others. The string is a representation of the connections we have in life, people, places and objects. For me personally, I see my connection with God. The mountain is “Table Mountain” which is in Cape Town, South Africa, where I was born. I have never done string art before, so this was a great experience for me.’

11. Open Space Open Mind

A special space of tranquility and peace. A space to unwind, relax, recharge. Take in the sounds of nature. To remind you that life is good, that God is great and that all things are possible.

12. Terry Reaching Out

My brother Terry dedicated his life to saving lives by being in the Flying Doctors at Dubbo. He is director of nursing at Tamboo and has been learning Aboriginal painting. When he came home to visit, I was watching him paint. In art therapy, I tried Aboriginal painting. As I was doing this, I was doing a lot of thinking about when we were kids and how much fun we had swimming and playing at Tanilba Bay where my grandparents lived.

13. That Soothing Stare

This theme (connection) inspired me to express how my cat’s company makes me feel.

14. The Night I Found God

This artwork represents the first step in my recovery. The night I found God, I was sitting in the park alone crying, looking up at this beautiful strong, healthy tree, the moon and the stars. I prayed. I began to see beauty in the world again. I could see how the stars all connected together. I felt connected to the stars, the moon, the earth. I found faith. I found hope. This was an incredible experience because I had been trapped in darkness for such a long time, and now I was beginning to see the light. I am put on this earth for a reason, we are all connected to the universe. I felt saved and safe.’

15. Untitled

Now Cast Your Vote

Please take a moment to vote for your favourite piece through the short survey below. The winner of the People's Choice Award will receive a $300 cash prize. Please note: Only one vote per person will be valid.