"OUT OF THE FLOOD"

pugwash · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 1380 Location: Perth

I work two days a week in the Occupational Therapy Dept. at Shenton Park Rehabilitation Hospital here in Perth. I run a woodwork workshop and an art room as therapy for stroke victims and brain injured patients.
During the recent big storm part of the ceiling fell in, flooding the art room and resulting in about twelve pieces of art being ruined by water. Just throwing them out was not an option as a lot of effort had gone into them. Most were painted from a wheelchair, some painted with the patients' non-dominant hand. Some were just colourful daubs, but precious nonetheless.

I decided that I had to get something from this disaster, so I salvaged all the undamaged portions of the paintings and painstakingly cut them up into 50mm squares. With the help of two of the brain injured artists we reassembled them as a diptych to form an impressionistic landscape that we named "Out of the flood"

This colourful artwork (2400mm x 600mm) is now displayed in the Occupational therapy department along with the story of its creation as a visual reminder that positivity can always be found in adversity.

The whole painting:

One half of the diptych:

Detail. Each of these squares is almost a landscape in its own right!

marri · Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Posts: 267 Location: Western Australia

PG, that is such a great and inspiring piece and story. Fantastic.

ocker1 · Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Posts: 775 Location: NZ

thanks for showing us that Cap'n

you're a good bloke

sunfire · Joined: 01 Mar 2008 Posts: 1430 Location: Toodyay

That is brilliant Clive, what a wonderful thing to think of, thanks for sharing, it looks great & will have a lot of meaning.

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

From destruction comes creation. This is beautiful.
You must have made a lot of people happy by turning a bad situation into a good one.
Very Happy

pugwash · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 1380 Location: Perth

Thank you for the positive comments everyone. One question that came up is what would you call this type of art?
Any suggestions?

petero · Joined: 04 Mar 2010 Posts: 142 Location: Melbourne

Kaleidoscope?

ocker1 · Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Posts: 775 Location: NZ

Rebirth

pugwash · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 1380 Location: Perth

Wenz · Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Queensland

Great story and great art. The artists should be proud of what they accomplished together.

Jade · Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:31 pm Post subject: Re - "OUT OF THE FLOOD"

No suggestions with what to call this, some might say 'upcycled' thats what they do when they save jewellery anyway.

It's definately a beautiful piece of art though!

belle2 · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 189 Location: Newcastle

Absolutely beautiful! "A Second Chance" would refer to the work and the people who made it as would "Rebirth"

serena · Joined: 06 Jul 2009 Posts: 34 Location: Sydney

Hey Pugwash,

What an artist to think creatively and laterally like that. Idea

Following in the proud traditions of Imants Tillers and another British artist , Jenni, who is on our website, who runs corporate team building events creating large works from pieces made by individuals.

You could call the type of work collaborative assemblage. "Out of the Flood" is really interesting- I love it Exclamation

pugwash · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 1380 Location: Perth

Thank you Serena. It was actually a lot of fun to create, once the artists had recovered from their initial disappointment. Lots of interest afterwards too as they discovered, and pointed out, bits from their original paintings.
One lady says she is going to chop up all her "failed" paintings and make another "mosaicy thing" of her own!

serena · Joined: 06 Jul 2009 Posts: 34 Location: Sydney

Your welcome Pugwash,

I think the more you give people an example of diferent ways of thinking and doing it helps to open up creative possibilities.