You don’t always have to speak to tell your story. The latest well-received addition to the Blesma storytelling and wellbeing programme saw Members create sculptures with meaning.
The two-day course, which followed an introductory online session with acclaimed sculptor and course leader Simon Watson, kicked off with a discussion about art to encourage the group’s freedom of expression. Participants then immersed themselves in constructing and personalising their plaster artwork. Some Members chose to cast their full face (with help from other Members!) while others decided on a partial face mould or other body part.
Guided by Vanessa Liladhar and Frankie Mapes from The Drive Project, which devised and ran the course as part of its expansion to the increasingly popular Blesma Storytelling and Wellbeing Programme, the Members were able to take time to explore and express their feelings through art while being absorbed in the technical tasks of mould-making.
The process involved building up a mould with strips of plaster, which was then allowed to dry overnight. Members came back the next day to insert their keepsakes into pieces of clay that were set into the mould before plaster was finally poured in and left to set to create a finished 3-D piece that could then be painted.
The course helped me massively. I felt free to show and share my emotions.
“It was handled really well, and we just lost ourselves in the modelling,” adds Mick, from Elgin, Scotland, who chose a police whistle, a trinket from his daughter, a tiny silver box containing a sixpence piece and a cherub given to him by his mother and sister as a good luck charm for his tour of duty in Afghanistan, and a Queen chess piece to represent his wife Lorna to inlay into his full-face mould.
“I was thinking of doing something about mental health in black and white, but that plays to the internal monologue that can bring you down. I didn’t want it to be a negative piece, so I thought I would do something that would make me smile and have something that is close to my heart, which is why I brought along these objects,” adds Mick. “The result was a full-face mask with indents of the pieces I brought, which make it really special and personal.”
Mick got much more from the sessions than he was initially expecting. “The course helped me massively. It was two days of relaxing, being mindful and being among people with similar attitudes and experiences, hearing their stories and having a laugh and a lot of banter. I felt free to show and share my emotions, and Frankie and Vanessa were always there to help and support us. It really surprised me how open we were with each other.
“I was a bit concerned about going on the course, but I loved it and we are now keeping in touch online and have developed a little community. I’ve already found it motivates me to do more stuff rather than just sitting watching the TV.”
EXPANDING THE IDEA OF STORYTELLING
“We wanted to expand what we mean by ‘storytelling’ and explore different ways in which people can tell a story,” says project lead Vanessa. “Telling a story through a piece of art opens up the opportunity for Members who might not have wanted to share anything verbally.
“It’s true that there was a fair amount of trepidation at first, and you could feel the nerves in the room to start with, but everyone soon relaxed and supported each other, particularly when making the face masks as you needed someone to help create the mould.
“Everyone was quite tired by the end of the second day, but the positive feedback we got was immediate because Members had a finished piece of artwork, whereas on other storytelling programmes it can take a while to feel the impact. Members benefitted from the experience by learning or enhancing their creative skills, making something that they were proud of and boosting their sense of confidence and sense of self. It has also brought them together with other Members whom they might not have met.”
Operations Director Tony Bloomfield agrees:
“It’s wonderful to hear from Members about the positive time they are having through our Storytelling and Wellbeing Programme. The positive difference the experience is making to their lives is a true reflection of the programme’s strength.”
PERSONAL STORIES
Liz Cooper
Liz became a Widow Member after her husband Shaun, who served in the Army Air Corps, passed away last year.
She made a sculpture of her hands because of her wedding ring. “Doing a face would have been too claustrophobic for me.”
Painted black and gold to look bronze, the sculpture now sits on her mantelpiece.
She said: “It was very personal for each of us and was about much more than a piece of artwork.”
Harry Edie
Former Royal Artillery, injured due to a muscle-wasting condition:
“It was just a friendly environment with lovely people, and it was great to learn new skills.”
“Getting your face covered in Vaseline and plaster… took us out of our comfort zone, but we were all in it together.”
“Blesma inspires me to try things I wouldn’t normally do – that makes a huge difference.”
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