A few years ago I assisted in a project in Masiphumelele, working with a group of young women who were keen to explore their options, culture, opportunities etc. At some stage one of the woman said, words are too small.
This is very much how I feel today as I try to find words to share this experience with you and also words of deep gratitude to so many people and partnerships, donors and funders.
I will try and not use too many words, they will tumble out and if you have any questions please let’s take conversations further.
In this exhibition we are experiencing an intermingling or plying of threads. These threads include people in our communities, families, industry and politics that flow as strong undercurrents. They all bring surprise, they assist with transformation and with growth in individual lives and collectively. I would make a ball of these threads and call it humanness.
If these threads, the orange art project, the spin street gallery and Judy Conway are to be shown to you I need to start with the Orange art project. I would like you to hear the intermingling of intention if possible. All three embody humanness.
——The orange art thread.
I quote, “Introducing image making to children and youth, with a focus on foster homes, across CT. This is done in weekly sessions hosted by a group of mentors/practicing artists contracted by OAP. Funds raised will help us continue to pay these mentors, and purchase materials for these sessions.”
Children are learning to speak for themselves so we need to assist them by giving them the means to communicate with images or words.
When I think of the Orange art project it is like a beautiful, nearly ripe orange still on the tree. The tree carries other oranges some of them in partnership with OAP. During the past six years we have worked with various educational programs; Kirstenbosch, ZM, SAJM, science center, Iziko, Ruth Prowse and others; outings and shared learning experiences are essential to the families and mentors. Home from Home is OAP main partner. The support and communication at every level of this partnership has grown over the past six years.
The teams, the Boards, moms, social workers and mentors, the family members who meet to make images every week exploring opportunities, potential, exchanging skills and ideas ……..the stories can flow from me about the wonders I have shared.
I have asked Abongile to tell you a little about his experience. Oap /Hfh
( Abongile has been part of the HFH community most of his life. He is now in a transition home in Khayelitsha and working in Cape Town. He is an ambassador for OAP and HFH
Please see www.homefromhome.org.za
Abongile spoke about the numbers of homes and children and gave some details of his experience of the OAP sessions.)
I would like to recommend two websites; www.orangeartproject and www.ruthprowse.co.za
The first will give you detailed information of the project, the mentors and the please look carefully at the catalogue of work made during the sessions.
The second is about the Ruth Prowse’s school which offers outreach, part time and diploma courses. Some of the partipants, mentors, children and youth from OAP have participated in these programs. OAP is able to assist in building portfolios so that the youth can apply for further education. The school hosted the OAP annual exhibition last year. This was a celebration for all involved.
Now I need to tell you about the actual fibers that have gone into making this exhibition.
This is a fundraising exhibition. The making of the images has taken decades. Some images were made in an instant, others over a few months. Judy framed and catalogued all the work with her team; Jackson, Hazel and others friends, thank you.
The installation of the exhibition was a joint effort between Anthony Cawood and Selvin November both mentors with OAP and Robert, the director of Spin street gallery. Thank you
All proceeds from sales will go to OAP; there is no gallery commission. The prices do not reflect the market value of the work.
This information gives us a way of seeing the industry where a few currencies engage to showcase the vibrancy and strength of collaboration. Money in this instance is not the only currency, it is joined by generosity, a need to share, by opportunity and learning. Collaboration.
It is appropriate for me to thank our donors and the many individuals that have kept OAP able to pay bills, share and buy materials, transport families to outings (the beach), and assist the mentors and team with a monthly stipend. During covid we ran out of funds, even for data and everyone decided to continue working without pay as the team looked for funding. Commitment.
Some of the clues I can share that contribute to the success of this model are the necessity of collaboration and commitment, the value of a vision, of preparation, engagement with one another, maintaining flexibility, inclusivity. Outcomes are on going and we learn from observation. The creative process guides the way. This applies to the project and to Judy.
———The thread that is Judy;
imagination, image in action. That’s how our friend Dr. David explained imagination. It is so much part of our beings and Judy uses her imagination “most all of the time.“
Surprises are with us all the time, at every turn. This has been my experience of Judy and her work for a few decades. I have been delighted by Judys friends who have seen the work in her home and now in the gallery who have expressed such joy and excitement at the colour, the energy , the journey that Judy is sharing. Seriously, this work has been tucked away and even when I found a painting not obscured by another it needed light and space. It is as if we are welcoming judy into the world as we vibrate with her paintings.
Judy is made of intelligent fun, magical thinking and surprises. Her books, paintings, dogs, her garden, her ideas, home, history and friendships roll into one another and sparkle. All these references are in the paintings around us. Judy is literally and figuratively embedded in every image. Given time you may find her as a witch on a broom stick or on a bicycle in the tour de France. There are some titles in the catalogue and they are enchanting.
Judy engages with various materials, using her experienced eye and guided by a deep respect for content and visual integrity. Judy can draw and paint, she can see and think and therefore she can play. I hope you will attend the walk about so that you can see the extraordinary variety of materials, the ability to collage and describe, the keenness to share lasting connections through colour, placement and skill. It is refreshing to be with images that speak for themselves and do not shout look at me, rather be with me.
—-The thread that is Spin street gallery.
Robert has an understanding and insight into the visual arts industry and has found his own way of participating. He is able to respond to the needs of the artists and audiences with intuition and a carefully defined intention. This allows for diversity and encourages opportunity. Thank you to Robert and his very special team.
I really have not done justice to the people I have briefly introduced you to nor to the depth of contribution that has gone into this experience. The families from HFH will visit exhibition and the mentors will respond to their questions and encourage everyone to try and be as engaged and committed as Judy is to images. This for me is about learning.
Thank you all for joining us.
I hope to see you all again during April with friends and family.
A question. How long is a ball of wool? It is often measured by weight. How to measure joy? Joy, in this instance can be experienced by looking and engaging with these images. There is a shared humanness around us and within us.