Added boa to represent the heaviness of mom’s cancer diagnosis & it brings misdiagnosed initially …wanted it to look false …RMP for dad & as ever bold outline

Latest piece of art to go alongside the other in our Quilt of Language art installation…the relevance, importance & impact of language on the LGBTQ population - all work completed by members of the Alphabet Group at Guild Lodge Occupational Therapy Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Mom needed glamming up - so watch the boa develop

Look what I’ve had made that shows some of the art produced by our service users in occupational therapy interventions

Yesterday was my 37th anniversary of starting in the NHS

So far

Portrait of husband - so much looser & contending with very tactile surface

Did this yesterday - subtle but important changes - I need to show marks of the artist ….ultra realism is not for me

I’ve been painting portraits of LGBTQ individuals - myself & my husband I like to go back to them & re work. I don’t go in for flattering or soft focus - but the realness of faces & skin. I’d love an exhibition focusing on this theme - ordinary folk that happen to be LGBTQ ….hoping to do more

Goodbye - member of OT has departed & moved on ….so I completed a portrait for her

We have a position for a full time Senior Occupational Therapist Band 6 at our Forensic Inpatient service …come & join our excellent team with excellent resources - spread the word!!!

So … colleague is leaving work this week as he retires …last minute dog portrait for him …I have tomorrow to finish & frame …what will I get when I retire???

Skin has so many tones - like life

Finished & ready for exhibition

Balls

Portrait of a colleague nearly completed

It’s our LGBTQ Event this afternoon at Guild Lodge courtesy of the Alphabet Service User Group - we’ll be looking at how language impacts upon individuals - “interlocution” (Allport) - producing a creative ongoing art piece

Visited the Harris Art Open exhibition - great to see our service user art work & also mine - I shall continue my artistic endeavours for work in the NHS & for myself

Great afternoon teaching at the University of Lancashire to Human Being in context psychotherapy students on the benefits of art in mental health - really engaging students & an enjoyable experiential session at the close - “I am a book” activity

Getting ready for teaching on Monday at University of Lancashire - the benefits of art in Mental Health - been doing it since COVID ….theme this year Human Being in context: I am a Book we don’t have gallery space this year …so looking at other ways of doing things. ❤️OT & Art.

Happy New Year folks

Just need to fine tune the beast

Not far off completion - more detail at the top of the head ; the ears & legs

today….Facilitated brain injury training…then helped out at our Festive Fayre (best moment was when 2 medical students attended & had no idea what a tombola was ….mixing with the working class) - ended with a clinical session & supervision (I hear that’s what your paid for…it’s been said before)

The benefits & purpose of the arts are so evident when involving those with neurodiverse needs - often ignored it’s good to see this at long last happening & getting the recognition- art is good!

When you take your art dog for a drive & don’t need to walk her. Look at your surroundings- motion; change in shapes, tones, colours - & the abstract shapes & patterns of the lights

Stuff I’ve been working on simultaneously in readiness for Christmas gifts …have more things on the go - adds spice to life…busy time at work - lectured last week at University on service development & today I’m presenting on Cognitive Rehab model - oh & it’s our Festive Fayre today ❤️art ❤️OT

itchy looking at us this morning - the furriest he’s been since COVID …a beaut of a dog & looking forward to his trim on Monday

We had a fantastic LGBTQ service User alphabet Group last evening. New members & a visit from Sofie Fowler & Sarah Hicks (OTs) giving us a presentation on an elderly transgender woman. Lots of discussion & good to see occupational therapy at the centre.

Latest commission

Art room is full

Been having a 1:1 with a service user who wants to complete a portrait of his sister. A tip - don’t focus on the detail - use broader, simpler techniques to get the effect - it works! Occupational Therapy ❤️ Art - learning by doing…

And music with our Music Instructor & a service user playing a viola

It was our 1st Transgender Awareness Event in OT at Guild Lodge - not a great turn out - but we still went ahead. so important to raise awareness & educate. Great presentations that made you think & service user played his viola …..onwards & upwards.

Puppicino time

Good to see art work completed in an occupational therapy intervention with a service user who has a brain injury - in an actual Museum - namely the Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Preston- great museum & always community focused

So- a service user has a photo of his mom- states he has no artistic skills- wants a portrait doing. This is what we did in an occupational therapy session. We looked at Pop Art & came up with this process- it’s being printed on material. Let’s see the next stage ❤️ OT & ART

Interesting discussions at our OT LGBTQ service user group “the Alphabet”. Looked at LGBTQ History month ; finalised what we are doing next week for Transgender Awareness Event & we agreed we will have a talk on transgender elderly person. Oh & we had a member play the viola for us!

Joe the Lion

Felt I needed a bit of Bowie

Finishing touches - always go for the pop art background

So day 3… coming on well & nearly done ….art is an occupation that probably surpasses my work role as I’ve got older

Bit more this morning