LUAP has completed six workshops with Mind in Bexley as part of Seeds of Change, supported using public funding by Arts Council England, with art materials provided by Daler-Rowney.
LUAP worked with a wide range of groups hosted by Mind, including those supporting people experiencing depression, anxiety and symptoms associated with menopause. Community rooms and drop-in spaces became temporary studios for a few hours, creating an informal setting where people could talk, make work and approach the sessions in their own way.
LUAP spoke openly about his own experience of depression and how it became the starting point for The Pink Bear. What began as a way of dealing with a difficult period in his own life gradually developed into the recurring figure at the centre of his practice. Sharing that experience gave the workshops a personal starting point rather than presenting creativity as something separate from everyday life.
“The Pink Bear came from my own experience of depression and trying to find a way through a very dark place.”
LUAP
Rather than asking participants to reproduce The Pink Bear, LUAP encouraged them to think about the images, colours, objects and memories that carried meaning for them. Those ideas became starting points for Painting and drawing, with each person developing the work in their own direction.
People arrived with very different experiences of art and different things on their minds. Some already made work regularly, while others had not picked up a brush for many years. LUAP listened, shared his own experiences, offered guidance where it was useful and gave people space to find their own way into the work. There was no expectation to produce a particular type of artwork or arrive at the same result.
Daler-Rowney provided professional paints, paper and drawing materials for the sessions. Having good materials available was important, giving participants the opportunity to experiment with colour, image and materials regardless of how much experience they had.
What emerged was different for each person. Some used the sessions to explore emotions they had found difficult to express directly. Others rediscovered the pleasure of making after years away from it. The work itself varied widely, which was part of the point. The sessions began with a shared conversation, but what each participant made belonged to them.
The workshops formed part of Seeds of Change, LUAP’s wider project exploring recovery, resilience and the possibility of change. Here, those ideas were not only represented through finished artworks. They were put into practice through making, conversation and the simple act of giving people time and space to create.
“It helped me connect with myself and with the positivity I had in me.”
“I’m not an arty person, but I really enjoyed taking part. Paul’s background was inspiring. I was really impressed with my finished piece.”
“The session was therapeutic and relaxing. You can lose yourself in the moment.”
"I discovered a skill I’d forgotten about. It felt really good to paint after 25 years."
“Paul’s idea of expressing ourselves through paints helped me express a difficult feeling in a really nice way.”
“I was nervous when it came time to create. Paul encouraged us not to worry about mistakes, just to do something that made us happy. I hadn’t drawn or painted for years. I’d forgotten how much pleasure it gives me.”
