The Community Creative Art Project is a local art event designed to highlight the impacts of domestic violence and raise awareness during Domestic & Family Violence Prevention Month – May 2020.
Best Entry was awarded to Stephen Oldham and Victoria Park for #0013 “This Needs to Stop”
Most Quirky or Resourceful Entry was awarded to #0015 “No More Walking on Eggshells” (Name withheld by request)
Best Teen Entry was awarded to Emily Oorthuysen for #005 “Traumatic Love”
Best Pre-teen Entry was awarded to #008 “Thinking” (Name withheld by request)
Community Creative Art Project: Creating Hope | Online Exhibition
#001
My Happy Space
Watercolour painting
Watercolour painting inspired by the beauty of nature and titled “My Happy Space.” The artist wanted to offer the suggestion that people seek healthier ways to deal with stress and conflict e.g. taking a walk on the beach.
#002
Butterfly Serenade
Recycled DVDs, scissors, permanent markers, glue and imagination
“…Well, it started when I was cleaning out my study and there were old DVD’s stacked and tucked away for WHAT? I was about to through them out but wondered what that would do to the environment and so I had this idea to split them apart, cut and re-shaped them, colored them and worked my way through the unwanted clutter. Some projects have developed out of it, one you see here, my window art project “Butterfly Serenade”.
#003
Woman in the Water
Watercolour drawing
“This water colour depicts a woman gliding easily through the ocean. I wanted her to represent strength and resilience.”
#004
Coming Together
Kuku Yalanji Woman
Paint
“Different tribes all coming together in a healing way”.
#005 – TEEN
Traumatic love
“Vulnerability in the eyes of the abused”.
#006
Let Your Spirit SOAR
“I selected photos from my collection to represent freedom (the bird soaring high in the sky) and loving family relationships (the father hugging his children and the young couple kissing their baby). Everyone is entitled to love and respect within their family – if the relationship hurts you physically, sexually, emotionally, economically or psychologically – fly like the bird! You deserve better.”
#007
It’s Only Raining
Poem
“Fortunately, I have not experienced domestic violence first-hand. This poem was inspired by my observations of friends in unhealthy relationships. I have chosen to put my poem on a tangled red and black love heart to represent the confusion felt by the person caught up in an abusive relationship.”
#008 – PRE TEEN
Thinking
Drawing
The 8 year old artist says “The lady is not sad, she’s thinking.”
Her mother submitted it in the hope that the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month Creative Art Project will encourage people to both think and talk about the impact of domestic violence….”
#009
The Red Bench
“…The Red Rose Foundation have launched the Red Bench Project to build a permanent reminder that domestic violence occurs within all our communities. The presence of a Red Bench in a public location aims to raise public awareness and provide an opportunity for this important issue to remain visible. The Red Rose Foundation is a National not for profit charity who works to end domestic violence across our communities.
Following a network meeting in Cairns and seeing the Access Community Housing Red Bench I arranged for David White to paint the existing bench at the front of the Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre bright red and ordered a plaque from Pantographic Engraving in Cairns. The plaque says “Change the Ending: Let’s Stop Domestic Violence” with the Port Douglas Community Service Network Inc. logo and Red Rose Foundation logo. Please check it out next time you are at the centre, it sends a strong message and looks brilliant. I hope this is the first of many Red Benches in the Douglas Shire….”
#010
Traffic Lights
“…We shout, get angry, frustrated and some of us are aggressive.
Like traffic lights, follow these 3 STEPS when feeling these emotions and we may
make a difference to our future outcomes.
STOP ….. Take THREE DEEP BREATHS.
WAIT …… Take TWO STEPS BACK.
GO ………..Take ONE WALK, TIME OUT and REFLECT….”
#011
Say No
Paint
“Say no, domestic violence has to stop.”
#012
Open to Hope
“Open to Hope is a simplistic depiction of the hope that is waiting and available to anyone; anyone who is going through a horrible time should know that hope is not always so far away as they may feel, we just have to open our eyes and believe we are worthy and accepting of it. The sun represents positive light, the rainbow represents new comings from dark times and the shapes show different experiences waiting in a bright future.”
#013
This Needs to Stop
Coffin lid, the final closed door for far too many and a wire sculpture of a woman in pain and horror.
“On average, one Australian a week is murdered by their current or former partner (Bryant & Bricknall, 2017). To live and then die in terror and despair. This is not right. This needs to stop.”
(Please click on image/s to view the full picture)
#014
Freedom From Fear
“Inspired not only by my own sufferings of domestic violence but way too many of my friends. Life is challenging enough without the ongoing effect of physical and mental scars from physical and/or emotional violence.”
#015
No More Walking on Eggshells
“Being in an abusive relationship is like walking on eggshells. You are careful not to say or do the ‘wrong’ thing, for fear of upsetting the precarious, temporary balance and unleashing your partner’s rage and the punishment that follows. The woman in this 3-D work has chosen to seek help, tap into her supports, make careful plans and take action. She has learned to love and respect herself, stomp on those eggshells, take up space in the world and be who she is, in all her magnificence.”
(Please click on image/s to view the full picture)
#016 – TEEN
With Hope Comes Growth
“Sunflowers symbolize truth, loyalty and honesty. When I see them, they make me smile. The recent crops grown around the Shire, inspired me to paint.”
#017
I Don’t Deserve to Become Another Headline
“May we never forget that behind every headline is a human being whose story often does not have a happy ending. May we work together to change the ending of the domestic violence story.”
The Community Creative Art Project is run in partnership with Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre, Mossman Support Services, Mossman Youth Centre, Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service, and Mossman Elders Justice Group.
