Oasis – Friday 24th April 2009
Exploration diary Friday 24th April 2009
Oasis – first session!
On Friday morning Nickova and I had decided that I would be with Laura and she would be with Tina, both from Oasis. I had gone into Oasis and chatted to the staff and service users just to break the ice and to relieve my nervousness, as I had not worked with Laura before. I had a cup of coffee too. I had set the room up in a way that Nickova and I discussed. Laura and Tina’s working space apart from each other and tables for both of them. Sally was the support for Tina, yet she was also there for Laura if we needed some advice or assistance.
Sally brought Tina in her wheelchair to the room and I helped Laura to walk down. Sally and I positioned Tina in her working space and then we introduced Laura to her working space.
Sue Sargeaunt working with Laura
Sally and I were both unsure what reaction Laura would have to the paint and the brushes. Laura picked up a brush and then she chose some paint and we went to the table. Laura stood, with me gently supporting her, whilst Sally assisted her with the paintbrush. For some time Laura held her brush then dropped it onto the table. I encouraged her to do this. It became her way of getting to know the materials. She repeatedly picked it up, and dipped it into paint jerking it onto the paper and making marks, sometimes moving or dragging it across the paper, then dropping, picking it up again, making marks with the paint as her fingers became increasingly covered in the paint. During this time Laura would sometimes lean forward closely towards the table as if looking at her painting and the paint. It was an exhilarating experience, being with her, for, as time went on, she seemed to be more and more at ease so that gradually I was able to introduce more trays of individual colours onto the table that she could use. I noticed that she got some satisfaction from putting the brush into one tray and then another, the colours getting more and more mixed. She also put the brush over her t-shirt and fingers at times. She appeared fascinated with this. I think that Laura was involved and focused for over 40 minutes. Laura clapped to let everyone know what she had done and how pleased she was with herself.
Nickova working with Tina
Although I had seen Tina during our presentations I did not know her and it was not clear if she recognised me at all.
When I entered the room Tina was already in her position, in her wheelchair behind the table. I introduced myself to Tina, Sally (who I knew from the presentations) and Laura. Tina was not looking at me but paid some attention to what I was doing in front of her. Whilst talking to her explaining what I was doing, I would drop paint onto the paper in front of her and would use the brush or my fingers to move the paint around. I tried to encourage Tina to engage with me, and Sally came to help me to do this. Tina would slowly engage, picking up the brush and throwing it away from her. She would occasionally hit with her hands onto the paper in front of her. I was trying not to express any pressure for Tina to do what I did. After my experience with Jason I knew that I had to give Tina lots of time and probably just try to involve her in some playful activity with the paper and the paint. I personally felt insecure with Sally next to me, sensing a kind of ambition, from her side, to reach some achievement. When the paper was beginning to get very wet I removed it and put the large canvas on the table. Tina was now rubbing with her hands into the paint I was pouring out in front of her. It appeared to me that Tina was quite tactile in how she explored the different material. The time seemed to pass by quickly even though the process appeared very slow. Tina had no eye contact with me during the 40 min and was relatively quiet, making only some little, quiet noises from time to time.
