Wednesday 22nd April 2009 – First Session
Exploration, Discovering Myself, with ISIS – Wednesday 22nd April 2009
First Session
We carried equipment to the painting room with the help of Vincent and Colin who were very pleased to see Nickova and Ana, the photographer. We thanked them and then set up the room how we wished.
It was laid out with small easels (we had placed a chair in front of them) also tables and wallpaper and a large canvas on the floor, to paint on tables, floor or the wall if desired. (We wanted to give as many opportunities as possible – this was for us and the participants to check out what would work best for them).
Sue and I were quite anxious about this first session. It was a complete unknown of what to expect and how the workshop could turn out. Even though Sue works at the Day Service, the participants from ISIS were unknown to both of us. Sue had worked a little bit with Anna before and said she would rather like to work with Anna, and suggested I work with Jason. We asked Andy (his key worker) to join the first sessions until we get to know Jason and have built a mutual trust relationship.
Sue Sargeaunt working with Anna:
I went to get Andy and Jason. Andy had been waiting for some staff cover in Isis before he was able to come in. I went to ask Anna to come in and discovered that she needed changing into her painting clothes, which I helped her with. I was concerned about her shoes so I took those off as well as her socks and then we went into the painting room together. Anna didn’t seem that relaxed and made for a chair at the far end of the room. I realised that the floor was cold for her feet. I put her shoes and socks back on. Anna was a lot more relaxed. Anna and I went to the table and I encouraged her to pick up a brush and to use some paint. She became extremely relaxed and absorbed, painting freely in sweeping movements, at the table, onto the cartridge paper, without any concern about edges. I stepped back and watched. When Anna had finished I asked her if she would like to sit at the easel. I held a tray of paint for her and she painted vertically onto the paper but did not seem so focused. We then had a walk over to the canvas on the floor and, as she was very calm, relaxed and trusting I encouraged her to sit with me on the floor next to the canvas. Anna painted onto the canvas in the space near her. She was extremely happy in a cross-legged position. Jason, with Nickova and Andy, joined in with the canvas painting. Anna seemed comfortable with Jason being near at first but she became increasingly jittery giving indication of this by making some loud noises. Anna had been silent prior to this. We ended there.
I had been pleased that they had been able to be together at the canvas on the floor for a short time and that Anna had shown some trust and confidence to do this especially after her withdrawn start.
I saw that, throughout the session, Anna had been aware of the people in the room as, although she didn’t make sustained, direct eye contact with anyone, she did take fleeting glances around.
Nickova working with Jason
Andy had changed Jason into his painting clothes and it was agreed that he would clean Jason and get him dressed in his usual clothes after the session.
It seemed that Andy and Jason were a bit anxious about the new session as well. Jason seemed happy, but alert when entering the room. He was waving his hands in front of him whilst looking around the room.
We welcomed Jason and Andy and explained to Jason that this was a painting workshop.
As we were standing close to an easel (Anna was now working on a table) I thought it a good idea to encourage Jason to start paining on an easel. I was talking to Jason and showing him how he could do this; dipping a brush into a paint container (which I was holding in my hand) and then making brush strokes on the paper hanging on the easel. Then I gave Jason the brush, whilst holding the paint container towards him. The brush went straight into Jason’s mouth before he explored it with his hands and then throwing it in the air. Jason was laughing and now grabbing the paint container out of my hands and throwing it also up in the air. This took me completely by surprise. It was so fast that after a minute Andy, Jason and I were completely covered in paint – from top to toe. We were all laughing and Jason was also energetically waving his hands. Well the next plan was to show Jason how to use his hands – they were covered in paint already but I held another paint container, which this time (being prepared) I held very tightly. Andy took Jason’s hand to guide him to paint on the easel. We also encouraged Jason to hold the brush and to paint with the brush. The brush would always go into his mouth first before Jason would use it on the paper but he got the idea of the method. After working a while on the easel Jason went on (with my encouragement) to work on the wall. Brushes and paint container (now filled up only with a minimum of paint) would fly occasionally through the room. Jason was not aiming to hit anybody, or throwing things in anger. He seemed to enjoy throwing things away from him. He was laughing but also showing an interest in the paint and the mark making of his fingers on the paper. Also there was lots of guidance from Andy and my side to hold and move his hand and the paintbrush he was holding sometimes.
We went from the wall onto the floor, joining Anna who was painting there already. It was then when Jason was actually making his own marks, rubbing the paint I poured in front of him onto the canvas. These were only very short movements but they were conscious and his own!
The session lasted for an hour and Andy and I were exhausted. Jason seemed happy, having enjoyed his first painting exploration.
Andy told me later that Jason was consistently removed from any art classes because of his habit to put the brush into his mouth.
P.S.
Please read also ‘After thoughts’ at end of diary pages from SPECTRUM on 22nd April 2009
