POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH:  Improving one’s sense of wellbeing using art, creative writing, photography and blogging – my journey written by ©Karen Robinson.  Please click here for my latest blog news!

 

EXHIBITION:  “Picture This”  2013

 

September 24 to 13 October – 2013, I participated in Transport Accident Commission (TAC) exhibition called “Picture This” along with other artists whom had some how been affected by road trauma.  It was located at Gasworks Arts Park, Albert Park – Melbourne, Australia.  “Picture This” provides people who have been affected by road trauma to use artistic expression, whether it is drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, photography or textiles, to share their experiences.  The exhibitions showcase artwork by people who have either taken up art since being involved in a transport accident, or who were artists before their accident” (TAC. 2014).  Transport Accident Commission. (2014). Claims and Support. Client Art Exhibition. Picture This 2013. Retrieved from http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/claims/client-zone/client-art-exhibition

TAC’s 2013 Picture This Exhibition Booklet – Artists and images of their art work

Below is my collage art work No. 54 Titled “The Notice Board”.  I had decided not to submit an abstract painting and instead created a narrative about my family’s road trauma story.  The works story details are below.

 

 

Collage Art Work No. 54 – Title “The Notice Board” Sept 2013
A4 Printed Paper onto Black Board with Notice board Pins and Red Wooden Frame
237cms Length x 125cms Wide x 3cms Deep

Collage Art Work Story: This work consists of a small amount of material that was voluntarily formulated by myself for a monthly news letter called “Driving Safe Alert’ which I email distributed out to government departments, Road Trauma Support Services Victoria (RTSSV) members and other interested organisations during a 9 month period from 1st January to 1st September 2012. The whole purpose of the newsletter was to raise awareness of road trauma and the ripple effect of Victoria’s road toll on families, friends and the wider community. Whilst many indicated that the newsletter was proving to be most informative, I was finding that the addressing of road trauma continuously was having an adverse effect on my emotional well-being – I was being continuously reminded of my son; and the grief and trauma of his death…I had to discontinue unfortunately (Ben was killed in a single vehicle car crash on the 5th November, 2009). This notice board is a very small window into the story of road trauma as a whole. For the last nearly 3 years (2011 to 2013), I have been a Road Trauma Awareness Volunteer Speaker for RTSSV, telling my family’s road trauma story to repeat road traffic offenders, sent to do a Road Trauma Awareness Seminar by the Magistrates Courts. Within ‘The Notice Board’ I am sharing the story that I tell to these young people, mostly young males, just like my son. By sharing my family’s road trauma story about Ben within this ‘The Notice Board’ I hope to show, just how significant road safety is and how we all need to play a part in being more responsible and safe drivers on our roads…in memory of Ben 5th November 2009.
This work was donated to Janet Dore CEO of the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Geelong, Victoria (Australia)
Abstract Artist: Karen Robinson
NB: All images are protected by copyright laws!

Footnote:

The process of painting, painting story writing and digital photo painting has offered me a way of expressing thoughts and emotions which can be difficult to say out loud.  I also came to understanding that art can be a very powerful way of communicating with others.  Therapy via art – gave me a voice…

My art therapy journey has been an important part of recent years and still will be an important part in years to come.  I am hoping that by sharing my art therapy journey, will inspire others, to take up art therapy to find their voice – in order to be able to move forward in most difficult of times.  Art Therapy has brought me now to a much better place where I find myself being able to seek joy in each day.  As an ongoing process, I will be blogging about my art therapy journey “moving forward” and expand on how others have used/are using art therapy to assist physical and emotional well-being.  I hope you will join me!

 

© Karen Robinson – March 2014

POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH:  Improving one’s sense of wellbeing using art, creative writing, photography and blogging – my journey written by ©Karen Robinson.  Please click here for my latest blog news!