Scenic Rim Regional Council, Media Release, 12 July 2021
Expect to be taken on a journey of resilience and recovery, a celebration of life and community at the upcoming exhibition Woven that begins on 21 July at The Centre Beaudesert.
Woven is made up of two unique collections of artworks – Hanging by a Thread and Scenic Seniors: Life Stories that shares heartfelt and special human stories told in text, fibre, weaving, photography, poetry and interviews. Together, these two collections create Woven that communicate very different reflections on the threads that create the fabric of our lives.
The public are welcome to view the exhibition at The Centre Beaudesert during the hours of 10am-4pm, Tuesday to Friday and Saturday 10am-2pm. Woven will run until 27 August 2021 and is free for anyone to enjoy.
Hanging by a Thread is a collaboration between mixed-media artist Therese Flynn-Clarke and poet Sally MacKinnon.
In Hanging by a Thread, Therese Flynn-Clarke uses the weavings of a cocoon suspended on a twig, yet still ‘hanging on’ as a symbol for the resilience and fragility of community.
Therese Flynn-Clarke explains sometimes we need to cocoon and protect ourselves until we are ready to re-enter our lives.
“The year 2020 was a time of great change, trauma for some, and difficulties for many,” she said.
“Even though at times we may be hanging on by a thread, there is a great deal of strength in that thread, and collectively as a community, even more strength.”
Flynn-Clarke describes her co-collaborator Sally MacKinnon as a renowned poet, author and a woman of great strength and wisdom.
“She makes meaning of life through writing nature-based poetry, short stories and journaling, weaving words in response to life as it unfolds,” she said.
“Sally’s evocative poetry has inspired my own art, and her poems have conversed with her own creations.
“Writing and artmaking can be a thoughtful and transformative process especially when creating with others as a means of building community wellbeing and resilience.
“There is so much strength in community,” she said.
Scenic Seniors: Life Stories is a collaborative project curated by the Scenic Rim’s local aged-care community service Centacare.
In Scenic Seniors: Life Stories Centacare has worked with the local aged community to explore their life stories.
Centacare Program Manager Kellie Scofield says the experience of writing your own life story encourages a boost to self-esteem, reduces stress and anxiety and is a powerful medicine for all who are involved in the process, promoting resilience and recovery.
“The act of sharing one’s personal experience shows us all we are not alone and during tough times, we are stronger together,” she said.
“Each person has their own unique story – love, career, family, society and adversity.”
The public has the opportunity to meet the artists behind Woven at the exhibition launch on Saturday 24 July at 10:30am. Come along to The Centre Beaudesert and hear their stories, find out more about their work and motivation behind exhibition launch of Woven.
Council is delighted to be hosting the exhibition launch, which is a free COVID-safe event with limited places, allocated seating and staggered arrival times. For group bookings, please register all attendees when booking tickets to help with seat allocation.
Bookings can be made online at www.liveatthecentre.com.au or by phoning 5540 5050.
