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Rocky Bay’s Wishing Tree ‘life-changing’
Four-year-old Rocky Bay customer Rhiannon starts each morning asking her...
Art Coaching with Ariel
Support Worker Ariel Katzir has been coaching Rocky Bay customers to develop artistic skills, enhancing life experiences.
A Rocky Bay employee for over six years, Ariel’s take on art coaching is helping those who identify as artists develop in their areas of choice.
Having completed her studies in Transpersonal Art Therapy with a background in fashion, Ariel pursued art coaching, helping customers at Rocky Bay.
“Whether they want to develop their skills, find their own style or get their artwork out in an exhibition, that’s when I come in to support them,” Ariel said.
Art coaching empowers customers to branch out in their artistic skills and have new experiences in the art world that they wouldn’t normally be able to have while connecting with people within their community.
Ariel believes art coaching has profound benefits for our Rocky Bay customers.
Ariel has been working with Rocky Bay customer Darryl Dempster for three years, and their relationship has borne incredible achievements.
The story continues...
When Ariel and Darryl first began working together, Darryl was working with mainly brown and black colours, mixing them all before they could dry.
“I know he enjoys the motion of painting more than the product itself, so I’d get him to work on three canvases at a time,” Ariel said.
“I’d let him enjoy the notion of painting, using one colour first on a canvas, and then we’d let that dry and move onto the next canvas so he wouldn’t mix it with another colour.
“So we work on three paintings at a time, so he can sit and enjoy the process. Darryl works fast, he’s sensory and movement-oriented,” Ariel said.
Ariel’s coaching of Darryl has led him to find success with his spotlight exhibition at the Fremantle Arts Centre ‘Revealed’. He has also been commissioned to paint a mural in the Perth Children’s Hospital and participate in a workshop for young artists and their parents.
Ariel works with customers Loahna and Dwayne during Mosman Park Studio workshops.
“I enjoy working with these customers and finding out their personalities and the way they work,” Ariel said.
“When you find out how they work, you can help them find their personal style and then wonders can happen from there.
“They can produce their own body of work, with their signature look and someone can see ‘Oh that’s a certain customer’s piece’,” Ariel said.
How we helped
Ariel’s sessions begin with an introduction talking about their day, and casual conversation.
“We’ll look at things we’ve worked on from the week before. If the customer wants to continue that we can, then if they don’t, we’ll start on something fresh,” Ariel said.
“I’ll normally have a few ideas, then I’ll put some music on, or we’ll sit in silence if the customer prefers that.
“A lot of time, I draw with them or just do the motion of drawing, so it seems like we are more of a team rather than me hanging over them like a teacher.
“I want to create an environment where we’re just two friends hanging out, rather than I’m the coach,” Ariel said.
An accomplished freelance artist in her own life, whose passion for art developed in her earlier years, Ariel describes her writing style as intuitive.
“My line work is very forgiving; I don’t use an eraser. So, if there’s a mistake it’s not a mistake it’s just part of the process.
“There is a lot of layering and I use a lot of different mediums. Like my customers, depending on what I feel is what medium I use.
“The way I work is the way I practice as well,” Ariel said.
Reflecting on her passion, Ariel says honing in on a person’s strength and helping them make a breakthrough in their style is satisfying.
Find out more about the Rocky Bay Studio art and craft workshops here: https://www.rockybay.org.au/services/daily-living/studio-shop/
A few words
- I want to create an environment where we’re just two friends hanging out, rather than I’m the coach
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