How I used my experience as a Young Carer to deliver an art project.
Hidden isn’t Lost is the first project I have led as an artist, and I have learned how bringing the arts into alternative spaces can have a lasting positive impact on its community. With my lived experience as a young carer, I was able to share my own experience, which created a safe space in each workshop, where everybody could express themselves through artwork and conversation. I saw how me being a role model for the young carers greatly impacted them, especially a select few who had ambitions to become artists themselves, and they took great interest in my work. Seeing me as a Lead Artist in-person gave the young carers an insight into what their next steps could be, and that they could take those next steps, even as young carers who have lots of responsibilities.
The young carers were encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings about their identities, whether that be as a young carer or what brings them happiness. The young carers were given a wide range of art materials to choose from which included crayons, coloured pens and pencils, watercolours, acrylic paints, and plain and coloured paper of different sizes and thickness. This wide variety of materials allowed the young carers to express themselves however they chose, and encouraged those that were more hesitant to have a go. I taught some of the young carers different techniques to help them create their artwork, such as how to draw characters. I saw the confidence in some young carers grow from the start to the end of the session, and they appeared proud with what they had created.
One young carer that stood out to me was from the final workshop on the 25th March. She decided to draw some roses in memory of her grandfather. After this, she asked about my own work, and I showed her my comic. Her mood rose significantly once she had read the comic, and she said she really liked it as she identified with the setting, as it is set in St Helens. This young carer both expressed herself and her grief through her work, and also took away a positive experience from the workshop.
A lot of the final artwork being displayed in the young carers centre will leave a lasting impact on the young carers, and I hope it will bring them comfort and joy to know that they have contributed towards the look of the centre.
By Cady Davies, Artist & Young Carerer
Hidden isn’t Lost was delivered as part of our Communities of Wonder programme of activities. Read about all of our wonderful projects to date here
Communities of Wonder is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and made possible by National Lottery Players.
