News
Building bridges to the Arts
Mary Smith, a visual artist based in the Redfern area, talks about how Weave Arts Centre helped her start painting, leading to one of her art works being chosen by Sydney Opera House for the cover of their new Reconciliation Action Plan, launched earlier in 2011.
Mary is a woman of the Yorta Yorta and Warrajaree clans. She was born in Walwa, Victoria and left home at the age of 14 with her sister, settling in Sydney and having a family of her own.
Now over forty years later, Mary has discovered her talent and passion for art making. For the last two years she has attended Weave Arts Centre, going to the centre most days of the week to paint and make ceramics.
Mary has accessed a range of support through Weave Arts Centre, including a studio environment with art making resources and guidance from artist-in-residence Camille Masson-Talansier. This has enabled Mary to build her practice including selling her work on a regular basis, at the same time as connecting to an artistic community and overcoming some challenging mental health issues.
“Having my artwork chosen by Sydney Opera House for their Reconciliation Action Plan means the world to me. I have been on the Reconciliation Board at Sutherland, but it was a shock for me when I found out that my artwork would represent the way forward for Sydney Opera House to develop programs designed to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
Weave Arts Centre is a not-for-profit organisation and has established itself as a cultural focal point within the Redfern and Waterloo area. Through providing a vibrant arts centre to the surrounding area, Weave has established a social enterprise, offering people the opportunity to connect with others, develop skills, and create employment for people otherwise excluded from the labour market. This creates pathways for socially excluded people and engages them in creative, productive and supportive programs that enhance their artistic skills and improve their overall wellbeing, physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.
A range of initiatives were delivered by Weave in 2011 including exhibitions, commissions, workshops, mentoring programs, and a range of partnerships delivering community art programs.