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Hear from more of our Makers and Artists on our mentoring programme as part of this years Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival and the theme of “Normality.” The makers & artists who began working together online in Autumn 2020 are sharing their insights into their challenges and journey so far; exploring creativity, wellbeing and connection during lockdown.

Katie Lowe

“I drew this ‘guppy’ in lockdown no. 3, out of pure
determination. I hit a wall with all my creativity and scribbled with many
coloured biros all over the page. I kept going, picking out shapes to fill and
outline, with no set plan and no end goal. Eventually ‘scribble fish’ came
swimming through.

I like this small
fish in a big pond. Kind of like me in the arts. Kind of like me in Scotland. I
moved a couple of months before the pandemic, so it’s been pretty lonely at
times. That has changed in the past few months. I’ve spoken to people and made
connections in unexpected ways.

If I’m struggling
with anything, I make a point not to give up and just keep going. The result
may not be what I thought, but it may be a nice surprise.”

Caroline Borland

“I am a painter and mixed media artist, and during lockdown,
I also taught myself how to make silver and copper jewellery.

I love being able to move from making free, gestural marks
with paint and ink, to the technical precision needed in silver-smithing, and
everything in between. These activities have been vital for my well-being over
the past year of Covid and lockdowns.”

“The difference between science and the arts is not that
they are different sides of the same coin even, or even different parts of the
same continuum, but rather, they are manifestations of the same thing. The arts
and sciences are avatars of human creativity”. – Mae Jemison, Doctor, Engineer
and first black woman to travel into space.

Rebecca Campbell

“This is the world we live in

And these are the hands we’re
given