Gibraltar Nursing Home in Monmouth has recently added a collection of abstract artwork, created by the home’s family members (the home’s fond term for residents), to the walls you pass as you walk through the front door.

 

 

 

 

 

The collaborative art project was organised by Bridget, who leads the home’s COGS committee (Creating Occupation in Gibraltar and Supporting Social Skills). Occupation at Gibraltar is shaped around people’s former careers, roles, interests and hobbies, supporting them to remain involved in meaningful activities and continue the parts of life that have always mattered to them.

Bridget took inspiration from a simple idea she had seen online of rolling marbles dipped in ink over a canvas. ‘I thought it was a great idea, but I knew it would be a bit tricky for our family members to recreate if they live with conditions that affect movement. So, to support our family members, we came up with a solution that would help stop the marbles rolling off the canvas onto the floor.’

Bridget explained further, ‘I ordered the largest canvases I could find and asked Steve, one of our maintenance team, to make a wooden detachable frame that would sit around the outside and stop the marbles falling off. It turned out to be easier said than done but it worked!’

The canvases were then taken around the home, along with the removeable wooden frame, ready for painting. Once the frame was fitted to a canvas, marbles were dipped into ink and rolled across them. Family members gently raised and lowered the canvas frame together, with the support from the team, to create unpredictable patterns which criss-crossed over each other, leaving abstract shapes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a few days, when the ink had dried, the canvases were brought out again and family members selected paint from their pallets and painted the colour into the shapes. Bridget shared, ‘Everyone was super calm and relaxed as they were filling in the spaces. The lines of the paint were nice and thick, so they didn’t need to have finely tuned dexterity to complete the art.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The completed artwork was hung in the home just before Christmas, where they now form a feature for anyone walking through the front door. Since being displayed, members of the team, relatives and even visiting professionals have praised the artwork, with several people asking whether the pieces are for sale!

A further collection of new and different framed artwork created by family members will soon be displayed in the Pillars Restaurant within the home.

Home manager Verity shared, ‘We love having the artwork of family members out on display for everyone to see. It might seem like a small thing, but in your own home you’d hang something you were proud of. It can help spaces feel more homely and can give people a stronger sense of belonging.’