London Creativity & Wellbeing Week

Posted: June 16, 2017
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Sean working in the studio


London Creativity & Wellbeing Week runs from 12th – 18th June 2017. Organised by the London Arts in Health Forum, this week is all about celebrating the huge impact that art and creativity can have on our mental wellbeing. At Headway, this is something often explored by our members in the studio, and our staff go out of their way to encourage the creative process. There can be upwards of 12 members accessing our studio daily, working on projects as varied as weaving, mosaic, ceramics and collaborative painting. 

Today we hear from Sean, who has been visiting the studio at Headway for 3 years. He talks us through some of his finished pieces, and gives us a glimpse of what he’s currently working on.

“I’ve never done art before in my life. Not even at school. I don’t know when I decided to come into the studio, I didn’t think nothing of it. I just came in and started working. I wasn’t myself then you see, but as time goes on I’m getting more myself. I’d never tried it [art] but we have a laugh in here. I just do it. I’m not thinking anything while I’m doing it, so I suppose I’m quite calm.”

“This piece is just a football game. I’m an Arsenal fan, so it’s North London and Arsenal, and this shows all Arsenal fans. They’re away at Tottenham Hotspur, you see? I used to go every game, home and away; now and then I still go – I watch them all on Sky Sports. This took 8 hours. I’m always in here [the studio] for 2 hours – that’s enough for the day. It’s tiring otherwise. This is the first picture that I’ve ever worked on with pens. I normally do other things… I can’t remember the name… it’s [wax crayon?] yeah, crayon. Don’t know why I was drawn to them, could have been anything with me. I’d never tried it, and I thought that was alright so I carried on with that.”

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Sean Main
Some of Sean’s other work

“This one [bottom right] I just did out of nowhere. I always start with the face. I like to use colour – certain colours cheer me up. Some of this artwork is about my Irish connection – places, houses. I was born in London but my parents came from the west of Ireland in the seventies. This is a drawing [top right] I did from a magazine – it’s a woman in a very hot place. I often work from little pictures that I find around here.”

Connie (our Art Coordinator) walks past. “Sean is very quiet – he gets on with his own stuff, but then you turn around and he’s done this amazing colourful piece! He makes it looks easy.”

“This is what I’m working on now. I’ve got to do the other two bits, see? [This box will sit on two other boxes, making a full-length person]. I’ve only started doing it twenty minutes ago myself. Just started that. Michelle [Headway’s Creative Lead) has been with me from the start, and she will tell me small things to change. I do my own thing, but they’ll say “try this” or “change this small thing”. It’s good. It’s nice to have a routine, and keep coming back every week.”

Follow Submit to Love Studios on Instagram or visit their website to get regular updates from our artists!

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