At the centre’s Avenue Neighbourhood House, the ‘This Is Me’ Self Portrait Art Competition exhibition opened on Tuesday July 18 and ran until Sunday July 30. With the winner receiving a $500 cash prize, the competition was fierce. However, winning wasn’t the main driver for our mecwacare Trescowthick Centre resident artists.
Awhina Teamo, Lifestyle Coordinator at the Trescowthick Centre, encourages residents to express their feelings, creativity and ideas in a physical form through art. Working on art is not only a great creative outlet, it is a calming, relaxing practice that has proven scientific benefits to artists’ mental health. This is one of the reasons that art has been a pillar of the activity program at the Trescowthick Centre for years. Residents love creating their own works, whether it be using paint, pencils, collage, glitter, or a variety of other mediums.
The residents’ visit was a lovely outing for the day. With gorgeous sunny weather, the group wandered through the gallery viewing the exhibition before enjoying cups of coffee and tea with chocolates, courtesy of Awhina. The mecwacare bus then took the residents back to Prahran, where they visited the College Lawn Hotel for a delicious lunch in the sun, before returning home to the Trescowthick Centre.
Regardless of whether or not any of our residents receive the monetary prize, we believe that the day was a win for all residents, who have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
