Creative Challenge

Barking Gecko Arts @ College Row - 2025

In collaboration with artist Wren Richards, I undertook a transformative textile arts residency at a regional ed-support school, working with students with diverse disabilities to create a permanent bunting installation. This project challenged my understanding of community arts practice, pushing me beyond traditional arts engagement into genuinely inclusive facilitation.

Working with predominantly non-verbal students with complex behavioral needs, we developed sensory-focused approaches that emphasized texture, color, and the satisfying sounds of fabric manipulation. The collaborative process—from chaotic fabric dyeing to cohesive gradient flows—became a community story of transformation and collective creativity. Our simple, accessible techniques built teacher confidence while creating a legacy piece that continues to celebrate both artistic achievement and healthy eating messages during school events.

This residency fundamentally shaped my practice as a disabled artist and community practitioner, grounding my PhD research in disability arts with authentic regional community connections and demonstrating how meaningful artistic engagement emerges from genuine human connection rather than predetermined outcomes.