Category Archives: art of recovery

art installation, art of recovery, arts for health, Community Arts Organisation, community engagement, creativity, installation art, marking the martyrs, participatory arts, well being, young people and creativity

Art Projects in 2019

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Working on some ‘scraper board’ art Dec 2019

young people painting wall art

young people working on a graffiti wall art piece

in communal dining area

Young people spray painting their design on to the wall

IMG_0387

Poem being written in to the art work above

Update 2023

Casey’s poem is about to travel on to a new home in Bispham

Onward and Upward continued

We are thrilled to announce that BCH are funding Last Legs for a further 24 creative sessions ‘Onwards and Outwards’ . We would like to thank BCH and the grant award committee for once again supporting members of our community who are often excluded from engaging in creative activities, due to lack of funds or personal circumstance.

All our participants leave workshop sessions with art works for their rooms, new homes, or friends and family. The experience of creating an art work from scratch often inspires individuals to continue with their new found skills once they move to a new home.

http://bchwavelength.co.uk/tenants-project-fund-update-2/

Below are art works by more community members on the Onward and Upward project

Tangerine Tower

Space painting by community member on project Onward and Upwards

‘Onward and Upwards’

Canvas below spray painted by Gail.

Liverpool stencil on canvas

Gails' Liverpool canvas
made by Gail spray painted canvas

We are also delighted that

Blackpool Coastal Housing

are continuing to fund our creative activities and art project ‘Onward and Upwards’ .

Art work created by young people in communal dining area

Art work below created during the project

Art works by young people

‘Worlds’ spray painted triptych on recycled cardboard

We are now continuing with a similar project ‘Onward and Outwards’.

‘I’m framing this one for the bathroom’

‘I’ve tried saying I don’t do art, but the evidence is here’

‘I’m really pleased, I cant even do stick drawings’

below – spray painted jigsaw

‘This is something to really look forward too, its so boring looking at 4 walls, when your in your room with nothing to do, this is something really positive’.

Below the Art work ‘Onward and Upwards’ now installed at the hostel in main staircase: created last year over a number of sessions with local residents.

‘That art work is amazing, it’s the first thing I saw when I arrived here, it’s great I’m really impressed.’

‘I’m buzzing .. this is what I should be doing, it could help sort myself out and stay focused’

I’m really in to art….I used to do arty stuff with the kids when I worked as a nursery assistant .. it was my favourite thing to do with them’.

                                                ‘…just passing through’ 

St Annes-On-Sea art group

We recently worked with an arts for health group in St Annes.

community art outside St Annes

Stencils and spray paint in St Annes. Arts for Health group

Creative Principle Harris Art Event November 2nd 2019

On November 2nd 2019, Boz was selling artworks made using recycled materials @ The Harris Preston Lancashire.

hand made bird recycled materials

The fair showcased local artists who specialise in using recycled materials in their work.

https://www.facebook.com/The-creative-principle-an-artists-collective-276737829924656/

February 2019 

Art work poem at Grange Park and ‘Freedom Clock’

Project working with Horizon ‘Art of Recovery’ group and Grange Park residents 2018-2019

This year we have presented ‘The Grange’ Blackpool with two art works created in collaboration with the Grange Park community and members of the ‘Art of Recovery’  group. The art works include photos of over 70 individuals from the Grange Park area and from the Art of Recovery groups . Community members from Grange Park and people from the recovery community allowed us to take photographs to add to the final piece. We also received a number of super photographic images for inclusion, taken by Donna Hannigan. The ‘Freedom Clock’ art work is now complete and up on the wall, next to the poem art work.

People trying to find themselves on the clock

Freedom Clock Poem by art group member

‘Life is like one big clock Keep on thinking happy thoughts Tick tock: tick tock’.

Our last  art work  made in to a postcard that went out to Grange Park residents

https://www.facebook.com/At-the-grange-Blackpool-1021617421334189

Marking the Martyrs in 2018

A big thank you to Corrine Streetly, director of award winning Blott  Studio  https://en-gb.facebook.com/blottstudio/

for including us in this beautiful catalogue commemorating the ‘Marking the Martyrs’ parade last year. We participated in the celebration of ‘Votes for Women’ along with our friends the Revoe-lution choir.

https://www.facebook.com/markingthemartyrs/

Going forward further in to 2019 we continue to work with Horizon Blackpool, Blackpool Gorton St , the Revoe and Central community,  Urban Arts Studio St Annes, and the Grange – Grange Park community.

art club, art installation, art of recovery, art poster, arts for health, arts-health, collaborative art, Community Arts Organisation, community engagement, community garden, cut outs, Healthy Communities, heritage, installation art, intergenerational, mosaic, participatory arts, poster art, poster art blackpool, projects, recovery, recycling, The Grange, well being, workshops

Projects in 2018

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work delivered to Grange Park today 4th January 2019

Our last artwork for 2018 completed in December 2018 for ‘The Grange’ working in collaboration with the local community  and the art of recovery community art group . on behalf of Horizon Blackpool.

Thank you to everyone who participated and a Happy New Year.

We are currently working with people in Blackpool as part of our Art Buddies Project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The project aims to support people who may be socially isolated to get involved creatively in their communities. We take creative activities to people who may not have the opportunity to get involved with the arts due to personal circumstance or ill health. The project is funded by BCH.

 

 

In November we began work with the art group at the Grange, Grange Park to produce a bespoke artwork that reflects the memories and images of people of Grange Park. We are working with the group for 6 weeks until 14th December.

We were at Highfield Park today creating art works for the park with the community and Friends of Highfield Park volunteers.

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/mini-graffiti-artists-get-their-aprons-1001235

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://friendsofhighfieldroadpark.co.uk/events/

 

On Saturday 18th August at the Revoe Fun Day we are delivered creative activities to young people and families from the Central area of Blackpool.

https://www.facebook.com/events/228307541257741/

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been spray painting these portraits on the Recovery Tram: working with Blackpool Horizon Art Club to produce stencil based art work using photographs of participants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also worked with the group to produce spray paint designs on the Horizon tram ready for the pride walk 12th June 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

In May we volunteered at the stone carving workshops in St Annes, organised by St Annes in Bloom.

 

 

 

 

Mr Dee working with one young participant to make his mark on the stone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony Lysycia the stone carver at work on one of the stone pieces.

https://www.facebook.com/anthony.lysycia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Annes in Bloom making their marks on the stone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/stannesinbloom/

With the community in Revoe and the Art Club Hand Made Un’s we  created two new poster for the front of the King Edward Cinema. Project commissioned by Blackpools’ Healthy Living and Creative Design Officer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revoe Community Choir participated in the ‘Marking the Martyrs’ parade on Saturday 2nd June.

Banner made with ‘Hand Made Un’s’ art club and Boz Phillips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting Blackpools’ longest established artists group: Blott Artist Studio.

http://www.blott.co.uk/

Sashes produced by Boz Phillips for Revoe Community Choir

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Marking The Martyrs’ exhibition celebrates 100 years of  Womens’ Right to Vote

 

 

 

 

 

Hand Made Un’s creating letters for the banner

https://www.facebook.com/groups/126193264703510/

We’re in the local

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the Hand Made Un’s and community members in the Central and Revoe area we are creating a community mosaic. The mosaic will be installed on the empty spaces along the George Hotel  on Central Drive  visible to the wider community.

Work started in May after 2 days of sorting and cutting tiles

We  received a very generous donation of tiles from Al-Murad Tiles Blackpool branch. Thanks to artist Kass –

https://www.facebook.com/African-Woodstock-425125124513955/

for sourcing these end of line tiles for our mosaic.

Hand Made Un’s art works on plates dishes, cups and saucers, will  be for sale on 18th August at Revoe Fun Day.

 

 

 

 

 

items such as these beautiful Blackpool themed plates are now available prices start at £3: half the money will go to the community center the other half to the lifeboats.

On Saturday August 18th

We will be running a workshop for children customising bandannas at the Fun Day.

We are currently working with Shabby2Chic and the wonderful Sandra, in Knott End. An exiting opportunity to be involved with the Wise Owls project in a fantastic new venue for exhibiting and selling began this week. We will be in Knott End at the studio every Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/shabby2chiccic/

In January we will be continued with the successful ‘Art Buddies’ in a new Blackpool location – Marton . The first leaflets have now been distributed to people in sheltered housing in Marton. The project is funded by Blackpool Coastal Housing.

In February we  exhibited a selection of our work at Urban Arts Studio St Annes.

https://www.facebook.com/urbanartsstudio/

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing everyone a Creative  2018.

 

art club, art installation, art of recovery, art on blackpool trams, arts-health, Community Arts Organisation, community engagement, freedom tram, Healthy Communities, heritage, heritage tram, horizon blackpool, installation art, participatory arts, poster art, recovery, well being

Horizon Recovery Freedom Tram project September 2017

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The Horizon Recovery Freedom Tram  Project.

 

In August Boz Phillips and Lee Fitzgerald worked with people accessing the services of Horizon Blackpool to curate a series of their art works and poetry to be included on the tram.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The art work produced by individuals was on display as a series of vinyls designed by Boz and Lee using all art works by ‘Art of Recovery’ members on the side of Blackpool Heritage 641 Centenary tram.

 

M   ‘So for me this project has come at a vital time in my recovery … I got into art a few months ago having having been introduced to it’s therapeutic values in the psychiatric ward around 7 months ago …
The warm welcome has been great and for me it’s all about the creative wonderful people I have met and will continually meet in the Freedom Building. A special thanks to Carole, The massive amount of encouragement from Boz and Lee (thank you Lee for all our chats you have really inspired me). Thank you Faron for a few days painting I would definitely work for you again.
I would definitely be interested in any future art projects’
E   ‘It’s great how much this has helped you guys.
Boz and Lee should certainly work helping in recovery. I think they’re great people. You feel no judgement from them, only kindness and encouragement. Very opening and welcoming people. ‘
Extract from Horizon Press release.

“As well as displaying artwork created as part of the recovery journey, the tram site will also act as an information point for people looking to access help with their addiction issues. We want to spread the word that recovery is possible for the majority of people who seek help.”

‘The project was officially launched on 8th September as part of the FAVOR UK Recovery Walk celebrations which will be taking place in Blackpool over the weekend. A national recovery conference is planned for Friday the 8th September and the annual FAVOR UK Recovery Walk will take place on Saturday 9th September; the largest gathering of people in recovery in Europe with an estimated 5000 people expected to join in the celebrations in Blackpool town centre.’

 The static tram with the art  could be viewed at Blackpool, South Promenade, in front of the Sandcastle. The tram with art works has now moved back to Fleetwood for storage as of 26th June 2019.
Rob 2019

‘Yeah it,s going but…………………………….what that means to me. I first saw it when Carole  showed it to me. As an addict, that was an amazing thing to see. I’ve been down there when I have felt a bit low. I’ve not told anyone but Feb/Mar/Apr time, on a Sunday, I’d cycle down there. I was struggling. I cycled back totally under control. I got pics, I will never forget that tram.’

The  ‘Art Of Recovery’ group, set up by the project participants still runs  on a Wednesdays evenings and Saturdays at the Freedom Building

If you require any further information about the project or the services mentioned above please contact them directly.

https://www.facebook.com/HorizonBlackpool/

http://www.druglinelancs.co.uk/#

art of recovery, Artist C.V Mr Dee, arts for health, battle, Community Arts Organisation, intergenerational arts, intergenerational graffiti, The Grange

Mr Dee Graffiti and community artist

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Mr Dee: Lee Fitzgerald

I am a graffiti artist with over 30 years experience. I hold  current enhanced DBS and Public Liability Insurance.

Revoe Community Graffiti Mural, 2023. Painted and designed by young people.

I devise and deliver community based art projects, sharing  my skills and knowledge of the history of graffiti art to as many people as possible. I strongly believe graffiti art can support the development of literacy skills in people of all ages. Graffiti painting with the community uses team building skills that create opportunities for intergenerational communication and understanding.

I am co-founder and chairman of Last Legs

lytham hall 1

Photo of graffiti workshop at Lytham Hall : participants spray painting on to shrink wrap

Recent projects include:

2024

‘A Question of Art’ – current project

Site specific Tree of Life: Young peoples hostel 2023

2022

‘Home is where your heART is’

working in hostels across Blackpool to produce art works including poetry with people about to move to new homes.

2021

Revoe mosaic project – a celebration of Revoe

2019

Horizon Art of Recovery project

Two major art works devised constructed and installed by Last Legs.

Commissioned by Horizon Blackpool to work in collaboration with the Art of Recovery group and community members of Grange Park Blackpool.

2017 – 2019

‘Art Buddies’ – ongoing BCH (Blackpool Coastal Housing) funded person centered creative activities.

Art work at Gorton Street Hostel created with the residents.

November 2016- January 2017

Poster project for the front of the King Edward Cinema Central Drive Blackpool

Working with the community to design and produce 2 large scale site specific ‘movie posters’ . Incorporating designs and histories of Blackpool linked to the Central area of Blackpool.

Lytham Arts Festival 2014

Grandads and lads – 3 large scale graffiti designs done in Park View over 3 days of Lytham Arts festival

August 2013 “Contemporary Calligraphy” at Lytham Hall.

http://www.lythamstannesexpress.co.uk/what-s-on/volunteers-get-clingy-tocreate-colourful-urban-art-1-5951764

Working with a group of volunteers mostly between the ages of 50 and 70 we created an ephemeral graffiti mural in the grounds of Lytham Hall.

After arriving at what the participants thought was going to be a calligraphy workshop everyone was given a brief history of graffiti and an introduction to the tools and processes of graffiti art.
We then spent the rest of the day spray painting murals onto cling film stretched between trees in the grounds of the hall.

 lytham hall 2

Workshop participants with art work at Lytham Hall

Graffiti art commissioned Blackpool centenary tram ready for its new use as a youth hub.

tram harbour

February 2013.

In partnership with Shabby 2 Chic CIC  I assisted a 17 year old young man to achieve his Expressive Arts Award.

casey box

Art work cupboard designed and painted by participant

Over the course of 6 weeks we designed and created a custom piece of recycled furniture and printed t-shirts using his own designs.

casey tshirt

have experience of working in partnership with organisations such as New Revoe Residents Association,  Blackpool Borough Council, Young carers, Streetlife, Fylde Youth Service, Blackpool Horizon project and Blackpool Club to Go : delivering, and facilitating numerous community arts projects.

Two recent projects I have worked on include – a poster project for Blackpool Art service and Blackpool Grand Theater ‘Breakin’ Convention. I worked in partnership with Boz Phillips on ‘Breakin’ Convention’ where I was the lead artist. As Last Legs we have received funding for a number of project in the Blackpool Central / Revoe areas. Working with community members of all ages. Our most recently successful devised, delivered and funded project is ‘Art Buddies’ – going to the homes of isolated individuals and involving them in creative activities. This project is ongoing.

Please take a look at recent pages for my ongoing community art work