Group: LLTCA
(Lawrencetown, Lenaderg and Tullylish Community Association)
Arts Care Artist: Jill McKeown
Title: A Conversation Piece
Participants: The Tuesday Group
About the project:
A Conversation Piece reflects the transformations of people and place through the transformation of a pair of well used chairs.
Chairs offer people a space to take time to talk, a space to listen, to confide, to confess, to nurture, to care, to empathise. This well used, under appreciated piece of furniture forms the stage to exhibit the groups stories, thoughts, ideas and inspirations. Chairs hold so many stories and reflect the personal journeys and stories or transformations of group members as the chairs themselves transformed.
LLTCA has many groups which are well attended and this project engaged the Tuesday group. The group shared aspects of local history, personal histories and interesting anecdotes. We then recreated conversations or stories on the chairs using a variety of media which included painting, collage, photography, and maps. The participants enjoyed trying out new processes and bringing their own ideas to the project. The chairs soon took on a colourful new look, a new life. The chairs are strong and durable reflecting the much depended on community centre where they will remain. They are decorative yet fully functional and will continue to share more conversations in the years to come.
Council Area: Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
