ACE
Compassionate
Communities
Coming together to explore
and develop community responses
to death, dying and bereavement.
‘Creative Grief Space’: Grief journeys
Following the success of ‘Grief Space’, a grief support group run by Kimberley at ACE and funded by Macmillan, ACE artist and coordinator Nic decided to focus on the concept of a ‘Creative Grief Space’ as part of her MA Arts, Health and Wellbeing studies.
In September 2020 she began a 6 month project working with individuals to explore their grief stories, using art as an outlet for expressing their loss. Participants worked on a collection of ceramic work and textiles landscapes depicting places and objects relating to their loss.
The artwork can be viewed here on our online ‘Creative Grief Space’ Instagram galley.
Creative Grief Space Gallery (@creativegriefspace) • Instagram photos and videos
‘Creative Grief Space’: A Celebration of Artwork in Memory of Caroline Barr
In March 2021 we lost our dear friend and colleague Caroline Barr. Working alongside our ACE & Macmillan: Compassionate Communities ‘Grief Space’ project, artist Nic Parsons was inspired to continue to explore the concept of a ‘Creative Grief Space’ looking at ways in which we might compassionately support those experiencing grief, through creative methods.
She invited members of our Dusty Forge community to share stories and capture their special memories of Caroline during a series of art workshops, by pressing significant objects into clay, then forming them into individual plaster artworks.
We made a video capturing the opening night of the artwork which can be viewed here.
The work seeks to unite us as a community, by gently acknowledging and reflecting on our grief, providing a supportive creative platform and to keep Caroline’s memory alive in a comforting display of artwork made with the community, for the community.
The work can be viewed in the Dusty Forge reception area, along with a visitor’s book where we invite you to write your own memories of our lovely Caroline.
A huge thanks to everyone who created artwork, helped facilitate, put up shelves, listened and shared stories and memories. Special thanks to Pete Beckett for recording the event.
ACE Compassionate Communities
Funded by
