I’ve simplified my life since suffering a traumatic head injury and found a passion for painting that greatly benefits my wellbeing and recovery, which I’m making leaps and bounds with thanks to the understanding and practical support of Flourish Australia.
I had been doing really well in life as a Retail Manager until a traumatic head injury, following a home invasion 12 years ago, brought on bouts of confusion and forgetfulness. It changed the whole trajectory of my life.
After 20 years of living life on my terms, I came back to my hometown of Griffith, which is a big citrus and wine growing region where I love the sense of community. My partner and I share a house here with our best friend, which helps with the cost of living.
Flourish Australia are supporting me to manage my symptoms and find my feet. They go out of their way to be helpful and have made the daunting process of applying for the NDIS so much simpler than I expected.
The support I receive is so compassionate and amazing it motivates me to want to pursue a role in mental health advocacy for the rights and treatment of people with lived experience.
Though I’ve only been painting for two years, I’m made to feel like the resident artist here at their Griffith service where my canvases line the walls. We creative types do a lot of arts and crafts here, like painting uplifting messages onto rocks and hiding them in local parks, to brighten the day of people who find them.
My art is abstract in style. I’ve practiced on pre-printed canvases where you paint within the lines and have set up a designated space at home for painting.
I like to give back to the local community by volunteering with the Salvation Army, cooking up meals with fresh produce packs provided by Meals on Wheels and Hampers of Hope. It’s wonderful that they round-up all the edible food shops can’t sell so it can be re-distributed to where it’s needed in the community and doesn’t go to waste.
Griffith has a local War Gallery that showcases the work of local artists and it’s my goal to exhibit there. I also have my eye on approaching Council about decorating the substation power boxes down the back lanes with murals. So many businesses cover their back walls in colourful art which is beautiful to look at.
By surrounding myself with a trusted support network and services, I’m coming out on the other side of feeling so much loss, to where I can hold hope for a fulfilling future.
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