invisible made real

rise exhibition

A collaborative art exhibition created by our RISE project participants.

This exhibition is also displayed in the bridge café and is open to all.

standing tall
Being able to take a deep breath and stand tall.
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standing still
Feeling the magic of light, life, and energy moving around. Feeling lonely and connected.
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still I RISE
Ancestors connection and vibrations will keep us rising always
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growth
Just like the seasons change and the garden does not stay the same. The same applies to me and my life. Working through trauma, mental and physical health challenges. Some pain never fully goes away but I keep moving forward to grow and blossom like a flower.
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self love
When my mental health is low and unstable these words are gentle reminders to be kind to myself and that things will be ok even if in the moment it is not.
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labels and boxes
Society puts labels on us and into boxes. Seals the lid and expects us to behave, not speak out and stand up for our rights. Be different, be honest, be unique and break the box and rip up the labels.
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emerging
A faceless self-portrait, a realisation of self with a breakthrough and a metamorphosis and a change with an emergence of a butterfly after hiding so long deep in shadows and drudgery eventually finding friends that can help with the process and all finding our wings together to reach above what has been set.
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time
The passage of time in all things, these small things observed are significant, the transition of the season and the self, time marches and flows forward regardless in step and increments, moments of reflection on the burning colours going out in death throes with colours aflame, another year passes, time to reflect and hold as long as possible the colours but they too pass quietly the trees lose their beauty and drudgery opens up a new era, of winter and bleak days mourning but wanting to capturing the bright sunshine colours the reds orange yellow and gold, time and decay take the leaf for itself a cycle we all must accept and eventually give in to.
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hiding in a belief, held in thought
The river is first what is seen a winding path of water or it could be a thought or a dream, the purple and the complimentary blue meandering and snaking along a face a half portrait emerges from inside the colour only half formed and unfinished wanting to be invisible hiding and staying in that form wanting the river to be the bold reason for this image hiding in things more important and weighty than the self lost in a dream and stuck in a moments place of safety, calm and held in thought in limbo the river moves but the figure will not.
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green of hope
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behind bars
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seeping through
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grief and the aftermath
Going through grief this year brought up a lot of unresolved emotions and thoughts, experiencing a mix of emptiness, sorrow, anger, guilt, and self-hatred all through the year. Non-linear can describe grief, as emotions are nonlinear. I mean there’s no correct way to feel loss and however hard things get, seeking solace with others will help, you get through the hard bits and that’s there’s always peace in small details.
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sitting still
Finding stillness is something I’ve been able to find through nature, otherwise I’m quite haywire so I remind myself to do grounding activities like meditation or hiking to gain balance and find peace of mind.
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procrastinating and overload
As someone who is neurodivergent, I often have difficulties finishing or keeping up with errands, so much that I end up procrastinating and feel burn out from the overload. It’s the list that never ends and the clutter never goes away, it’s an ongoing battle of the nerves.
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hazy sun
I like looking at it and into it because it reminds me of the sun, it reminds me of being warm and being enveloped in love.
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gold marbling
I enjoyed doing the marbling. It is on a gold piece of paper which gave it a gold effect of marbling.
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transforming shape shifting
I like it because to me you can see many forms in it and see different images, like shapeshifting.
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freedom
The smaller piece was the first drawing that I’d done in the group. I was very upset when I did it, but the strong colours of red and black helped to express that.
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intensity
The second piece was done four months later and feels lighter and free. I hadn’t realized that it was similar to my first one, so that was interesting to me, how the frond like pattern emerged again, could also be tentacles but I’d used similar colours.
I find the group really brilliant; art gives me the opportunity in a supportive setting. If I choose
Therapy enables me to express feelings that I can’t put into words and the images/patterns are often a surprise. I also really benefit from the freedom of expression that there is no right or wrong. I often come away from the group more energized and lighter in mood.
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three figures
This piece was in response to the theme of groups and expresses being outside and wanting to join, maybe a young figure attempting to join the adults.
Again, I was not conscious of what I was doing and it was only on reflection that I could see the dynamics of the group, also maybe the young one feeling lonely.
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finding my way to happiness
I love the way flowers grow from seeds, it’s amazing and the colours.
Flowers make me happy.
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I don’t know how I did it
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my own version of grass
I find lines and dots difficult to look at due to my dizziness from a stroke. I find this beautiful to look at.
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solitude
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I stand and walk alone
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there is always a light at the end of any tunnel
Hope, kindness and strength, that is all we all need.
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a mix of everything, the fuel of soul
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a mat of positivity
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perception…
Life is full of perceptions. How we perceive ourselves, also how we perceive each other. How does our perception affect our days, months, and years?
When you look at my picture what do you see? The Penguin, the Rooster or maybe if you tilt your head a little, the fish or the helicopter?
Whatever you see is your perception neither right or wrong.
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these are perceptions too…
What do you see? Faces, people, or things? Your mood, the light even your present company are just a few of the things that will affect your perception and ultimately what you see today.
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more perception’s for free…
What do you learn to live with? Are you exactly on the same page as me. Do we have absolutely nothing in common and you are learning to live with totally differing issues. Most probably we share some commonalties. However sadly we sometimes perceive ourselves to be the only one dealing with our issues.
Learning to live with my issues has made me stronger and braver than I ever perceived myself capable. It means I can now truly love myself, regardless of how others perceive me. Also most importantly I remember to love myself especially when my perception of myself is unkind.
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groups and family
We weave in and out, side by side, sometimes disjointed from groups and family. Both having their own way of affecting and changing and impacting us.
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just do it
Easy to say and not always so easy to do. It can be a journey, an unwinding, sometimes unravelling, going through, taking ACTION! Step by step.
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letting go and stilling the mind
This is my idea of finding peace, on a warm sunny beach.
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home is where the heart is
The theme for this piece was home is where the heart is. This artwork was inspired by the theme. I come from Saudi Arabia where I was born and brought up so that’s the center heart. I drew bits inside each heart indicating that I loved it to bits. The right-hand side I drew my green heart that depicts my second home England. The please where I call my real home. I gave it my second favourite colour green and I still love it to bits. The third heard I gave my third favorite colour blue. This goes to my third home Eritrea where my parents are from and I am of Eritrean decent.
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blooming marvelous
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my flying home
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another brick in the wall
Public Smiles, private pain
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thinking, thinking, and more thinking
Joy, pain, joy, pain, joy, pain: the cycles of life.
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we would love to hear what you think about the RISE ‘invisible made real’ exhibition.

Let us know how the premiere of our digital exhibition was for you by leaving your feedback in the box below. It may be about the exhibition as a whole, or something that you would like to say to a particular artist. All thoughts welcome.