11
Jun
Harrogate shop unveils mosaic of iconic painter made by artists with disabilities
Dear Reader, this article is free to read. We publish about 100 articles a week all exclusively focused on local news. Please support independent local journalism by subscribing here. It costs as little as 14p a day.
A vibrant mosaic created by local people with disabilities was unveiled today in the shop window of Artizan International in Harrogate.
The image of cult Mexican artist Frida Kahlo was designed by local artist and inclusive community arts facilitator Douglas Black, and took three months to make.
The mosaic took three months to create.
Located at Artizan’s Oxford Street premises, the aim of the installation is to highlight disabled creative talent and promote community inclusion through public art, by presenting mosaics, papier mâché creations, screenprints, and other artwork.
The collaborative project provided participants with a creative outlet to learn specialised tiling techniques, build fine motor skills, and work as a cohesive team.
Choosing Frida Kahlo as the subject was a deliberate decision by the artists, as Kahlo herself lived with significant physical disabilities and chronic pain – stemming from polio in childhood and a later serious accident – and used her art as a tool for self-expression and resilience.
Creative lead Jess Thompson said:
This is one of many incredible projects that our disabled artists have been the centre of. This mosaic proves that disability should never be a barrier to creating something breathtaking.
Our artists poured their hearts into every single tile, and we cannot wait for the public to see their incredible talent on display in our high-street window.
Creative lead Jess Thompson (far right) with some of the young people involved with Artizan International's creative and hospitality businesses.
The project was made possible through funding from the National Lottery that supports the weekly mosaic workshops for local disabled artists to attend, building their skills and experience.
Artizan International’s Harrogate shop sells art, gifts, cards and other products made by people with disabilities in the UK and Ecuador.
Artizan International was set up by Susie Hart with a mission to transform the lives of people with disabilities through social enterprise, hospitality, and community inclusion.
The organisation also has a café, Artizan, run by people with disabilities just around the corner on Cambridge Road.
0