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A Love Letter to London and Paddington Arts

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By: Jake Keller

In the blink of an eye, my time here at Paddington Arts has come to a close. During my stay in London, I have learned countless lessons that will stick with me for the rest of my life. I am incredibly grateful to the people at Paddington Arts who have helped to make this experience better than I ever could have asked for, and I am sad to say goodbye. 

It shocks me to say this, but my short 6-week stay here is the most time I have ever spent outside of my hometown in the United States. I was born and raised in Bloomington, Indiana, and I reluctantly decided to stay there for university as well. Although I am excited to see my loved ones, I don’t want to leave London behind. 

London was not my first choice of a city to live in; it just happened to be the city that my program chose to send me to. I’m glad that this is where I ended up because if it were left to me, I may have never gotten the opportunity to fall in love with this city. I do have a few complaints: London broke my bank account, hayfever nearly killed me, and I have several qualms with the plumbing… However, the list of what I love about London is much longer. 

There’s no time to be bored here, and there are endless activities to do and sights to see. Even on days when I felt like sitting around and doing nothing in my flat, I’d opt instead to make my way to a new park, grab a bite to eat, and just sit and read.  The options for grub are endless here as well, and as a foodie, that spoke to my soul. I made a new best friend in Too Good To Go, scoring deals on Indian, Japanese, and Ethiopian cuisine. The variety of food in London is one of the many benefits of the city’s multicultural spirit. 

The mission of Paddington Arts spoke to me, and I feel like I was meant to find my way to this organization. The arts, particularly theatre, helped me navigate through many challenges growing up. Performing helped me to find myself, and it truly shaped me as a person. Paddington Arts gives children the same opportunity to find themselves and provides them with the support they need to grow. I feel as if working as an intern here has allowed me to give back to the arts what they gave to me, and to pass the baton on to future generations. 

One thing I immediately noticed about Paddington Arts is how dedicated the people here are to the organization. The time and dedication that they give to this cause are beyond admirable, and I’ve been able to see firsthand the impact their work has on the community. 

Looking back on the past six weeks, there is not a single thing I would change, and for that I am thankful. 

Art Therapy- I tried it and you should too! By: Lauren Avila

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Art therapy can come in many forms through hands-on experience and engaging creativity, be that through performance or fine arts. There are individual and group sessions of art therapy widely available throughout London. It is a practice that is led by a trained professional with the intention to offer a safe environment to get in touch with feelings that may otherwise remain guarded. There is evidence to support that engaging in art therapy helps individuals to speak more freely and become more relaxed when facing an issue. 

Each individual is different and each person’s needs vary. Some people may need the guidance and healing that comes from a trained art therapist. However, that does not discount that art, in its many forms, is therapeutic on its own. 

The British Association of Art Therapists state on their website that “art therapy can help people of all ages and at all stages of life, including those whose life has been affected by difficult personal or cultural experiences, illness and/or disability. You do not need to be skilled in art to benefit from art therapy.”

That was the case when I put this theory to the test. I observed and participated in different types of art with groups of normal people from different backgrounds. 

 

First I went to Wonderland Ceramics to test if fine art really can help people with their mental health. The task? Choose a ceramic item and paint it in any way one wishes to. It turns out that art as therapy really is dependent from person to person. In a group of seven, a couple attendees felt stressed by this task. They found it difficult to choose an item, then choose how to decorate it, and also to efficiently do so. 

“I feel stressed because I’m a perfectionist, but I also feel relaxed because I know I can take my time,” Leyonce explained when asked how creating art made her feel.

Others found these steps less intimidating.

“I love this,” Skye said. “I’m so glad I decided to do this.”

Despite the rocky start, over the course of time the challenge became easier and the room’s temperament changed. People felt more at ease and the conversation in this group became more comfortable by each passing minute. As mentioned earlier, evidence supports that art can encourage a person to open up and share deeper thoughts and feelings.

“I was feeling stressed but I’m feeling a lot more relaxed now,” Gilly shared.

I challenged the theory again when attending a performing art event. The task? Have beginner and intermediate dancers try to teach and learn from each other. As an overall observation, this much larger group of about twenty attendees followed a similar pattern. About half the room was filled with timid beginners but by the end of the event there was a buoyancy in the room. Everyone’s spirits were lifted and the whole group bonded in conversation long after the event concluded. 

Speaking from personal experience from both activities, I felt relaxed, jubilant, care-free, and fulfilled while participating and immediately following each event. I can also say the same from other art forms such as writing stories and taking pictures. Again, this is different for each person but I believe it is safe to say that art as therapy is worth looking into. 

To find out more about the evidence behind art therapy, how it works, what types of therapy there are, and where to start looking for an art therapist, visit Mind. If you are local, consider looking up the classes and events that are offered here at Paddington Arts. 



Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience By: Lauren Avila

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Likely if a person mentions the name of the famous Dutch artist, Vincent Van Gogh, it immediately prompts images of deep hues of swirling skies or bright yellow flowers resting in a vase. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, which has been open since 2021, is elevating old classics and converting them into  new forms for anyone to enjoy. 

Upon entering the exhibit and throughout the layout of rooms there is an abundance of information about Van Gogh. As much as it is a welcome change to approach well-known art in a new way, it is vital to first understand the artist. The exhibit includes various ways to get to meet Vincent, the man. There is a comprehensive history provided pertaining to his birth, family, physical and mental challenges, and the end of his life. Of high interest to those who may not know about Van Gogh’s style, this information also includes the reason why he created art the way he did. 

Beyond learning about the art is the art itself in various forms. The exhibit introduces large scale versions of some of Van Gogh’s most notable works. What was previously only known to the world through oil paintings is brought to life by set pieces, backdrops, and computer animations. 

Additionally, visitors are given the opportunity to be hands-on and fully immersed as the name of the exhibit implies. There is an entire room full of art from past visitors who paid homage to Van Gogh’s most well known paintings, such as “Starry Night,” “Self Portrait,” and the “Sunflowers” series by creating their own version of it. The Immersive Experience also offers a VR experience (that comes at additional cost) to see the paintings up close in a digitally-advanced environment.

“I really liked that the whole point of the immersive experience is to see his life from his point of view,” Van Gogh the Immersive Experience visitor, Udeshna, observed. “I like that the asylum and The Bedroom paintings were immersive and that it gave a brief of his life.”

Throughout the exhibit there are ways to observe the man, the paintings, and also a way to engage with them. Still, it is the conclusion that truly brings the visitor into the art. Visitors step into a room that is covered in screens from floor to ceiling and creates a 360 degree world of art. It is flooded with lights, music, and moving projections. Chairs, benches, and loungers provide a welcoming environment to relax and submerge completely into the art that was only looked upon moments before but now surround the visitor in an all-consuming way. After learning about Vincent and his trade, it is more emotional to feel a real and deep connection to his art, including quotes from him. 

One may experience a new sense of appreciation of a man’s life work when surrounded by his art and reading his own words: “Success is sometimes the outcome of a whole string of failures.”

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is self-guided so a person may enjoy it at their own pace. The exhibit provides several rooms of information, art, and photo opportunities, therefore it is easy to let hours slip by, particularly in the final room. It can be enjoyed for a few minutes or much longer, with footage looping every ten minutes or so. 

Tickets for the exhibit begin at £20.90. It is currently an ongoing experience.