Element was founded in 2016 by Elo Acland and Alex Sayers, after combined professional experience in national and international youth work, theatre and festival production, children’s services and alternative education centres. In 2018, we expanded the team with Maeve, who joined us from a community advocacy background; and in 2021 we welcomed Jord-ann, a creative practitioner and youth worker.
We set up Element because it was clear to us, from our professional experience and our personal lives, that the process of creating art - and doing so as part of a community - is often a productive way of self-managing difficult emotions, getting in touch with self-expression and experimentation, and forming robust, affirmative and positive senses of identity.
We also realised that quality art making sessions, safe and joyful spaces, and peer meet-ups was something that careexperienced young people were not getting regular access to. Indeed sometimes, the young people we were interacting with had never considered themselves to be “creative”, or tried on that identity for themselves. And so Element was born: to champion the artistic talent of care leavers, and to support them to use their own creativity to communicate confidently, form nurturing and positive identities, and thrive in a group of fellow Young Creatives.
Since our beginning, we have worked with 200 care leavers, and expanded our work to include schools projects with at-risk students. We are proud to have co-created a network of Element Young Creatives across London, who come together regularly to make and share artwork; to discuss artists and culture; to see exhibitions, plays, comedy and poetry performances; to support each other in learning new and developing existing passions.
COVID-19 has been challenging for all of us, in many different and intersecting ways. When the UK entered its first lockdown, we called around all the alumni to check-in, and see what was needed. What we heard was overwhelming in its unity: Element needed to provide space and time for the network of Element Young Creatives to create, to come together, and to feel connected. We sprung into action: we delivered virtual dropin creative sessions every week; daily creative challenges; weekly Culture Clubs to discuss current artistic outputs; weekly stretching and breathing sessions; monthly individual check-ins; individual creative consultations whenever the need arose. We were delighted to remain supported by our Local Authority partners and our funders, which enabled us to remain person-centred and creative in our response to the dramatically changing situations we all found ourselves in.
I’ll admit something: as the co-founder and CEO of a charity that runs on creativity, of course I have always believed in the multiple and magical ways that creativity can be used in personal processing, growth, and wellbeing. Of course I knew that group art making has a way of forging connection and combatting isolation. Of course I went on about the importance for young people to share artwork that they have made in front of an audience who may not have, up until that point, celebrated them for their creative thinking, making and sharing. But honestly, perhaps there was 5% of me that wondered, can the creative arts within facilitated groups really do all this, really be that big of a deal? Who knows why this 5% was there - my bet is it came from persistent, implicit (and sometimes even explicit) messaging from society at large, telling us all that the arts are a frippery; that they should be seen as an unessential and a frivolous luxury; that they cannot make appreciable differences. I believe that my experience of 2020, amongst many other things and feels, has totally and utterly disbanded that 5% in my mind.
Connecting through creativity is a radical act of collective selfcare. Element Young Creatives came together in a time that was undeniably challenging and painful and they charged through. They drew, they painted, they wrote, they chatted, they laughed. Their sometimes-frozen faces on online video platforms belied their always-fluid thinking and creating. They showed, loud and clear, why creativity and why connectivity is essential. Over to them.
Alex Sayers CEO, Element
FARAH: OUR ZINE MANIFESTO
Puffer jacket zipped, hood up, mask on. There’s this fear lurking in the air and going to the Sainsbury’s down the road has become a mission, one fraught with risk. My friends have mostly fled London and I find myself with one flatmate in uni halls. Lockdown is yet to be announced but we all see it looming, the streets are already emptier and I am already doubtful that a daily walk will ward off insanity. Stress and the irrational obsessive thought that I would die in my sleep - which truthfully haunted me for most of the lockdownkept me awake. A panic attack was a daily occurence. Needless to say I can think of better times.
I get out my oil paints while I’m eating my first meal of the day. Food doesn’t really taste all that great, I can’t really think or create, I look up pictures of water lilies. I find them calming to look at and I figure they’ll be easy to paint. I stare at my oil paint paper for a while and I feel that tightening in my chest and my throat, and before I know it I am training myself to breathe slow. I get an oil pastel to write, “The world is ending and all I can do is paint flowers”.
In retrospect that seems rather melodramatic, but being a 19 year old stuck in my shoe box uni room, having just barely pulled herself out of a depressive episode, I will cut the past-me some slack. I’d be lying if I said lockdown spurred on months of non-stop creativity, for much of the time I was too stressed and anxious to be present. I read, watched That’s So Raven, bleached my hair, baked and got baked. I only started to write again when I decided to journal to perhaps allow me to better understand my mental state of disarray. If there’s one thing lockdown made me realise it’s how out of touch I’d become. I felt like a plane that had been on autopilot for years and had finally landed, only to find out I had no idea where this plane was headed and why.
Flash forward to April I started taking medication. I had put this off beyond the point of reason: what if I was no longer creative, what if my abilities dissipated as my happiness grew? With medication came what felt like a new brain. My usual occasional emotional ejaculation of creativity became more methodical: what do I truly want to make and why? I started to make a habit of writing poetry to process my feelings and towards the end of lockdown I began a body positivity project encouraging people to embrace their body hair as art. I found solace talking to people about shared experiences and trying to unify these voices with mine. Alongside polaroid pictures, I wrote.
Creativity to me must be beneficial in some way. Art is the skill of creative articulation and transmutation - so whether I am merely working through my own inner conflicts or making explicitly political work, art is functional. Now more than
ever, I challenge you to convince me it’s not a necessity. Mental health services under the NHS are spread so incredibly thin: as such if you are a care leaver or merely someone who’s spent this lockdown alone and are reading this, you might agree that lockdown has felt a bit like trying to stay afloat in a tsunami. One thing I’ll tell you though is that lockdown (all of them) brought me one thing that I know to be true, amongst the sea of uncertainty and things which seemed to lose their meaning. The ability to be creative (one which I believe we all possess) is a buoyancy that can help keep you afloat and eventually steer you to new, better lands.
ASH: CONNECTING THROUGH CREATIVITY
There is creativity all around us: there is creativity within us; there are opportunities to be creative ; there are ways to check into our inner skills and idea: But of these many chances, we act on very little: little do we recognise or embrace ourselves as creative individuals. If we open our minds, if we allow our ideas and thoughts to flow, grow and develop, we can be limitless. We can grow in ways we could never have imagined. We must take a listen to sit with ourselves, with our thoughts and just let them whirl around our minds, imagine our minds as a snow globe, the flakes as pieces of our mind, let them flow, follow their journey, allow them to float, seemingly aimlessly but in fact with undiscovered purpose. Allow them to settle, recognise them, tune into them and embrace them.
To connect to yourself through creativity, you don’t have to be anything different to who you are now, present yourself as you are. The ‘art’ of creativity is to be open to your inner thoughts and ideas. They don’t have to make sense to others, it is about you, it’s about your ways of expression, it’s about you finding your inner artist, in whatever form your mind decides. As you read this, know my creative is different to your creative; that’s okay; I want you to discover yours.
In the pages ahead step out of your comfort zone, take a moment to step outside of your current headspace, the environment you are in, just try something different; you might feel something different, you might discover something new, and like it, or not like it, that’s okay… just give it a go; the possibilities within yourself are endless.
MOE: WHAT DOES CREATIVITY MEAN TO ME?
Creativity means to me releasing all my wild and wacky ideas onto a piece of paper and then deciding where I go from there, like making something from fabric or writing a poem or the emotional story of my life, my feelings and my experiences through my eyes of being a care leaver growing up in the system. My ideas on a piece of paper look like I’ve taken the alphabet and dozens of images and thrown it on to a piece blank white paper. I let the art choose me, I go with the flow and don’t really plan anything, I stop when I’m satisfied with my art work.
My way to process creativity is taking inspiration from my surroundings and it helps me create something new and original each time I’m in a creative mode. I am often in this creative mode, from a young age you could give me toilet rolls, boxes and tape and I would make something out of it.
I am most inspired by nature, or an event that’s happened or will be happening.
During lockdown I had a lot of creative breakthroughs from doing embroidery, making face masks, painting self body portraits for confidence boosting, to using an app to help me create how I want my flat to look as I’m a visual learner and having reference pictures help me. With all my art pieces, I have never consciously added an emotion to them: instead, they all just start from my mind and expand themselves.
I was inspired by tik tok for the body art as there was a lot of body shaming on there and people were turning negative comments into beautiful bits of art work and loving them selves and their bodies more. Personally I have no body confidence issues but I gave myself a challenge to paint a body image portrait just for some enjoyment.
ALSADEK:
WHAT DOES CONNECTION MEAN TO ME?
I JOINED WITH ELEMENT YOUNG PEOPLE BEFORE LOCKDOWN AND IT’S REALLY AMAZING, WE DRAW TOGETHER AND IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS YOU CAN SHARE AND ALSO SHARE ISSUES AND THE ELEMENT TEAM HELPS US AS WELL. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
ALL THE TIMES I ENGAGE WITH ELEMENT, IT REALLY HELPS ME AND I’LL NEVER FORGET THAT. BEFORE I JOINED I DIDN’T KNOW SOMETHING LIKE ELEMENT EXISTS AND I DIDN’T KNOW I WAS CREATIVE. ACTUALLY THE STAFF NEVER LET YOU FEEL BEHIND AND THEY HELP YOU A LOT. I REALLY ENJOY ELEMENT.
WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAME EVERYTHING CHANGED: WE WEREN’T ABLE TO MEET FAMILY OR FRIENDS AND IT WAS A HARD TIME, A HARD REALITY. DURING LOCKDOWN ACTIVE ONLINE SESSIONS WITH ELEMENT WERE AMAZING, BECAUSE WE HAD A GREAT TIME TOGETHER. YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE SESSIONS WERE HAVING SOME REAL CHALLENGES BUT THEY CAME TO ELEMENT SESSIONS AND THE TEAM WAS AMAZING. AND IT WAS NICE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GET ANSWERS, AND IF YOU HAVE IDEAS YOU COULD SHARE AT SESSIONS. SO IT WAS NOT GOOD BECAUSE OF NOT SEEING FAMILY AND FRIENDS BUT IT WAS MADE GOOD BECAUSE OF ELEMENT AND THE ART WE DID AND HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING WILL BE OK AGAIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PEACE.
CHYNA: WHY ARE CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION IMPORTANT?
Q.What is creativity for you?
Creativity is an artistry and can mean a lot of things: art and crafts, being in a group, making together. I think everyone can be creative; everyone should be creative. Creativity makes us human. Connecting through creativity also helps us to make friends.
Q.Is there anything that making art has taught you about yourself? That I love creativity.
Q.What do you like about it?
I like that when you create something there’s no right or wrong answer.
Q.How does it feel when you’re making art?
I feel happy because I feel like I know what I’m doing. It’s the one thing where there is no right or wrong. It’s fun to see what you come up with and being one with yourself. Making art is taking time out to reflect and be in your own zone.
Q. Is there anything that you’ve gained from being creative?
I’ve learnt that being creative helps you see things in a different way. It’s sort of taught me that everything is good, it’s all about what you think and believe.
Q. Is there anything that you’ve made in particular during Element that’s taught you to see things from a new perspective?
Self portraits! I know that to make a self-portrait you don’t just have to use what you’d expect. You can use different shapes, materials (maybe collage, paints, brushes, crayons)...art is very broad. You can learn a lot from it and gain confidence in yourself by learning what you do. Making art you learn how to be different, how to be you. When I made the butterfly origami during Element I was also really happy. I need to keep practicing and get more origami paper!
Q. What else have you enjoyed making recently?
I made a cake with my sister and mum for our relative’s birthday. We put cream on top with strawberries and apples. It was fun, we had a good time! I also made a book recently. I’m using it now to write down some notes. I went to Poundland and got a normal, lined school book, and wrote everything important which I needed to remember in
it. I’m going to decorate it later. I have to get some stickers and I ordered a rucksack which is big enough to fit the book inside. I now know how to travel on my own, I write down directions in the book.
Q. Do you find it helps you to understand things better when you write them down?
Yeah, it makes life a bit better. But the idea is to remember what I write down for myself so I don’t have to go back into the book and look at it. I want to be able to remember when appointments are, or which buses I need to take.
Q.What helps you to learn new things?
I remember things mostly by actually doing them myself.
Q.Are there any creative things which you also want to practice this year?
I definitely want to buy myself some more art materials. I want to teach myself how to draw, go on TikTok and try out some videos.
Q.How does art help you connect to other people?
Everyone’s art is different, people have different imaginations and it’s interesting to find out what they are and maybe learn something from them.
Q.Is there anyone you’ve learned from in particular this year? People you know or famous?
I don’t remember many artist names but I like pieces of work which you don’t see as often.
Q.Anything else you want to include?
I just want to say thanks for interviewing me. I hope this year is better than last year and I hope everyone keeps on being as creative and arty as they can!
RIM: HOW DO I CREATE?
For me, creativity is about combination. It is the ability to bring together information, inspiration, knowledge and insight. These can allow us to express our thoughts and feelings in different ways.
I believe that creativity could be anything that you want to make or create to show your hobbies or what you are keen on. For example, during lockdown, I used to bake, draw and paint. Doing these activities during a crazy time helps me to be relaxed and satisfied. I have baked three birthday cakes (all different flavours), and a lemon and orange cheesecake. Sharing these recipes with the Element network was a fun way to extend my own creativity.
Creativity is important because it keeps us interested in ourselves and others.
My creative process requires thinking and producing, as well as passion and commitment. The first thing that I often do before I start making things is to concentrate on my theme and thinking of how I can make it unique and interesting. Once I have figured out that I begin performing it. I have tried many different art-forms through Element: like painting, printing, sketching, and writing. I am currently doing my Art GCSE and I’m interested in using my creativity in my career.
Finally, I like to keep on improving and keep on learning. I focus on my strengths, which helps me to understand what part of my process may push me up. I then make time to practice in areas I feel less confident in. Making art can teach you that it is possible to create something from nothing. For example, I needed to do an assignment for school, to draw a still-life. I did not know where to start. But I found a beautiful plant, I sketched the outline, then I slowly added watercolour. I am proud of the final piece. It is full of colour and life.
CHLOE:
How making art has helped me connect with myself and my wellbeing:
I think art is such an expressive tool, whether it’s through music, dance, writing, performing … It’s something everyone can be involved with and do. Personally for me poetry is a creative tool I use to express my feelings and emotions. It is a way that I can get my voice heard and get points I make out there. Art helps you connect with your wellbeing because it relieves stress, promotes creativity and imagination which is good for mental health, it also allows people to come together and be part of a collective group. In times like COVID where the whole world is socially isolated I think Art is a great way to socialise and bring a sense of togetherness back. What I love about Art is that it can be so individual or it can be done in a team, and it brings a sense of positivity when it is needed most.
This poem I wrote about mental health and awareness. It means a lot because it’s a topic close to my heart.
MAKING, FEELING
Mental health is just as real and prominent as physical health, it’s invisible but it effects are raw and powerful.
Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Psychosis they can affect people at any age and any time in their lives and can take years to process and recover from
It needs to be taken more seriously, people need to take notice of signs of difference and show interest in those they love especially if they don’t get to see them that much,
Don’t expect people to always tell you how they feel because sometimes the stress of burden and attention is too surreal
Reach out, send a message, go visit, have a phone call, invite for dinner, be a Listener.
HUSNA:
Creativity is about expressing yourself through different works. It is important because people should be able to express without judgement. Social connection makes it possible to relate to other people, to become more open-minded, and to become more comfortable connecting with a wider group. It’s important to connect through creativity because a lot of young people and adults need to express themselves in this way, and find out what it is that they enjoy.
As I stared into the sea I thought of The blueish water that was your inner soul so vibrant
The waves showed off your different type of mood fluctuations
The same waves that stopped one Hitting the enchanted land
The clouds represent your brain
Moving slow and then fast
The repetition was in motion
The pebbles beneath your feet Glimmered
At the temperature of your feet
Like one of those mood rings you’d find in Camden Purple shades
Oh how it knew your favourite colour Was purple
The roads by the sea were quiet
Like how your mind is when you lose a thought
All you could hear was the sea
Singing to you
The notes were in tune to your heart
The sun sets with your energy As you refuel yourself
The magic shines right out of you like The moon even in the darkest of skies
The stars surround you
A protection like no other
You outglow those same stars
Even thorough they were bright
No fear in sight
You could see the world when looking Into your eyes
Shades of blue and green Or a reflection of a mirror What do you see?
She knows a lot more than you think Her energy soaks up all your energy While she figures you out But you’ll never know this
Her hands are powerful After all she does do magic with them The spells and words of wisdom seep Out of her into her surroundings.
SALSA:
Art for me is both a love and hate interest. I love creating amazing pieces of work but I also hate when it doesn’t go the way I want and I throw it away , I get so frustrated by the fact that I might not know what to create, or that my ideas seem rubbish to even dwell on. But I think what helps is having someone else’s perspective, especially when you doubt yourself.
I usually use art as a distraction because I struggle with my mental health daily and having art gives me something to do- something I don’t take for granted. I love creating art and experimenting with different materials. The most interesting medium I’ve used was lino, which was a long process. I remember using it to make prints from different paints. I also love using clay even though it’s really hard and cold. To model clay you use your fingers and hands and as you start to mold it becomes easier and the clay a lot warmer. You can mold clay into distinct shapes. If I’m making a large sculpture I like to use clay and then paint it my desired colours to add definition and excitement to the piece. I also like using modelling clay to create smaller pieces of art such as roses, mushrooms and cats.
The medium that I use the most is pencil because I absolutely love to draw. I remember I once had a period where I created trippy/ psychedelic art and that was really fun because I made lots of new patterns. I also enjoy painting because it’s really calming. Sometimes I can struggle with concentrating so hard on trying to get it ‘right’ instead of letting go. I get inspired by other people and nature and photos on the internet a lot of the time. It’s amazing to see the things people come up with. I sometimes copy what other artists create but add my own spin to it.
I enjoy painting, I like to paint landscapes. I like to visit parks and capture photos of trees.
Recently, I’ve been doing paint by numbers as I love the finished product. I still struggle with being patient with myself and the artwork but this is something I’m working on!
MY CREATIVE PROCESS
who were attending for the materials. If they had anything in common, it was that they were different: from one another; from us; from everyone else. Brilliantly, proudly, their own person.
we see if there’s interest in particular artform(s) and make sure the project incorporates these, bringing along guest artists to lead specialist sessions and develop particular skills in the group. We used
Even though we’ve been running Element for a few years now, there are many experiences we will never have had ourselves. For example, I’ve never been
one of us as individuals. The following section will show you various examples of creative collaboration in action - and just how exciting it can be.
BEN: MY EXPERIENCE AS A YOUTH CHAMPION
Element provides more than just art projects, it’s showing people how to express themselves through a multitude of mediums. It’s imbuing confidence in young people and helping them be proud of their work with tangible results. As someone who used to attend Element sessions as a young person, I experienced these benefits first hand, strengthening my self-esteem. When I was a participant on an Element project a few years ago, I really enjoyed making the lampshade - I decided to paint underwater scenes on it, because I find it fascinating how little we know about aquatic life. We know more about the surface of the moon than the depths of the ocean! When they told me they had an opportunity for me to help more people like myself, I was over the moon!
They ran a few of us through some fundamentals and showed us how their session plans worked. During the first week of working, I provided some support and helped with set up and introductions, but I was still nervous about if I was doing well or not. Maeve, who was running the project with me, would listen to my worries and we would meet before the sessions to discuss who would run which activities. I started taking on more responsibilities in the project and even planned and orchestrated my own workshop with a full plan and homemade art supplies. We created clay flowers using instructions I had made, clay I had created,
and icebreakers and activities I had planned — this made me feel more capable than ever. I really love teaching other people, sparking their interest and making learning opportunities. Since cofacilitating projects with Element, I’ve also supported my peers at college to understand some complex mathematics. Recently, I’ve decided to make educational tik-toks about playing the piano!
At the end we helped the young people present their work in a large room, showing off their amazing creations to friends, family and professionals in the service. We had some truly beautiful readings of poetry and stories. Being a part of this project and seeing the work the young people produced felt out of this world.
I felt like how a teacher feels when people are doing well, although it’s not quite the same dynamic. Essentially, I felt happy when the participants were happy. Maeve and I created a space where participants could explore their own creativity and go at their own pace. Art doesn’t have to be complicated: sometimes, the simplest things can make the most interesting art. Art can bring positivity, and that’s important in this world: obviously there’s always a balance, but positivity brings good things.
Even now during the Covid-19 pandemic, Element continues to run activities and challenges
over the interweb to keep people engaged and I really appreciate this. I have been both participant and facilitator with Element: I enjoy both roles. In different ways, they have made me feel more capable in myself. I’m what they call a “shy-loud”: I can be anxious in my own head and on my own; then when I meet other people - and can make art in a group or teach a group - I become quite different. It’s nice having a space where that can happen.
ÁINE: USING MY CREATIVITY TO SUPPORT OTHERS
Creativity means that you get the chance to show who you are in many different ways getting creative in art and poetry is my best way to really show who I am as I can’t show in emotions so I do art and poetry my art is based on how i feel in life and about myself and my poetry is based on my emotions in my past and the things that have happened to me.
Connection to me means family connecting with friends and connecting with my work and my art. Sharing this with other people can be really interesting, it makes you have new ideas and thoughts. I think connection is an important thing in life because if you don’t have connection you don’t have a community or reality connection is what keeps people going in life it first starts when your born the first connection with you mum or dad or adoptive parents mine was with my mum and i am blessed for that to have a connection with her to this day after being away from her for 13+ years.
My creative process is: work hard, concentrate, practice. Be kind to myself when you get things wrong. Listen to music, find quiet spaces, make art with people you like and where you feel safe.
During lockdown, I kept up my creativity because it was important for me to stay positive. I worked towards and received my Bronze Arts Award qualification. I’ve also done some art DIY bits at home, including painting my table with black, sparkly paint. Sometimes life is dark, but you should always try to find that sparkle! I have also done some drawings and paintings, which you’ll see in this zine. Finally, I participated in a photoshoot for an organisation where I have been consulting on their programme design and delivery.
I’ve also started my journey as an Element Youth Champion, working with Element to get to know how they design their sessions and how they approach their work. It’s been amazing so far - I am having a wonderful time and want to do more in the future. Working behind the scenes with Element has shown how comfortable I am with learning new things, even though at the beginning I didn’t want to go and mesh with other people...I wouldn’t change the last 3-4 years with Element for anything: it’s been a big eye opener and a chance for personal and creative growth.
ANGEL: ATMOSPHERE
I feel calm when the salty air of the midnight breeze brushes against my cheek
The cold is the conversation, so we don’t need to speak
These hands have crushed the hottest of coals and the coldest of ice.
These hands have held onto hope for most of their life. They have created and destroyed and tried to fill voids. These hands have.
However, …
I can teach you about the system and why a small child might go missing.
I can teach you wonderful things, things you can’t learn anywhere else
The language of love, which is my mother tongue
Let us speak in a safe space, sharing beauty to a bass
Or fill the air with gossip sharing stories of disgrace
You have the right to pick your atmosphere, the time, the day and place
Mine is by the cold beach, where you can’t breathe, it feels like space.
It is I Angel Beddelem
CONOR: PARADISE LOST
PARADISE CAN BE FOUND IN MANY A PLACE
IT CAN BE HEARD IN THE SCREAM OF A BABY STARTING TO MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THE WORLD OR IN THE QUIET WISDOM OF AN OLD MAN MAKING HIS PEACE IT CAN BE FELT IN THE COOLING OF YOUR BLOOD AFTER A LONG FIGHT OR IN THE GENTLE KISS OF AN OCEAN’S BREEZE AT DAWN IT CAN BE SEEN IN THE COLOURS OF A NEW DAY’S BIRTH OR IN THE UNIMAGINABLE DEPTHS OF SPACE WITH THE COSMOS’ ENDLESS CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH IT CAN BE TASTED IN THE LAST MEAL OF A STARVING MAN OR IN THE FIRST MEAL OF A CHILD
IT CAN BE SMELT IN THE DEATH OF A ROARING FIRE OR IN THAT SCENT THAT REMINDS YOU OF HOME
I THINK YOU CAN SPEND A LIFETIME LOOKING FOR PARADISE AND ONLY REALISE THAT YOU HAD IT THE WHOLE TIME AT THE END OF YOUR STORY PARADISE CAN BE EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE AT ALL THE CHOICE IS REALLY DOWN TO YOU
SIDIG AND GABI: INTERVIEW BY AN ELEMENT YOUNG
CREATIVE OF AN ELEMENT
GUEST ARTIST
Alex: I really love Gabi’s illustration and animation style. For me, it feels incredibly sensitive to human emotion and the human experience: she observes with real empathy and you can see that from her work. We realised from talking with Element participants that there was a real interest in animation. It was not an art-form we had originally incorporated into Element’s programme design, but after gathering interest we invited Gabi to run a guest artist session on stop-motion animation. Working with artists and working collaboratively are two of our core values at Element. Something that I personally really value in being part of a nimble, responsive team is that we are able to listen to participant feedback and implement additions to our projects. We are also proudly realistic about our own skillset: if we want to change/add/freshen a session in a way that requires specialist or external skills, we see this as an exciting opportunity to learn as a core staff team, to widen our creative and collaborative networks, and to enrich the Element experience. It was with real delight, then, that we reached out to Gabi and invited her to lead specialist Element sessions.
As you will read, the impact Gabi’s work has had on Element participants has been so encouraging to see: multiple alumni in the Element network mention Gabi and her work as creative inspirations. We think it’s so important to disrupt the notion that practicing, successful artists are names you see printed above austere doors, or faces you see behind a screen: they can be active parts of creative youth communities. This kind of creative access is needed, and truly exciting when it happens! Read on to hear Sidig’s experience of working with the wonderful Gabi!
Sidig: I met Gabi when she came to the Element project I was on. She taught us about illustration and animation. This was in 2018. Then during lockdown, I did my Bronze Arts Award with Element. One part, you have to find a creative inspiration. I chose Gabi. Gabi inspires me because she is a good illustrator, and she does this for a living. I did not know this was possible. She makes films and video with sound. I like the stories that Gabi tells. They are funny stories. One of her art pieces shows different seasons, and I really like the colours that she uses: a lot of pinks, whites, and greens. For my Arts Award I interviewed Gabi. This is what she said:
Where are you from?
I am from North London, but my heritage is that my mum is from Malta and I’m super proud because I have two passports.
When did you start animation?
I started animation in 2014, but I already came from a design background, it was when I was at a company doing illustration that they asked me if I could make my drawings move, and I pretended that I could, and then had to learn pretty quickly all by myself! Then I realised I loved learning about animation.
How did you learn animation?
I self-taught mostly from watching YouTube tutorials. There is a guy I like called Alex Grigg, who does a 2-hour long video. After that I was recommended a book called The Animator’s Survival Kit, by someone who used to work for Disney, and he has broken down skills from animation. So that was all selfteaching, and then after about 2 years I decided to apply for a course, so I went to study a Masters in Animation at the Royal College of Art in London.
I like the colours that you use. Why do you use these colours?
I think loads about colour! I like to imagine that everything is a screen print, so I might use maximum five colours, sometimes three. I will have two very light colours, like a very light yellow and light pink, and then I think about where the sun is coming from and make sure everything has its light tones where the light source would hit it. And then I think about shadows, and picking a complementary colour for the light colours, like a dark blue next to a yellow.
I want to learn about animation. How can I start to make videos?
You should definitely look up Alex Grigg on YouTube, and Richard Williams. There is some free software available through Photoshop - called Anim Dessin. This allows you to “onion skin”, where you can see the drawing you have just done. You can also do this with paper and a lightbox, if you want to get crafty at home! “Stop Motion Studio” is a useful app, it’s great for practicing timing and pacing. It’s also useful to watch loads of animation too, and find out what kind of styles you like personally!
What is your favourite piece that you have made? Why?
I just made a film for my Masters course, which is called “Solo”, and it’s a four minute film all based on sketchbook drawings of Barcelona, which is where I used to live. I really liked it because I wanted to see animation as a way of documenting a moment. Animation is really slow, so I was thinking about the time you take to animate something, and also the time it takes for life to pass by. It is all set in one square, and I tried to document 30 years of history into 4 minutes. So I had lots of historical events flashing on the screen, and then some slow moments too. I was thinking a lot about time. It was an indulgent project! I had a long time to do it, and I really got into it!
Who do you do animation for, what companies?
I do animation, at the moment for different companies. I have a client which is The School of LIfe, and they do modern philosophy. I am doing some work for the BBC and the World Health Organisation, and I have started to do more Science animation, which I find really interesting. There is a space in the Science world to visualise concepts that can’t be photographed, especially thinking about illnesses.
FARAH: QUEERS FOR MIGRANTS
I heard about Queers for Migrants through my friend Jade who is currently studying History and Politics in Manchester. She fed back our questions to the group, and so the answers you see here are from the group as a collective. Queers for Migrants are passionate about how creativity can be used to bring about change. We thought it would be interesting to talk with an activist organisation about their own creativity … so here it is! - Farah
Farah: Can you tell us a bit about Queer Support for Migrants?
QfM: Queer Support for Migrants takes inspiration from the politics of solidarity enacted by the original Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, a 1980s group of queers based in London who organised to support the striking miners of Wales. Queer Support for Migrants North, a group that includes queer migrants, unites a tradition of queer solidarity with the organising networks and political circumstances particular to the North of England.
Farah: Could you share with us an example of one of your creative campaigns?
QfM: We’re a new group established during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have hosted a demonstration outside of the ‘short term holding facility’ at Manchester Airport, where migrants are detained for a short period before being moved to longer term holding facilities.
We are currently developing a very nascent campaign around building stronger coalitional links between our work, migrant organising and housing activism in the North in the hope that we can situate anti-racist, anti-imperialist migrant solidarity politics at the heart of organisations like tenants’ unions.
Farah: How does creativity link and help in your activism work?
QfM: Creativity in activism can take many forms. The more obvious ones, like eye-catching graphics, catchy chants, ‘flash mob’ style performances, publicity stunts, etc, are not things we have yet used, although we admire the archetypically ‘queer’ performance element that groups like LGSMigrants take, and groups like the Gay Liberation Front of the ‘70s and Rebel Dykes of the ‘80s took. These are often tactics: ways of stamping your group’s name on the ground and reminding the world you exist, bringing ever larger numbers to you.
There are also creative approaches to activist strategy -
a longer reaching but less immediately discernible thing - and we hope that, through thinking about how to organise sustainably through the pandemic and how to build solidarity, we are able to develop these. We admire the creativity of the strategists of groups such as ACT UP, Chilean feminists, Black Lives Matter; strategists of groups like the Black Panther Party, Sisters Uncut, trade unions; the creativity required to create long-lasting grassroots campaigns that activate and transform people beyond our expected social horizons.
Farah: How does it / can it function as a tool to create public engagement with your campaigns?
QfM: Sometimes a campaign or activist group has a visual stamp or tactic so clear, so distinctive, so eye-catching or ear-bugging that you share it - it goes viral - and awareness is raised. Perhaps consciousness is changed, grown, awoken. Sometimes it spreads - like a virus unconcerned by local factors, powerful, altering. This can grow the power of that thing that bugs the system. It can even make the pathological ecosystem sick in a new way; a way that might be its toppling. Then another form of campaign might be like a tree. It is local. It stands for a long time. It has unseeable roots, often as deep as it is tall, wide and proudly out. Other trees might coexist with it and it might grow elsewhere if well cultivated, but it is deeply specific. It might have its own bugs that it brings to wider ecosystems and it too might suffer from bugs. But, more than anything, if cared for properly, it will be rooted longer, deeper and stronger.
Farah: Does this organisation encourage a sense of community (or communities?) and if so how?
QfM: As a queer organisation we have an understanding of marginalisation so wish to use our voices to fight back and support those who are being oppressed today. Though due to the pandemic we have not been able to create a static community, we still have been able to reach those facing violence. For example we heard that migrants/refugees who were being detained at Manchester short-term holding facility actually heard us protesting outside and really appreciated to hear people were supporting them. Though it was only a small act/small reward I think it shows the positive impacts we are making and we hope if we continue we can create bigger solidarity links.
Finally - where can we find out more / any handles you’d like to plug in the zine? Yeah absolutely! You can find us on facebook, instagram and twitter.
Facebook: @QueerSupportForMigrants
Twitter: @QSMnorth
Instagram: @QSMnorth Let us know if you’d like to join!
TOM: WORKING WITH ELEMENT
The Element young creatives teach me something new at every workshop. Sometimes I worry that my own creative practice can become a bit stale, but I know that when I hand the camera over to the Element guys they will always find a way to freshen it up. Maybe it’s because they’ve grown up with smartphone cameras in their pockets, but they seem to have this effortless visual literacy – they just know how to communicate with images.
I think art is at its most rewarding when it works at one of two extremes: it can either reach out to you with the comfort of the familiar, or it can do something you never could have imagined. It’s this second kind of satisfaction I get from working with Element photographers: they use angles, reflections, and textures to find possibilities and perspectives that would escape less imaginative eyes. We get back in from a session of street photography and I’m always astonished at what they’ve found out there. Their creativity is fundamentally humane and endlessly optimistic: it’s about looking out for moments worth capturing, little stories worth sharing. You can send an Element creative into the bleakest of landscapes and they will always find someone to bring in from the cold.
The second thing I take away from these workshops is a smile. The young creatives always make me think, and they always make me laugh. They are some of the most thoughtful, funny, and welcoming people you could hope to meet – well, once they’ve forgiven me for being a Chelsea fan.* Some Element creatives have had a hard start in life, but they would never let tough times define who they are. They’re far too generous spirited and big-hearted for that. Some of these guys have exceptional creative talent, but more importantly they’re just really good people. They listen to each other’s ideas and respect each other’s work. This is the Element ‘special sauce’, the quality that all Element creatives just get.
In that sense, the most valuable lesson they have taught me is a silent one: everyone arrives at Element with different tastes, talents, and sometimes traumas too, but once you’re here all that matters is what’s ahead, to be sought out with an open mind, open ears, and open eyes.
*I
HAVE LEARNED THROUGH ELEMENT THAT, ACROSS ALL CULTURES, A HATRED OF CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.
OLIVIA: MAKING TIME FOR COLLECTIVE CREATIVITY
Maeve(M): Can you tell us a bit about how you’ve kept creative during COVID?
Olivia: Doing Element on Fridays has helped me to keep creative. Also, I’ve been making these drawings. I don’t know what to call them.
(M): I’ve called them scribble drawings in the past but I don’t think they have an actual name! How did you get into doing that?
Olivia: I think we did it in an Element group one day and then I really liked it. I started colouring in a few of the spaces and I just couldn’t stop, I didn’t want to stop! Even after the group finished I was there for ages. I got the kids dinner, settled them, and then went back to colouring in. I think it was 6.30pm by the time I finished it. The drawing was really therapeutic, trying not to go outside the lines.
(M): Did you mean to choose those kinds of colours or were they the ones you had?
Olivia: Yeah they were the ones that I had, but I didn’t have a plan for them. I just put colours in random places.
(M):The initial shape, how quickly did you make that?
Olivia: Like 5 seconds! All over the page.
(M): It looks so neat. Do you think you’ll do some more of these drawings?
Olivia: Yeah, I’ll find the time. I set up an art station at home recently with a desk organiser, different papers, pens, crayons, pencils...It’ll be nice to just sit down and do more art with those.
(M) How does it feel doing art with your kids?
Olivia: It’s nice, it’s stressful! I can’t sit down. They’re always asking me for something but it’s funny, I’ve realised that my youngest daughter can draw people. She started with the bodies, legs, faces… I didn’t realise she could do that. One day she just did it and it was so small. She drew the face, hair, everything! I kept thinking where did she learn that and then thought she must be watching us, me and my other daughter, as we draw. She can also draw a perfect circle!
(M): Not even I can do that! How old is she again?
Olivia: She’s three.
(M): That’s amazing! And do you find there are differences in how it feels making art on your own, making art with your kids and making art in Element?
Olivia: Making art by myself is hard because I’m like, ‘what do I do?’, I’m short on inspiration. When I’m with the kids I’m like, ‘yeah, let’s draw a cat...dog… some rainbows’. They’re not good (laughs) but we’re not short on things that we can do with pens and paints. With people in Element, it’s different in the sense that it’s quite hard. It’s a challenge for me, but a good one, to push myself and do something. At the beginning, when I joined drop-ins, I didn’t draw. I thought my drawings were awful!
(M): Everyone teases each other (laughs)
Olivia: Yeah everyone kept saying, ‘look at how small your drawings are etc’ (laughs). Drawing with other people actually helps me to be more creative. Do you know what I mean?
(M): Yeah definitely! The next question I was going to ask is do you think there’s a relationship between creativity and connecting with other people?
Olivia: Yeah, I find it quite hard to be creative by myself.
(M): Has being creative given you any new ways of connecting with people? Maybe not just during COVID-19, but before when we could meet in person?
Olivia: When I did the group with Element a few years ago that was a chance to meet new people. Obviously, as a parent I don’t meet many people (laughs). It’s hard to keep up with friends so it was good to have some time away from my kids.
(M): Are there creative activities that you’d like to keep doing going forward or new things that you would like to try with other people?
Olivia: You know what I’d actually like to go to a poetry class. I think I did one once, I was terrible at it.
(M): I was going to ask you about your poetry, you’re definitely not terrible at it!
Olivia: ‘I want to wake up on my own at 8am to a quiet house…’, that one! I also want to do a painting class. I like splatter painting. I’d like to do a painting class just to be in another space and not have to provide the materials. I don’t know if it’s a real thing, but I like the idea of throwing darts at balloons that are filled with paint to explode them all over canvas!
CULTURE CLUB AND BASHIIE: BRINGING CULTURE TO CREATIVITY
Element’s ‘Culture Club’ started in the first UK lockdown in spring 2020. Sessions followed the format of one online cultural piece being shared with the network each Friday. We then came together, on a video call, the following week to discuss the piece. We watched anime films; streamed live theatre; listened to history podcasts; had virtual tours of world-famous galleries and more. The sessions themselves were a mix of sharing thoughts and opinions, sketching emotional responses to creative work, and identifying themes and messages.
After a few months, and with recommendations from both the team and from Element Young Creatives, we went on to change the focus of Culture Club. Recommendations came to specifically focus on unheard or sidelined stories. We discussed videos, books and visual art by creatives from a wider range of backgrounds.
We also invited facilitator and theatre producer Bashiie Baptiste to run two sessions for our group. From Bashiie’s work with Sour Lemons and Care to Culture, we knew that she was a strong advocate for nurturing a diversity of ways that young people can use to express themselves. The sessions were a resounding success and we look forward to having Bashiie, and other guest artists, collaborating with us again soon!
I asked Bashiie about her collaboration with Element and her own creative process. Here’s her pearls of wisdom!
Maeve: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your creative background?
Bashiie: I am a writer, producer, facilitator and experimenter. I’ve focused a lot of my art around trauma, anger and outcomes, meaning that I like to use my art to relate to others,question life and maybe even find answers in the past.
Maeve: You collaborated with Element on the first stage of their Culture Club 2.0. Could you tell us about this collaboration and your key role in designing and facilitating the sessions?
Bashiie: Culture Club is amazing! It’s all about celebrating different art and culture, from regions or communities that are close to the participants. I loved the idea when Element came to me about it!! We used the session to learn a little bit about Grenada and I took the opportunity to delve deeper into the origins of Calypso and Soca music, using poetry, life experiences and a bit of audio-visual stimuli! Together we created the beginnings of our very own Soca Songs, and they were awesome!
Maeve: How would you describe the experience of facilitating a group of Element Young Creatives (as opposed to, say, older adults or other types of groups you’ve worked with)?
Bashiie: The young creatives at Element have so many more opinions and contributions! It’s a facilitators dream! There is never a question left unanswered and the young creatives are always warmed up and work so well together, and the staff are so supportive and open to all questions. With most groups it takes a while for the dynamic to begin working and everyone to feel comfortable, but everyone at Element makes you feel like you’re at a picnic!
Maeve: Do you think connecting through creativity - and connecting through cultures - is important? If so, why?
Bashiie: Of course! It’s like R.E at school, it’s supposed to be there to help you understand each other as other humans in the world, not as reflections of ourselves. The way the world works is “we are all one race” but it deflects or pivots from the idea that we’re different because “Difference is strange”. Creativity and Culture allows you to take part in traditions and new work, it allows you to see how the world is changing and how different people deal with change, it’s necessary for growth if we really want to understand each other
Maeve: Finally, where can we hear and see more about your work in arts and advocacy?
Bashiie: Follow @caretoculture on Instagram! We will be officially launching soon so stay tuned…
QUICK, SIMPLE WAYS TO ACCESS YOUR CREATIVITY
During the most restricted times of COVID-19, when we were unable to meet in person and collectively make use of Element’s massive store cupboard of materials, the team instead sent out simple arts resources to Element Young Creatives, and set daily creative challenges that could be done individually and with minimal materials. The results sparked discussions, sharing, and hilarity in our groups and on our virtual sessions; but they also had a really positive effect on an individual level. They enabled participants to get curious about what kinds of colours they were using, what style they enjoyed developing, what themes they seemed to return to again and again.
Sometimes the challenges were silly; sometimes serious. Always, their very existence requested that participants took a little time out of their day, every day, to take their imagination for a spin and engage their minds in a spot of creativity. At Element, we think that connecting to yourself through these simple acts of creativity can energise and enliven your spirits - and bring some really interesting pieces of art into being.
When we’re not living in a time where social contact is restricted, these challenges can easily be done in pairs and groups: in creative sessions, during breaks from something else entirely, at parties … If you can, test out how these challenges feel doing solo, and then doing with friends / family / peers / colleagues / other human beings. See if they bring you different things, provide different reflections, address different needs.
There’s only two rules for the following challenges: don’t overthink, and have fun!
Choose a “creative prompt”, then choose an “art form”. This can be random or deliberate - however you’d like to create!
PSSSST …
There are plenty more where these came from on Element’s social media - search for the #CreateDaily hashtags. And we’re not the only ones! The Royal Academy have been doing some epic challenges, and 64 Million Artists have guest artists setting theirs … check them out!
CREATIVE PROMPTS
What image comes to your mind when you read the word “ALIEN”?
What is “home” to you?
What patterns make up your everyday life?
Let’s go to the movies: thinking over the characters you’ve seen in films, which one do you relate to the most?
Sit or stand in front of the mirror. How would you make your face into a piece of art?
ART FORMS
Speed sketch: set yourself a timer for 10/30/60 seconds. Sketch your response in this time!
One line sketch: do not take your pen/ pencil off the page as you draw
Eyes closed sketch: think of your response as an image in your mind. Close your eyes. Draw without looking
Pick an object that you associate with your response.
Take a photo of your response. This could be realistic (the actual thing) or abstract (the feeling it elicits in you)
Free-write: set yourself a timer for one/two/five/ten minutes. Start writing. Don’t stop - even if you reach a block, write that down (“I don’t have anything else to say - this is weird”) - just keep going for the entire time.
Find yourself some old newspapers, magazines, card, leaflets .... Look through them. Cut out images that speak to you / help you with your response to your creative prompt. Arrange these images into a collage, mood-board, or vision-board.
Take a picture of your response. Zoom in. Play with the light, detail, focus.
Imagine you’re an interior designer. You walk into a space with white walls, white floor, white ceiling. You decide to turn it into the funkiest, most colourful space you can think of. What wallpaper will you design?
Imagine things from your life in radical close-up. What would they look like? Would you - or other people - be able to identify them?
Breathe new life into old objects around your space. What could these objects be if they were part of a piece of art?
What’s something that you really love? Create an ode to this thing.
What can you make from one single piece of paper, and nothing else? There is creativity in constriction!
Take one colour and a blank page. Think about the creative prompt. Start a pattern, and see where it gets you after a couple of minutes. Come back to this in your breaks. Add. Change. Develop.
Use texture and taste - through baking or cooking - to explore your emotional response to the creative prompt.
Create a soundtrack or playlist or cut together snippets of audio or song ! you can do this just by stopping and starting and recording different snippets or using software such as audacity.
Black out poetry ! get a piece of writing relevant or irrelevant and see if by blacking out words you can create a poem!
Re-work/ incorporate an old piece of clothing or fabric into your artistic response
Doodle / squiggle art: start with one pen on a single piece of paper. Begin drawing a shape. Don’t think too much about it; see where it takes you. Now, find shape, pattern, and symbols within this doodle / squiggle. This might be through adding colour, lines, texture … Expand.
Close observation. Pick an object that represents your response. Focus on its outline. Draw the outline. See what happens next.
Nature’s stamp: go for a walk in a green space. Choose your materials from what you see around you: wood, petals, grass, stones … Bring it back to your creative space and arrange in a way that makes sense to you.
What sounds make you happy?
What values are important to you in life? How might you visualise these through art?
What’s your artistic style? Where does your mind go when you have a “blank canvas” (either physical or metaphorical)?
What’s your favourite colour? What things do you associate with that colour?
Look out of your window. Can you find a beautiful detail in nature, and represent it somehow?
“A dream feast”. What images does this conjure up for you?
What message do you have for the world? This challenge is inspired by the kindness, courage and creativity of everyone in the Element community which brings us hope for the future. What brings you hope?
HAMAD:
In the general sense, Element means a group, part or thing. But in the Element network, it is about an association which helps people to put into practice their talents in the field of art. The Element project is also about expressing your thoughts in the forms of images. I am very happy to have taken part in Element, because I got acquainted with a lot of people, and I also developed my drawing. Learning new things is a path to success, and now I feel on it.
OH MUM I MISS YOU OH MUM I DON’T FORGET AGAIN YOU NEVER SLEPT BEFORE ME YOU NEVER ATE BEFORE ME I SEE AGAIN THE SMILE ON YOUR FACE TAKE OF MY HEART DO NOT BE SICK TAKE OF MY REST DO NOT BE TIRED YOU ONLY TAUGHT ME TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU I MISS YOU!
OH MA MERE TU ME MANQUE
JE N’AI PAS ENCORE OUBLIE
TU N’AS JAMAIS MANGE AVANT MOI
TU N’AS JAMAIS DORMI AVANT MOI
JE VOIS ENCORE LE SOURIRE SUR TON VISAGE PRENDS DE MON SANTE, NE SOIT PAS MALADE PRENDS DE MON REPOS, NE SOIT PAS FATIGUE
TU M’AS TOUT APPRE APART VIVRE SANS TOI TE ME MANQUE!
KI IYA KI
SA GURE KANA MAYGO
KANA EMELO
EYNA AYRE ARE NEGO
EYORA AYRE ARE SENO
IMERA IGU KAMI IDERAKINO
AFI EGIKINE TEBI MARI NEGUNEGO
DOU NEGUNEMO LAH EGUTINETEBI
TI SOKO ADAYMI BANA NORE CLOUN DOU MESI
IYA SAGURE JANA NAYGO!
JORD-ANN: CONNECTING TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU
Connecting through creativity has an important impact on social capital. It allows us to explore cultural values, offering new perspectives and adding to our understanding of the arts and its impact on us and others. Through Culture Club we have been able to use creative expression to start conversations about real world issues such as racism and oppression, exploring and educating one another, whilst using the arts as the grounding for these important conversations to take place. We are able to connect internally and externally through society and culture with guest artists coming in to deliver sessions alongside sharing their work, skills and experiences. Exploring different worlds and social issues through group discussions sparks the opportunity to challenge the one-dimensional aspect of Art in British society. It encourages us to share different cultural views, identities, heritage and values, acknowledging and respecting the meaning for each individual.
During Culture Club we have been able to creatively explore different countries and cultures within the group and around the world through the support of our groups and guest facilitators. By focusing on the different cultures in the room and the positive things we embrace from them, everyone is able to appreciate not only their own cultures but other peoples traditions, qualities and strengths.
We have a lot of exciting plans in the works for Culture Club this year and the near future. We are looking forward to exploring more cultures, having those ‘awkward’ conversations to highlight the reality of those who might not be heard. Culture Club has created a place to celebrate each individual and where they come from. By doing this we can continue to educate one another and grow together. Culture Club has definitely inspired me to learn more about my culture alongside other cultures to help me view life from a different perspective and establish new ways of thinking and solving problems.
ABDI: REFLECTIONS ON TEACHING AN ARTS SKILL TO OTHERS
I completed my Element project in early 2020. I experimented with lots of different art forms. I liked photography, drawing and origami, but the one I liked the most was exploring Abstract art through paint. It was fun because Abstract art doesn’t have to have shape or form, and you can do all kinds of things with it. I like all the different colours I made on one bit of paper. I found out about Jackson Pollock and he inspired me because he does the kind of art that I like. I think his work looks pretty cool. My technique for my own splatter art developed over time. I used to use a table to lean on; then I started using the floor, and crouching over my paper or canvas as I was making the paint splats. This was a fun way to make art, and something I hadn’t tried before.
During my Element showcase, I taught a group of people how to do my splatter art. I chose this because I wanted to teach something that I enjoyed myself. It was interesting to teach people that I knew like the Element team and my carer, but also people I didn’t know, like audience members who just came to see the Element work. I liked teaching them things that I had just learned myself, and then telling them things they might not know, like my technique for creating the art. When everyone tried their own splatter art, it was on one large piece of paper on the floor. There was a huge mix of colours that people chose, that all looked different on the page. It made me think of all the different people who were making the art, with their own stories to tell. I liked seeing people smile whilst they were making their paint splatters.
After finishing my project, I carried on with Element through doing my Bronze Arts Award. It was a calm experience with nice people. For one part of my Arts Award we went to Camden Arts Centre and saw an exhibition by Vivan Souter. She does Abstract art, with lots of different textures, and lots of her work was hanging off the wall or from the ceiling. She lived in a forest and her work was inspired by nature, and the things she found in her garden. I really liked that she worked with an Abstract style. I made a painting with handprints inspired by her work.
Now, I keep creative by drawing random things, like images I see around me on my way to school or other art I see on social media. I like pencil and paper, keeping things simple. I do some art in school as well. It is very helpful for me to do the same thing every day, like a creative routine. It’s important!
FARAH: AFTERWORD
As much as I hope this zine has helped inspire you to foster your creativity I hope you feel no pressure. I hope you pick up your pencil to sketch because that’s what you want to do. I hope you start writing that poem because you felt like you needed to. I hope your creativity is something you allow to flow out of you and not something that is ever a burden to you. Your art is for you, it’s your sanctuary and anyone whom you choose to share it with should consider themselves lucky. Mindfully and with kindness to yourself and an open mind know that creativity is what leads to innovation. Perhaps you could create something that makes waves across the world, or perhaps you can simply change your world. For me it is simply what I need to stay afloat. No matter what it is that you birth, in this birth is a piece of you, for people to connect with and understand. Hopefully it transports you to better lands.
Big thanks to …
Element Young Creatives
Thank you to every single Element Young Creative we’ve worked with on a project, since our start in 2016. Element exists to celebrate the creativity of care leavers, and with every new project you all remind us just how much there is to celebrate. To all who contributed their words and images to this zine: we wanted a wider audience for your brilliance, and we hope this zine enables that to happen. You express yourselves beautifully through your individual styles of writing and creating. Thank you for sharing this with us. Thank you for being part of the network.
Element Youth Consultants
Ali, Rim, Heaven, and Farah: you have made this zine. Your insights, opinions, creativity and imagination have shaped and crafted this project into something very special. Thank you so much for your time and expertise.
Rose
Thank you to Rose Nordin for your incredible design concepts, your collaborative work approach, and your eye for beautiful detail. From way back when the whole zine team met with you on Zoom, and you talked about your professional background and work with OOMK Magazine and community printing, you inspired all of us to be ambitious and excited by printed content.
Supporting Legends
We’ve had some pro-bono expert help to make this zine happen. Huge shout out to Alasdair Manson, Jo Hamer, Tom Edkins, Peter Blenkharn, Queers for Migrants, and Gabriella Marsh, all of whom donated their time to chat and/or collaborate with the Element zine team, making our zine content pop and our crowdfunding strategy possible. Thank you so much - you supported us with pearls of wisdom (and beautiful tote bags - cheers Ally!) and we salute you for it! Thank you to our epic board of Trustees, for providing us with support, thoughts, expertise and encouragement. You’re such a special element (sorry not sorry) of Element.
Crowdfunding Champions
To anyone who donated to our zine crowdfunding campaign: this is the first time Element has crowdfunded for anything. Your generosity of spirit and creative curiosity in buying this zine enabled us to: work with epic graphic designer Rose; commission Element Young People in their writing; pay Element Youth Consultants; and physically get this zine printed, packaged and posted. You’ve enabled three major things to happen: the nutsand-bolts of producing a funky zine; the widening of Element’s reach and audience; and the collective celebration of the work of Element Young Creatives. T-h-a-n-k Y-o-u!
The artwork and written pieces that you see in this zine were made by … Aleks, Ash, Courteney, Conor, Farah, Lucy, Omar, Moe, Alsadek, Chyna, Ess, Abdi, Rim, Chloe, Alan, Husna, Salsa, Steven, Harmony, Artur, Ben, Adam, Áine, Inayia, Olivia, Hamad, Buran and Moawia.
Collectively, we are from … England, Ireland, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Grenada, The Philippines, Spain and Jamaica.
And we speak… English, Arabic, Oromo, Amharic, Tigrinya, Fur and Spanish
We did Element projects in … Westminster, Brent, The Royal Borough Kensington & Chelsea, Islington, Hammersmith & Fulham and Waltham Forest
We are the Element Young Creatives.
THE DESIGN TEAM
Rose - I am currently a freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in London with a particular interest in self publishing and DIY culture.
Ali - I did an Element project in 2020. For the zine, I have worked with Rose the designer by choosing illustrations, giving interpretations and also some extra ideas such as a title for the zine cover. In my free time I like to do things that relax me and give me fun such as sport, drawing, and watching movies.
Elo - I co-founded Element in 2016, and am in awe of the joy, creativity and kindness of the Element community. I collaborated with Ali and Rose on the visual design of the zine and what artwork to include from Element Young Creatives. When I’m not working I love painting, playing music and exploring new parts of the UK!
THE CONTENT TEAM
Farah - I first got involved with Element in 2018. I have been working on the Element zine as a content consultant. In my spare time I enjoy writing poetry and making art that I hope can in some way better the world.
Alex - I co-founded Element back in 2016, and am very proud to be leading a team of dedicated Element staff, and working with incredible Element Young Creatives. I’ve been collaborating with Farah on collecting written content for the zine. Outside of work I love to swim - preferably outdoors, preferably in the sea, preferably with a nice flask of tea straight after!
THE CROWDFUNDING TEAM
Heaven - I first got involved in Element in 2018, where I participated in a variety of creative projects and activities. I have been part of the crowdfunding and marketing team for developing the Element zine which has been really interesting. Outside of Element, I love to travel and to draw!
Rim - I was a participant in an Element project in the summer of 2020. I have been working with the Element crowdfunder and the social media to promote the zine. Outside of Element I like to paint and to hang out with my friends.
Maeve - I joined the Element team in September 2018 as Head of Programmes and Network. For the zine, I have been working with Heaven, Rim and Jord-ann on crowdfunding and marketing. Outside of Element I write and perform poetry and enjoy growing lots of plants.
Jord-ann - I started my role as Programme Lead in January 2021. I have been working on the zine alongside Heaven, Rim and Maeve focusing on crowdfunding and Marketing which has been a lovely experience. Outside of work I enjoy spending time on my own creative practice and listening to music.
