Picture perfect

CSW Greg Meyer of Coastal Photography has generously donated 8 wonderful canvas photographs to Headstart. Thank you Greg - these are amazing! They will certainly brighten our offices and feature in the new office building.

The mind is a incredible thing, and at Headstart I have become so aware of its functions with the clients that I have assisted over the past years.

Photography is the only means where I switch off from all the stresses of life, and it offers me a form of great relaxation.

It was only twenty years ago when you would take photos and wonder what they would look like until the roll of film was developed, and I enjoyed getting a coffee and waiting in anticipation to get the prints in your hand to see what you had captured. How times have changed! Now you can see straight away what the photo looks like on the back of the camera and delete it on the spot if it is no good. You can download the images straight onto your computer, edit them and put them into a album on your computer. Thats todays technology.

Memory is bought to equation when looking at photos, as it was in the past, and when viewing them your mind remembers the

“So much talent and skill has gone into these, so many different compositions and they are wonderful,” says CEO Sue McHattie. “The Susan Gilmore Beach one I especially love! The place is one of Newcastle’s best kept secrets.” occasion ,in most cases it creates joyful thoughts of the past. In 1991 I drove from the top of Africa to the bottom passing through twenty six different countries and it was the most incredible experience of my life. The camera I used was a small film hand held outfit that was designed just to take basic photos. During the adventure I went through thirty six rolls of film and every time I look at the images it brings back fantastic memories , from the Moroccan markets, Sahara desert, the gorillas in the jungle and Congo river. The list goes on and on.

Now days its beautiful sunrises at Bar or Nobbys beaches and surfing, abstract and sports pictures. In saying that it gets back to the point I referred to and that is your memory and mind being used to create a form of art.

To me taking photos is a form of medicine that has a profound positive affect on you as a person, and an appreciation of life and the wonders its has to offer by simply looking for something that appeals to you and taking a photo.

- Greg Meyer, CSW (Coastal Photography)

Wisemans Ferry watercolour

“It was Lawren’s idea to do some painting. She saw the artist in me and decided it would be a good idea. I have done quite a bit of drawing in my life: landscapes, cartoons, all sorts of drawings in pencil and charcoal. It’s been enjoyable. Painting is very therapeutic and helps me to switch off my racing brain. I think we painted for about two hours and at the end I thought ‘what happened to those two hours?!’ It makes a nice change when you’ve usually got a thousand thoughts in your head all the time. My brain gets hijacked by all sorts of emotions, ups and downs. It’s the leftovers from the brain injury.

I live on my own even though sometimes I annoy myself. Otherwise I’m living the dream in my retirement: collecting firewood and fishing. Just not much luck fishing at the moment. I’m still working towards having a boat and put an offer in for one which I’m waiting on.”

- Daniel

I pitched a really nice idea to Dan which he absolutely loved for our rock painting journey over the next few months. We will use our Wednesdays to work on this project.

Dan and I will collect and paint palm size rocks with designs and affirmations to support self love, mental health and all round happiness. Once we have done a nice collection our plan is to have a basket at the Headstart office for staff and consumers to take a rock if they would like to as we spread, love and kindness and bring a little bit of joy to anyone's day who may need it.

Mental health is hard, and so is life in general. So little kind gestures like this may be what we all need in our days! We would continue to add to the basket when it needs topping up.

- Lawren (support worker)