CHRISTIE CASSISA: AGM SPEECH

EXTENDED FAMILY

The tribute to Centrepieces given by one of its volunteers at the AGM on 22 June.

I have a mental condition. I am an artist. I like to believe it is infectious, and if it is, then Centrepieces will continue to grow.

One of the symptoms of this condition is that I like to re-invent life as a series of my own metaphors. As a toddler people saw it as cute that I saw the roots of a tree as a claw gripping the ground, or a gash in the mud as a smile of earth. When I was seven, and I started copying my father’s drawings, I found out that having artistic talent bought you love, admiration and attention. As a young teenager, breaking and entering the art classroom to be on my own and paint pictures rather than sit in a cold playground, singled me out as a strange child with issues, and there were issues.

I found I could use my creativity to paint a rose tinted-life for my sister and I who were surviving a life with our father Tony Cassio – professional wrestler, artist, inventor, scientist, occasional hell raiser, genius both good and evil and general mad man. I love him dearly, but life was confusing to say the least. 

I created a bedtime story for my little sister called, The Dream Train where she and I could escape into the night onto a flying steam engine that took us into any adventure that suited us and equalized the fear and uncertainty of our childhood at the time.

I formed a habit of escaping into my imagination. I often appeared to be in a daydream when I should be paying attention, and blurted out uncomfortable observations when I should have kept quiet.  Whenever reality got too much, I could always fall back on my powers of imagination, turning a boring bus journey into a disastrous situation where a group of passengers come alive with their true colours, or turning a walk through a woods into a Disney adventure to another dimension. It was my way of masking the hurt, and confusion of a reality that I wasn’t equipped to deal with in a practical way. 

Around the time of my 40th birthday, my stepfather, developed liver cancer, and I made a promise to him and my mother to help him through the illness without treatment, and to support him in his wish to die at home. 

At the same time my real father showed the first signs of Lewey Body Dementia giving him horrific hallucinations. My sister and I were put under the enormous pressure of caring for him, moving him to a more manageable house, dealing with his mental and physical decline and eventually having to move him to a care home. 

My imagination ran dry: the shit had hit the fan, and there were no Disney animals to help me clean up. Finally, the pressures became too much, depression took over; my life had changed faster than I could cope with and this led to a breakdown and a short stay in Rohampton Mental Hospital. In my week there, unable to talk about how I was feeling, I started to draw. 

I drew eyes surrounded by prison like structures and I drew doors in walls with various obstructions. I started to label parts of the drawings, and from there was able to slowly start to speak about what was happening in my mind to the therapists trying to help me. 

I left the hospital, feeling broken, ashamed, mentally and physically weak, paranoid and confidence at the lowest. I wasn’t sure how I was going to deal with life or go back to any normality, but I had one silver lifeline to hold onto. My art!

I knew that I couldn’t cope with a regular job, and after numerous failed attempts to find a place for myself and my art in an area where it seemed there wasn’t much interest, I was introduced to Centrepieces. 

  

When I walked into the lodge, I wasn’t sure if I was in heaven, or hell. It seemed to me that talent was dripping from every wall, a language of colour, darkness and light! Looking at all those paintings I felt that I was in a dimension of despair, hope, and joy! The paintings expressed levels of depression and of celebration! Words were unnecessary, the language here was art and I felt I had found a world that I could understand!

I met Geoff Norris and Dawn Tomlin in their grotto-like office, where my manic firework display of enthusiasm was met with reserve and apprehension, but as always, they were desperate for volunteers and were happy to take on any lunatic. 

I have to admit, I came in like a bit of a Tasmanian Devil, but I had found my tribe and rather than made to feel like an outsider, I was guided, encouraged and sometimes reprimanded, until I was able to offer a more harmonious contribution. 

I cautiously took on the role of Sculptor Tutor at the lodge when my suggestion to apply for a grant to develop our sculpture department became a reality. 

I don’t believe you can really teach art; what I do is enhance and encourage the unique talent that is in each person, but I can teach techniques and in the year that I have been guiding the Centrepieces artists in the techniques of stone carving, woodcarving, casting and ceramics, I have seen the fundamental qualities that Centrepieces is bringing to the community. 

People come to Centrepieces suffering mental illness either from inherent conditions, or from the traumas that they have suffered in life. They come to Centrepieces almost as a last resort, not really sure of what the therapy of art can do for them. 

However, in most cases, what I see is a glimmer of hope as they learn techniques that produce something that they can recognise, enjoy, and give to the world. That glimmer of hope becomes pride and appreciation in themselves and their new found ability. I feel honoured to be able to witness that pride become confidence as I watch the members of my art group start to teach new comers and create art of their own, expressing feelings and thoughts that were trapped inside a mind that perhaps felt ashamed and persecuted for who they are and how they cope with the world.

Through Centrepieces, I have found an extended family with a common goal, to keep art in the community alive, to show the importance that it brings to people, as a form of communication, and freedom of expression. 

As I see it, art is a doorway into a world where there are no rules, where miracles can be created and for those people who step through, it can be very difficult to make sense of a world that likes to pigeon hole, label and control everything. To be an artist, in my opinion is to be free of the restrictions that are often necessary to fit into a clockwork society. To fly as a bird, between the cogs and wheels of society is a scary thing, and often feathers and wings can be caught and crushed. 

The charity Centrepieces is such an important stronghold for these creative people, offering a safe environment to heal and to grow.

I have experienced the life changing support that Centrepieces can offer and have seen first-hand the powerful changes it has brought to people’s lives. I am so thankful to all of the people that volunteer their time to keep Centrepieces alive, all of your contributions, your interest, every bit of support helps to generate more interest in a social environment that can alienate people with mental issues and struggles to find a functional reason for art.  

AGM 2016

Inaugural Annual General Meeting

On 22 June 2016, Centrepieces held its first annual general meeting since it was registered as a charity.

The meeting was opened by the new Mayor of Bexley, Councillor Eileen Pallen (below left) and there were 40 members, trustees and other guests in attendance.

The Mayor described how she had been involved with Centrepieces since it was set up 17 years ago, said how proud everyone should be of what had been achieved over that time and how much the efforts of members and volunteers were appreciated.

Andrew Grieve, the Chairman of Centrepieces, presented his first Annual Report. He thanked the Co-ordinator, Geoff Norris, for all his hard work, and all the volunteers and Trustees. He gave a special mention to Dawn Tomlin, who had given up so much of her time as Assistant Co-ordinator and will be much missed now that she is moving on.

Andrew announced a new artistic award scheme called the Jackie Inspire Awards in memory of his late wife, Jackie Grieve, who was a founder member of Centrepieces. The awards will be presented annually in 3 categories, most likely to the person who has made the biggest contribution, the best newcomer and one other category.

Mike Ellsmore, Trustee and Finance Director, presented the finance report. Centrepieces is almost entirely reliant on volunteers, donations and income from the sale of artwork and has enough in its reserves for the next 2 years. The challenge will be to secure affordable accommodation when the lease of The Lodge runs out in 2017. Mike thanked Jean Lyon and Annie Greywoode for their help with the accounts and finances.

Geoff Norris paid tribute to the all the past and present volunteers and trustees, as the charity wouldn’t be able to function without them. However, it is now time to find funding to appoint paid staff, so that the charity can move forwards more strongly.  He thanked all the talented artists who use the facilities of The Lodge, saying they are great to work with and learn from.

There was some official business to be done – Andrew stood down as Chairman but was re-elected unopposed. Trustees Don Boyle and Lucy Mortimer retired and were thanked for their contribution. Guy Tarrant also stood down as trustee, but was re-appointed. All the other current Trustees remain in place for the next year.

A number of artists and volunteers from Centrepieces then spoke movingly about their experiences and how much Centrepieces means to them:

John Exell has been a member for 17 years, and has always found Centrepieces to be a welcoming and therapeutic environment that produces amazing art work. He believes that many great artists were mentally ill when you look back on their lives. He worked with Jackie Grieve and Vietnamese and Somali teenagers on a project to create totem poles with ethnic identity, and on other public art projects.

Dawn Tomkins (left), member since 2000, finds that Centrepieces allows her to express herself through art and to build up her self-confidence. She has been featured in the Big Issue and has sold artwork in the USA.

Annie Greywoode has been a volunteer for 10 years as Finance Assistant. Working at Centrepieces has improved her mental health, self-confidence and self-esteem, and has allowed her to put her accountancy skills to good use and develop her CV.

Christie Cassisa described how art was a lifeline for her in a confusing childhood followed by depression and a breakdown. Centrepieces became like a home and extended family for her and she now has pride and confidence in her work as a project leader.  Her complete speech is posted separately on the blog.

Ann Cronin (left) has been a member since the early 2000s. She used to be a scientist but collapsed in her 40s due to overwork. She took up art as a therapy, and found it a great support when her friend died. Centrepieces is non-directional and inspires everyone to make their own journey.

Guy Tarrant has been a project leader since the 1990s and is now also a Trustee. He gave a presentation about Centrepieces’ involvement in public art in Bexley (below) and showed slides of the work. He believes public art should be created with community participation and not sponsored for commercial interests. It should engage the community and allow people to use dormant skills and ideas and have fun.

Pictures of Centrepieces’ public art works and their history will be posted elsewhere on this website but these are Guy’s highlights:

The Worrier – a play on Rodin’s The Thinker, it was as sculpture of a man worrying about urban life. It was unfortunately damaged by a tractor during the regeneration of Crayford.

The Emotional Spiral – a planted frame commissioned by Oxleas that celebrates recovery and well-being.

Identity Poles – breeze blocks carved by Indian, Vietnamese and Somali teenagers then assembled as identity or totem poles. The project was funded by Bexley Council for Racial Equality and attracted awards and press attention.

Magpie Project 1 – an upcycling and recycling project where Vietnamese children made tin dragons and mini-robots from junk and electrical stuff.

Animal Stepping Stones – animal mosaics made by the children of Upland Junior School and placed in animal habitats in their wildlife garden.

The Nest – funded with compensation for the damage of The Worrier, a refuge made of natural materials near the river and bird viewing shelter in Hall Place Gardens

Centrepieces would like to thank Bexley Heritage Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, the London Borough of Bexley and William Kendall’s Charity for their continuing support and The Learning Centre, Bexley for providing the space for the meeting in their Brampton Road centre and the excellent lunch that everyone enjoyed afterwards.

Examples of members' art displayed at the AGM.

ASYLUM DIARY Part 1

Beginning a series of extracts from the 'Asylum Diary' written by Britta von Zweigbergk. Now a Centrepieces trustee, she worked at Bexley Hospital until it closed and kept a detailed journal of her time there in the hospital's Art Therapy Department. They paint a vivid picture of what working in the mental health sector was like over twenty years ago. The selection of entries for this blog begins in 1984...

Wednesday 1 February 1984

A selection of work by 'GG'.

I got a shock when I walked into the Art Therapy Department this morning. The damp smell that has been troubling us for a few days was even more pervasive, and the cupboard had been moved to the back door.

It was strangely unnerving to come in, prepared for a quiet morning as is usual on Wednesday when we are closed to patients, to suddenly see someone rise out of the floor wet and smelling of sewage. It’s a good thing my heart is fairly sound.

Evidently there is a blockage in the drains – certainly, the end of the department and store room have been smelling very damp, and the floor in my office is gradually subsiding into the labyrinth of cellars below.

Dudley helped me move the cupboard into the office. It’s a lot better in there anyway, and, as he said, it could be to our advantage in the long run – our floors will finally be repaired.

I have warned people that if I do not emerge after a period of time from the office, please explore as I might have disappeared into the cellars underneath, never to be seen or heard of again – another of the unsolved mysteries connected to Bexley Hospital.

GG was on hand to help and to move his paintings to a safer place. After all the hard and unexpected work, he certainly regretted coming in so early. “I should have gone to collect my wages,” he commented ruefully .

I am taking BH and GG to the Tate Gallery later this morning. I’ve arranged the hospital taxi to take us to Swanley Station, where we can get a train to Victoria and then the underground to Pimlic. Much quicker than going from Bexley station to Charing Cross.

Later…

The back door of the Art Therapy
Department, with the Art
Department bike!

It was good looking round the Tate. GG disappeared to look at some paintings and BH and I did our own tour of the place. We started off in the main gallery where there is still an exhibition of pre-war British sculpture. It’s not a big exhibition, but it’s a good one. I particularly liked Jacob Epstein’s work, a small figurine, grotesquely pregnant; ‘Osbert Sitwell’ by Frank Dobson was gently good; Epstein’s head of Nan and a couple of portrait busts – a Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore… there is something so harmonious and compelling about these shapes.

BH seemed impressed but a little tense. I wondered whether he may have felt a bit out of place in our surroundings – being very much a ‘man’s man’. Culturally it may not have been entirely acceptable for him to go to galleries and museums. He was reluctant to be seen in the cafeteria; he said he would stick out like a sore thumb. Overall, though, I think he was pleased to have gone to the Tate and enjoyed seeing the different pieces; he has a natural affinity with shapes and sculpture. It’s pleasing to see this natural ability developing in the open art therapy sessions in the department.

To be continued

ARTIST PROFILE - JEREMY TAYLOR

'BRILLIANT AND INSPIRING'

One of Centrepieces' most loyal members reveals how the charity helped him turn his life around.

I began attending Centrepieces when it was based at the Crayford Centre, about twelve years ago. I found out about it through a discussion about the art groups at Crayford when I was in Bexley Hospital. I was there because I was not able to cope on my own. I was out of control at home and my parents couldn’t handle me. They thought I would be better off in Bexley until I was more stable. In the end, I was in there for about four or five years.

Since leaving hospital, I have grown in confidence and have made a lot of friends at Centrepieces and MIND in Bexleyheath. I have a new way of living: I re-live my thoughts and ask, ‘Why did it all happen the way it did?’ The good thing is, though, I got to start a new life.

I have been attending groups at the Lodge in Hall Place regularly since Centrepieces moved here. They’ve given me the inspiration to do more and more art, which is brilliant and inspiring.

I go to the sculpture group and have made some really good models out of clay, like Morph (pictured above). I also go to the art classes where I have been working in many different mediums and styles. I’ve learnt so much.

I still sometimes suffer with anxiety, but coming to the Lodge I always feel better. It occupies me and takes away the worry.

Two of Jeremy's mixed media compositions, 'Dudley' and 'The Cat'.

CENTREPIECES PROFILE 3

ANDREW GRIEVE

Centrepieces' current chairman movingly relates how his late wife, Jackie, inspired him to assist with the mental health arts group's transition into a charity.

Andrew and Jackie's marriage in 2004.

I’m currently the Chairperson of the Trustees Board for Centrepieces. I became involved as long ago as 2001-02, when I was working for MIND in Bexley as Volunteer Coordinator. One of my responsibilities was setting up a befriending scheme for people suffering from long term mental health difficulties, living in NHS Trust Care Homes. I was looking for volunteers to match with people in care at the old Bexley Hospital, and in supported community settings within Bexley borough. 

I organised a number of information and recruitment sessions at MIND in Bexley. One of the volunteers who came forward to the sessions was Jackie Henery, who shortly afterwards started working at the Crayford Centre as a Day's Services Officer, reporting to Geoff Norris who was the Centre Manager. Jackie and I shared an empathy for people with mental health difficulties. We had both suffered and recovered from mental health problems in our lives, and understood how important the art group and support at Crayford, which included drop-in sessions, was to a full recovery. Myself and Jackie had both been determined to overcome our problems and return to work; this success was a great testimony to the role that Centrepieces and the Crayford Centre played in our return to health.

Jackie at a Centrepieces exhibition
at Bexleyheath Library, in 2009.

Jackie was greatly involved in the Centrepieces art group within the Crayford Centre and was a gifted artist, sculptor and photographer. She enjoyed all the creative arts and had trained and qualified as a patisserie chef at Lewisham College, before working for the Hyde Park Hotel in London. Many of Jackie’s creations in cake making and patisserie were outstanding and won her awards; others she made for birthdays and special events, delighting the people who’d commissioned them.

Jackie became a befriender to a young man living at Bexley Hospital who was artistically talented, and she encouraged him to try new projects working with different types of media. I was accompanying Jackie on her visits because of hospital rules. She was the only volunteer befriender visiting someone of the opposite sex, and had to have someone chaperoning her.

Jackie with Edward Heath at the
ACOB Season Exhibition, in 2002.

It was in this way that I met Jackie and spent time with her, becoming fascinated by her creative skills – something I sadly lacked! It wasn’t long before we started to see each other outside of work and were married in 2004 at Sidcup Registry Office.
I was a frequent visitor to the evening drop-in sessions at the Crayford Centre, often walking across from our house in Wolsley Close in Crayford to meet Jackie at 9pm when the Centre closed. I became involved in centre events, barbecues and holidays which Jackie helped to organise, and I attended several Centrepieces art auctions that the staff – Jackie, Cecilia, Harpreet and Geoff – organised. The auctions were very successful, raising vital funds for Centrepieces to continue its good work. I always thought that Centrepieces in particular contributed to the clients’ well-being and enriched their lives, bringing back the confidence to socialise – for example, when mixing with people at their various events.

Jackie became seriously unwell in 2008-9. She started suffering from crippling headaches and tiredness, before being diagnosed in January 2011 with an incurable GBM brain tumour. Jackie was very courageous and fought the brain cancer for nearly five years, before sadly passing away in October 2015. 

By 2011, I was working as Chief Executive Officer at Bexley Accessible Transport Scheme (BATS). I took time out from work to help Jackie through surgery, then radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment at Maidstone Hospital. I gradually cut down on my working hours and days at BATS to support Jackie, research clinical trials and care for her in the best way I could, being there for her when she needed me most. In 2014, I retired early from BATS to become a full-time carer.

Jackie benefiting from the wythie workshop at the
Crayford Centre, in 2000. 

I became aware of the possibility that Oxleas NHS Trust might close the Crayford Centre, and I knew how concerned Jackie was that Centrepieces should survive independently: she greatly valued the group and everything it stood for. While attending, Jackie had been shown breeze block carving by John Exell, demonstrating her skill at The Danson Show on more than one occasion. She also became interested in mosaics, creating some lovely mosaic poles in three descending heights, which were sold at a Centrepieces art auction. I was very proud of my talented wife and her determination to help the clients at the Crayford Centre.

When I learned of the plans to create a Centrepieces Charity Incorporated Organisation, I was determined to assist in any way I could, as I saw the importance of maintaining this valuable arts group, knowing how much it meant to Jackie to see it survive. 

Geoff Norris asked me to be Chair of the Trustees Board. I was pleased to assist him in making Centrepieces work as a CIO with my charity, business and funding knowledge (more than anything I could contribute artistically!)

I am pleased to say that through Geoff, the Trustees Board, volunteers and members, Centrepieces has now become a CIO. It’s moving forward with exciting plans for the future, something Jackie would have been very pleased to see, and I'm sure she would have been proud of the effort everyone concerned has put in.

It gives me great pleasure to see the breadth of artistic talent within Centrepieces. I'm sure that with the quality and combined experience on the Trustees Board, Geoff’s enthusiasm, and the hard work of the members, that we can go on to be stronger and more sustainable in 2016 and beyond.

Jackie and Andrew (centre right), with other members of
Centrepieces at the ACOB summer festival, 2005.

Written in loving memory of my wife,
Jacqueline Grieve (Jackie):

10/09/1969 to 21/10/2015