{"id":6665,"date":"2025-11-11T11:42:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T00:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/?p=6665"},"modified":"2026-04-08T12:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T02:52:08","slug":"the-garden-we-grew-art-care-and-connection-at-anam-cara-geelong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/the-garden-we-grew-art-care-and-connection-at-anam-cara-geelong\/","title":{"rendered":"The Garden We Grew: Art, care and connection at Anam Cara Geelong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Art\u00a0<\/span><\/b>t<\/span><\/b>herapy as\u00a0<\/span><\/b>p<\/span><\/b>resence and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>e<\/span><\/b>xpression<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The exhibition\u00a0<\/span>The Garden We Grew: Anam Cara\u00a0Geelong<\/span><\/i>\u00a0showcases\u00a0artworks created by guests of Anam Cara\u2019s day program, as part of its art therapy initiative led by Deakin\u00a0alumna\u00a0Lucy Rae (BA Fine Art, 2022).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Using materials such as\u00a0paper\u00a0collage,\u00a0watercolour, soft pastels, and mindfulness-based techniques like\u00a0mandalas and\u00a0neurographica\u00a0(a therapeutic art method that uses abstract drawing), participants explore themes of identity, memory, and emotion. Sessions are often inspired by artists\u00a0such as Vincent\u00a0Van Gogh and\u00a0Henri\u00a0Matisse<\/span>, both artists who are\u00a0<\/span>associated with the Post-Impressionist art movement which favoured symbolism and centred colour as a reaction to feeling<\/span>, or by natural metaphors such as flowers and trees.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Located at Deakin University\u2019s Waurn Ponds Campus, Anam Cara Geelong offers holistic palliative care in a purpose-built facility designed to meet the needs of individuals and families. It also provides a unique opportunity for Deakin students from the School of Medicine and Faculty of Health to gain hands-on experience in a compassionate clinical setting.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

History of creative art therapy<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The exhibition includes\u00a0a piece written by\u00a0<\/span>Dr<\/span>\u00a0Shelley<\/span>\u00a0Hannigan<\/span>,\u202fSenior Lecturer (Arts Education),\u00a0in\u00a0Deakin\u2019s\u00a0School of Education\u00a0examining\u00a0academic approaches to creative art therapy.\u00a0<\/span>Art therapy began in Australia in the 1970s, inspired by international pioneers and\u00a0emerging\u00a0from psychotherapy and creative healing. Early approaches focused on exploring emotion through image-making, influenced by both psychodynamic and humanistic traditions. As the field developed, formal training programs were\u00a0established, and Australian art therapy embraced a range of perspectives, including Gestalt (which focusses on feelings within the present moment) and trauma-informed practices, while honouring Indigenous cultures and storytelling traditions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A\u00a0<\/span><\/b>c<\/span><\/b>elebration of\u00a0<\/span><\/b>l<\/span><\/b>ife\u00a0<\/span><\/b>t<\/span><\/b>hrough\u00a0<\/span><\/b>a<\/span><\/b>rt<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The exhibition features both individual and collaborative works. In\u00a0<\/span>The Garden We Grew<\/span><\/i>, guests\u00a0have\u00a0painted flowers that\u00a0represent\u00a0themselves, forming a vibrant canvas of individuality and interconnection. In\u00a0<\/span>A Moment of Joy<\/span><\/i>,\u00a0each\u00a0tile\u00a0reflects a cherished memory\u00a0\u2013\u00a0family meals, gardens, football games\u00a0\u2013\u00a0stitched together into a collective patchwork of life well lived.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These artworks\u00a0honour\u00a0the\u00a0theme\u00a0<\/span>Live Well, Die Well<\/span><\/i>, reminding us that creativity continues to flourish even in life\u2019s final chapters. Art therapy offers a space to reflect, to share, and to simply be.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Deakin medical students explore art therapy in palliative care<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Ahead of\u00a0<\/span>The Garden We Grew<\/span><\/i>\u00a0exhibition<\/span> installation, Deakin University School of Medicine students participated in workshops on art therapy in palliative care, led by Anam Cara Geelong Art Therapist, Lucy Rae and Spiritual Carer, Jo Betz.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The sessions introduced students to holistic palliative care principles through guided, mindfulness-based art therapy. Creating\u00a0neurographic\u00a0artworks, students explored end-of-life communication, emotional expression, and the ways mindfulness and creative therapies can complement medical practice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The workshops highlighted how creative approaches can support emotional wellbeing, connection, and dignity at the end of life. Students\u00a0reflected on\u00a0the value of creative therapies in fostering emotional processing, self-regulation, and stress relief, and expressed enthusiasm for incorporating these approaches into their future medical practice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Visit the\u00a0<\/span><\/b>e<\/span><\/b>xhibition<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Garden We Grew: Anam Cara<\/span><\/i>\u00a0Geelong<\/span><\/i> is on display at the Waterfront Gallery, Deakin Library Special Collections<\/span>. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of those who create, connect, and care. The exhibition invites us to reflect on how we live, how we support one another, and how art can help us navigate life\u2019s final chapters with grace.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Exhibition details<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Location: Waterfront Gallery, Deakin Library Special Collections<\/span>
\nDates:\u00a0<\/span>24 November<\/span> 2025<\/span>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/span>29 March 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Learn\u00a0<\/span>more about the exhibition<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>vi<\/span>sit the exhibition event page.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Art\u00a0therapy as\u00a0presence and\u00a0expression\u00a0 The exhibition\u00a0The Garden We Grew: Anam Cara\u00a0Geelong\u00a0showcases\u00a0artworks created by guests of Anam Cara\u2019s day program, as part of its art therapy initiative led by Deakin\u00a0alumna\u00a0Lucy Rae (BA Fine Art, 2022).\u00a0\u00a0 Using materials such as\u00a0paper\u00a0collage,\u00a0watercolour, soft pastels, and mindfulness-based techniques like\u00a0mandalas and\u00a0neurographica\u00a0(a therapeutic art method that uses abstract drawing), participants explore themes of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128203,"featured_media":6669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,25,2,60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-and-education","category-general-interest","category-library-services","category-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/326\/2025\/11\/Anam-Cara-1-scaled.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pao1A6-1Jv","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/128203"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6665"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7300,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6665\/revisions\/7300"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.deakin.edu.au\/article\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}