artists / art therapists
Bobby Lloyd
Art Refuge, UK
I feel honoured to be directly involved with the art workshops across all three countries. For me this journey began over 30 years ago when living and working in a refugee settlement in northern India. I was humbled to meet a group of young people newly arrived in a strange country: with all our differences, we managed to find ways to connect on a human level through artmaking. Working in contexts of conflict and social upheaval since then, and leading Art Refuge in the UK and northern France, I am increasingly interested in the role that the visual arts and art therapy have in relation to issues of displacement and emotional support for young people with refugee backgrounds, and the relationship of this work to social justice.
Christine Hoem
Independent artist, Norway
I am a textile artist and art teacher in a secondary school. I have experience working with poeople dealing with different life challenges. Getting to know those who need support and creative solutions to function well - in school, sparetime or workplace - inspires my work. Our school has an introductory class for refugees. As a teacher, I meet with some of these pupils on a weekly basis. I am excited about contributing to the Drawing Together project in Norway. In the link you will find some examples of my art work.
Petter Korkman
TIUKU, Finland
I’m a composer, music producer, songwriting coach, film maker, philosopher and knowledge activist ready to rethink knowledge dissemination and cooperation between art and research. I look forward to producing a documentary and short films for this project! Behind the link below, you’ll find examples of some of the films, records and other music-related projects I’ve worked with.
Miriam Usiskin
Art Refuge, UK
It is exciting to be working on this project, particularly with its focus on relational wellbeing. As an Art Therapist and educator, I have worked variously in the National Health Service in the UK, in schools and for the past five years in Calais, northern France with Art Refuge. Working with diversity and displacement are themes within my professional life, partly influenced by my own experiences of being from a second generation refugee heritage. I am aware of the role that interpersonal relationships, culture and creativity can play in supporting wellbeing. Exploring how these interconnect seems a positive means of developing ways of supporting the wellbeing of young refugees. Using imaginative visual arts engagement to enhance and develop us all is at the core of the work I enjoy most.
Elina Mantere
Art therapist, Finland
My passion in life is to explore how artistic expression can deepen the understanding of ourselves and each other. What does it mean to be a human in this world…? What makes us feel more alive?
Who are we, our true selves? Through artistic expression we have a possibility to see into the core of humanity, what unites us as human beings. Nature connection and meditation practices are an important part in my work, helping to guide us towards our true being. I strongly believe that working with these themes can help to overcome many challenges and inequalities in today's world, to move from being separated to connectedness, practically and spiritually.
I am grateful to be part of this project as an art therapist in the Finnish workshops. The link below shows my recent creative arts projects as part of the working group with refugee youngsters.
Emily Macinnes
Documentary
Photographer, UK
Working as a photojournalist for the past 13 years, much of my work has often gravitated towards the stories of refugees and asylum seekers. From running photography workshops for teenagers living in Deheisha refugee camp in Palestine; documenting the journey of Afghan and Syrian refugees avoiding the Mediterranean Sea crossing - travelling overland through the Balkans, as well as more recently working with some of the many Syrian families who have been resettled in Scotland under the UNHCR program I always have sought to tell the individual and human stories behind what it means to flee one's home and culture and to challenge mainstream reporting, which often treats the refugee experience as a homogenous one.
I am excited to join the Drawing Together Project to discover the experiences of and to collaborate together to create images with unaccompanied minors now settled here in Scotland.
Laurie Pitt
Independent musician, UK
I am a musician, tutor, and DJ based in Glasgow, Scotland. I play in a variety of musical projects and have toured internationally. Working with the Green Door Studio I have helped set up a recording studio in Ghana, and run a recording project in Belize. With this project, I look forward to allowing participants' unique experiences and interests to influence musical experimentation and creativity.