Katherine Winlaw

Encore

Artwork size: 50cm x 70cm

Artwork medium: Mixed media (watercolour, fabric, beads, buttons, wood, paint pen)

Art therapy entered my later life, during a significant life transition. After a career in teaching, management consulting, and human resources, art therapy was to be my “encore career”, something to accompany me into my later years, something I could mature and grow old with.

Making this leap into a new profession at 50 was daunting, especially meeting such talented peers and esteemed UQ staff. I was incredibly fortunate to find amazing supervisors to guide and mentor me. During one supervision session while at Milpera, I created a very small reflective piece -made of burlap and ribbons -that has hung on my wall ever since. It became the seed of inspiration for my artwork today and encapsulates what art therapy means to me.

Through the process of art therapy and the journey to be an art therapist, I’ve realised the profound impact the connections we foster in the art space can have. They can leave enduring marks on others in unexpected ways. Through the processes of witnessing others, holding space for their creativity, enabling them to find their true identity, providing them with compassion when they might find that difficult - can lead to their authentic expression, healing and transformation. Through our reflective practices as art therapists, this same process is in turn mirrored in our own lives. We see how they shape our own lives, integrating into our future selves in ways we never could have foreseen. This whole journey has proven far richer and more vibrant than I ever imagined.