HandUp Creatives started as a quiet little daydream while I was waiting for a layer of paint to dry. I was thinking about how much art had helped me heal, and how I could share that with others who might need it too.

 

I went through a lot of trauma in my teenage years and didn’t have the tools to cope in healthy ways. In my mid-twenties, I developed PTSD after a workplace assault. It took a long time to climb out of that hole. I was on antidepressants for four years, and had loads of therapy. One day in a session, my psychiatrist asked me, “What did you love doing as a kid?”

 

I said, “I used to draw.”

 

He told me to find an art class. So I did. I signed up for a Certificate III in Arts at Bracken Ridge TAFE, and that was the start of something big. Through those classes, I learned how to pour out my emotions in a way that didn’t hurt me. I found a way to quiet my mind and focus on the task right in front of me. It was such a gift. I wish I'd had that skill back when I was a teenager.

 

As my confidence and skills grew, I decided to organise an exhibition called The Celebration of the Female Form. It featured 25 artists, each sharing three pieces exploring their take on the female body. It was bold, raw, beautiful and full of variety. We even had burlesque dancers at the opening night. That first event was such a success, we went on to hold five annual exhibitions with 100 artists, raising funds for domestic violence services, eating disorder support, and people experiencing homelessness.

 

After that chapter, I took a bit of a break and moved to Lismore. When the floods hit, my partner and I ended up relocating to Macleay Island. The moment I stepped off the ferry, I could feel creativity in the air. This place has such a kind and artistic heart. It reminded me of why I started all this in the first place.

 

So I decided to bring HandUp Creatives back to life.

 

I love this community, and I want to give something back. Every dollar raised through my art and our projects goes straight into local initiatives. That might mean helping with an environmental cause, painting a mural, running free art-in-the-park sessions, or hiding art around the island for people to find and take home. I believe art should be for everyone, not just for galleries or people with money.

 

If creativity helped me climb out of the hardest times, I know it can help others too.