Jodi Palasin has a unique experience in creating her art. Over the past 15 years she has been creating pieces that come alive through touch and sound. As Jodi is blind, it is important for her to be able to express herself by exploring rich sensory experiences.
Through texture, sound, and tactile exploration, Jodi created the beautiful piece ‘Jelly’, which will be on display at the Making Waves exhibition presented by Rocky Bay and is set to make a splash at this year’s Fringe World Festival.
With a deep love of art, Jodi’s motivation for creating is simple: “It’s important to me, because it makes me happy,” she says.
“I like creating mosaics because it’s just like a puzzle, I can feel the different shapes. I also really enjoy painting.”
Her inspiration, aside from the obvious enjoyment she gets from exploring her creativity, is simply the challenge of making a visual art form as a blind person.
Working closely with Rocky Bay support staff at Joondalup hub on her piece ‘Jelly’, Jodi thoughtfully crafted each tentacle in her piece using materials that could not only be felt, but also heard, adding another sensory dimension to the piece.
The process of creating ‘Jelly’ became a celebration of creativity through sensation, allowing Jodi to connect with her art and share her unique way of experiencing the world. ‘Jelly’ is her favourite piece to date.
“I really enjoyed making this because of all the different feels of the material and the sounds I created with it,” says Jodi.
This is Jodi’s second time sharing her art through an organised exhibit, but her first involvement with Fringe World Festival.
‘Making Waves’ is about challenging perceptions about disability, expression and who gets to be seen in the arts. The exhibit will feature all original works by WA artists living with disability, with each piece drawing inspiration from the movement, depth, emotion, and unpredictability of the ocean – a metaphor for inclusion and momentum.
“For the artists (Making Waves) is about their artistic skills and abilities being showcased in a world-renowned festival,” says Lynsey Monk, Rocky Bay Area Manager, Community.
“The process of creating their pieces promotes inclusion, builds community connections – creating friendships over their shared love of art. The artists enjoy the diversity and meaningfulness of the creative process and the ability to use storytelling through the pieces they create.”
The exhibition is on show now and will run until Friday February 6 in the lobby of Central Park Perth, offering the community a free, fully accessible arts experience in the heart of the Perth CBD.
Now in its fourth year as a Fringe presenter, Rocky Bay continues to create platforms for artists with disability to share their work with mainstream audiences and to be recognised for their talent, not their disability.
EVENT DETAILS
Dates: Tuesday January 27 – Friday February 6 (weekdays only)
Time: 8am – 5pm
Venue: Central Park Perth (lobby), 152–158 St Georges Terrace
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
