Artist – Áine Rose O’Connell
A Dive in Line
Dunmanway Community Hospital & Day Care Centre
A Dive in Line is a year-long research project exploring art and Parkinson’s disease conducted by Arts for Health visual artist Áine Rose Connell.
Informed by her work as a speech and language therapist, Áine sought to further explore the connections between art, communication and health through this research. The project aimed to increase access and engagement for Arts for Health participants with Parkinson’s disease to creative exploration and art-making experiences. In turn, Áine hoped to share her findings with the Arts for Health administrative and artist teams, and the wider programme partners and arts community in West Cork.
While working with people with Parkinson’s disease in her role as a speech and language therapist, Áine became interested in researching art practices and methodologies specifically for this cohort of people. Coming to understand that research in this area was often focused in the UK and Europe, Áine became interested in developing better resources and tools for people with Parkinson’s disease, as well as for artists, within an Irish context, and specifically within the rural context of West Cork.
The research developed through one-to-one sessions with individuals with Parkinson’s disease at Dunmanway Community Hospital and Day Care Centre. These resulted in the production of shared artworks exploring linework and portraiture through different mediums. Áine also developed 10 locally-made hardcover books, an interactive presentation and research findings session with the Arts for Health artist team, a podcast discussion, and an online risk-assessment policy.
Process
Áine’s research took an experimental, action-based approach. She worked collaboratively with people and artists with Parkinson’s disease, developing shared understandings. Áine facilitated 22 sessions with 6 participants at Dunmanway Day Care Centre and Community Hospital, as well as 3 online Creative Carers sessions. The participative element of the project aimed to engage participants in meaningful art-making. Simultaneously, the research focused on uncovering the impact of neurological, sensorial, motoric, communicative and cognitive underpinnings of the creative learning process.
At Áine’s weekly one-on-one sessions with individuals at Dunmanway Community Hospital and Day Care Centre, participants were provided with a choice of artistic materials and colours, including acrylic paint, watercolour, pastel, graphite, and charcoal. Sessions were flexible, adaptive, personalised and participant-centred. Áine facilitated a quiet and focused space, adopting techniques such as simplifying language and adapted instructions to ensure the comfort of participants. A ‘shared-canvas’ approach and the involvement of healthcare staff proved central to the process.
‘During one to one sittings participants and the artist shared canvases, slowly developing a dual creative partnership. Back and forth themes emerged during these sittings that concentrated on personhood, the juxtaposition of self and changing self, and the dynamics of connection and disconnection.’
Later in the project, Áine worked online with family carers. This allowed for broader participation and support, specifically in cases of people with reduced mobility or living rurally.
Áine also completed a residency at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre in December 2023 as part of her Arts for Health research project. Four weeks in the studio allowed Áine to reflect on the learnings, stories, and experiences that she shared with participants through her participatory practice.
Mentorship
Throughout the research project, Áine was supported by Arts for Health Programme Manager, Justine Foster, and composer and musician, Justin Grounds.
Justine Foster acted as an advisor on the project, and through monthly meetings with Áine was central in the management, organisation, and development of the work.
Justin Grounds has been part of the Arts for Health artist team for over 10 years. His guidance as a mentor was integral throughout the research, development, and practical phases of the project.
Outcomes
The project resulted in a selection of beautiful and informative outputs.
- Participants created shared artworks with Áine using different media and techniques. One participant entered their portrait into the Dunmanway Fair Show 2024 and it came first place.
- Áine gave art material gift boxes to participants at the end of the project to encourage continued creative exploration.10 locally-made, hardcover books were made to document the project’s creative and learning outcomes. Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre included the A Dive in Line book as part of their Bealtaine Festival exhibition in May 2024.
- Áine shared her findings with the Arts for Health artist and administrative teams at a presentation at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre in June 2024.
- Áine recorded a podcast episode with mentor Justin Grounds discussing the process and learnings of the research project. This is available to listen to on the Arts for Health podcast page.
- Arts+Health published a case study on A Dive in Line in October 2024. You can read the case study on the Arts+Health website.
Timeframe
This project took place from May 2023 to June 2024.
Testimonies
‘I enjoy the space away from the noise to draw, to talk.’ – Participant
‘It’s so lovely to try something different, a real privilege. It takes your mind off things.’ – Participant
‘I would like to learn from this experience, to learn how to make different things. I used to work with my hands every day with the masonry, the stones. Since I’ve been sick I don’t.’ – Participant
‘The participants are very relaxed and seem to be benefitting from a beautiful experience.’ – Anita O’Donovan, Dunmanway Day Care Coordinator
‘We enjoyed dipping into the watercolour and seeing what happens…letting the paint do the work. I think it’s freeing.’ – Care partner
‘As an artist, the project has profoundly impacted my creative practice and personal growth. Working one-on-one with participants, I navigated a delicate balance of guiding and observing, allowing the sessions to organically develop into a shared creative journey.’ – Áine Rose Connell
This project was kindly supported by Arts for Health Partnership Programme, Arts Council Agility Award 2023, HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, artsandhealth.ie Bursary, and Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre Studio Award 2023.
A special thank you to the participants who took part in this project, the staff at Dunmanway Community Hospital and Day Care Centre, Arts for Health Programme Manager Justine Foster, and project mentor Justin Grounds.
Learn more about Áine’s work at her website and on social media.