Zoom-savvy art students see COVID-19 as no barrier to keeping on top of Parkinson's

24 September 2020

The sound of pencils and charcoal scratching furiously at paper fills the room, but these art students are creating in different postcodes.

Eighteen months ago, Newcastle Parkinson’s Support Group engaged art teacher Susan Porteous with bold plans to mount an exhibition in March 2021.

Classes at the Hudson Street Hum back then were happening face-to-face, but with the COVID-19 pandemic classes moved to the Zoom platform.

Owner of the art space in Hamilton, Aleeta Cliff, said classes were slowly returning face-to-face — now in a COVID-safe manner.

“We are normally a space where people come to do their workshops, but some of our artists and facilitators wanted to continue their classes [during coronavirus restrictions] and do them via Zoom,” Ms Cliff said.

Two women pictured inside an art space holding a laptop with pictures behind them on a wall.Two women pictured inside an art space holding a laptop with pictures behind them on a wall.
Creative arts space owners Aleeta Cliff and Suzie Galwey at Hudson Street Hum during a COVID-safe art class.(ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully)

Susan Porteous was one of the artists and facilitators who took her class online.

The art teacher described the Zoom teleconferencing platform as “a really fantastic way to interact with people”.

“That way your students can see the process that you’d like them to participate in.

“You can also communicate with everybody because you can see everybody on Zoom.”

A woman speaking to students who are watching via a laptop, with an easel a still life arrangement and student artwork behindA woman speaking to students who are watching via a laptop, with an easel a still life arrangement and student artwork behind
Art teacher Susan Porteous delivers a still life drawing class to students via a Zoom class from the Hudson Street Hum creative arts space.(ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully)

A mini-exhibition of the support group’s work-in-progress was on display this week at The Hum featuring still life, portraits, landscapes, seascapes, and lots of colour.

One of the members has gotten so good at art she commenced a Certificate IV in fine art at Hunter TAFE.

Lynette Saunders, 53, from Kotara, said doing the course gave her the confidence to further develop her skills.

“I was enjoying it so much I thought I’d like to take it further and learn more about different techniques,” Ms Saunders said.

A woman posing in front of two large studies of human anatomy and botanicalsA woman posing in front of two large studies of human anatomy and botanicals
Lynette Saunders, pictured at her home studio, has commenced studying for a fine arts certificate.(ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully)

Ms Saunders is a member of another support group for sufferers of early onset Parkinson’s, calling themselves The Martinis.

“We call ourselves The Martinis because we’re shaken, not stirred,” she said.

“From that we’ve got [another] group of women called Women with the Wobbles.

Parkinson’s is a progressive movement disease affecting 11 million people worldwide and 100,000 people in Australia.

Symptoms of Parkinson’s include tremors, slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, and changes to speech and writing.

There is no cure for the disease, but treatment can significantly improve the symptoms.

A woman with red hair and a stripey top and a man with grey hair sit together in outside in a yard.A woman with red hair and a stripey top and a man with grey hair sit together in outside in a yard.
Sandra Elms and Lawrie Gray are members of Newcastle Parkinson’s Support Group.(ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully)

Sandra Elms from the Newcastle Parkinson’s Support Group said it was important for sufferers to “try and get out of their comfort zone”.

Group member Lawrie Gray said he found great enjoyment from art and had seen symptoms such as tremors decrease significantly in other members who had tried their hand.

“I hadn’t drawn since high school,” Mr Gray said, “so, it was a buzz for me to get into it. I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve been away from it for too long.”

A wall with art works mountedA wall with art works mounted
A mini-exhibition of works by members of the Newcastle Parkinson’s Support group art class.(ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully)

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