Open afternoons, with Live Drawing: Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July 2025, 1-4pm
Finding Voice: Loss and Wellbeing explores the powerful connection between loss, the difficulties in expressing grief (especially when prolonged by external factors), and the crucial role of creative expression in healing. Inspired by a personal journey through bereavement and extended waiting for resolution, the exhibition expands to the universal need to articulate and navigate the complex emotions of loss. It acknowledges how circumstances can silence grief, leading to powerlessness and isolation.
The residency will include the display of diverse artwork responding to these themes. On both open afternoons, you are invited to join in live drawing and art-making sessions by artist-in-residence Serena Rogers, offering a real-time exploration of loss and the search for voice. Visitors can witness the immediate creative process as emotions are translated into art.
The artworks, including the evolving pieces created during live sessions, serve as expressions of the often-unseen weight of loss and the struggle to communicate grief. The live art-making emphasizes the direct link between creative action and articulating complex emotions, aiming to break through silence, process feelings, and foster connection.
Ultimately, this exhibition demonstrates that finding one's voice through creative expression is vital in navigating loss and cultivating wellbeing. It invites viewers to witness the grief the act of reclaiming a voice on the journey towards healing.
About the Artist
Award-winning artist Serena Rogers is an emerging multi-media artist and art facilitator with an art studio in the Calder Valley of Elland, UK. Her thought-provoking work explores pressing social issues such as inequality, violence, feminism, and environmental injustice. Serena often crafts her pieces from discarded and upcycled materials, holding a First-Class Honours Degree in Contemporary Art (2024).
In 2024, Serena's impactful art garnered significant recognition, notably two Public Choice Awards: one for her immersive sculptural work ‘Cardboard Kitchen’ at the prestigious international Visual Art Open in London, and another for her textile piece ‘Oligopoly – The Cost of Living Edition’ at the Calderdale Open. Most recently, Serena has completed a commissioned artwork and workshops to celebrate the history and heritage of the Bridgefield Mill site at Project Colt in Elland. The artwork, currently on display, was created using discarded and waste product generated by the mill.
Over recent years, Serena has also worked as a Creative Project Assistant, a role which involved organising inclusive art events and curating exhibitions for the general public. Beyond her studio practice, Serena is a dedicated Creative Practitioner, facilitating inclusive CreArtive Workshops for established art organisations. Over the past three years, she has consistently led weekly art classes in diverse community settings, empowering participants to develop creative skills and confidence. Artwork from her sessions has been exhibited in prestigious galleries. Drawing on a background in community engagement, Serena is planning to start her Masters in Art Psychotherapy in January 2026, reflecting her commitment to the transformative power of art for individual and community well-being. Her artistic practice and facilitation work aim to spark dialogue, encourage self-expression, and foster a deeper connection with the world around us.