Colour sense takes over

AN ART exhibition featuring work from people with Parkinson’s disease was held in Moorabbin last month.
The exhibition called A Walk Through Art was opened by Australia’s Ambassador for Ageing Noeline Brown and ran from 28 March until 30 March.
It featured art works by participants of Painting with Parkinson’s Groups across Australia.
The event was organised by Victorian Painting with Parkinson’s founder Anne Atkin, who runs sessions at The Old Cheese Factory every Wednesday.
Ms Atkin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s nine years ago and began Painting with Parkinson’s in 2006.
Ms Atkin said Parkinson’s can bring out one’s inner creativity.
“It’s the colours… people with Parkinson’s develop an amazing sense of colour. It’s as if the movement part of the brain slows down and the creative part takes off,” Ms Atkin said.
Ms Atkin said the group was important as it was therapeutic as well as a great opportunity to socialise.
She said most people in the group did not have an artistic background before joining, but still find the class enjoyable.
A study done on members of Painting with Parkinson’s groups by Dr Simon Knowles from Swinburne University in 2007 showed that painting with Parkinson’s workshop sessions were effective in increasing participants’ levels of optimism.
Painting with Parkinson’s meets every Wednesday morning at The Old Cheese Factory from 10am until noon. For more information contact Anne Atkin on 0409 188 317.
The exhibition, along with the establishment of several new Painting with Parkinson’s groups across Victoria, has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.