(Image: from left to right: Yvonne, Renato, Sarah and Angela)

Three participants engaged with the Hackney IPS (Individual Employment Support) employment service took part in a community exhibition at grassroots community venue Well Space at the end of April.

The exhibition was curated by Employment Specialist, Sarah Smith, who wanted to provide an opportunity for the artists to showcase their work and engage the local community.

Renato started his full-time artist journey in 2018, while experiencing a decline in his general physical and mental health. He works primarily in painting inspired by surrealism, pop art, realism, modernism and abstract expressionism.

Yvonne graduated with a BA Hons Degree in Fashion Textiles from University of East London in September 2021, she previously studied for a degree in fashion design at the London College of Fashion but left this course. Yvonne would like to develop as a fashion or textile designer with a strong interest in sustainable clothing.  

Angela, as well as being a mum of four, has been trained in colour therapy, architecture, design and drawing. She is an experimental designer, exploring minimal design, often through zero waste.

Open daily each evening during the week, the exhibition culminated in a beautiful celebration evening with friends, family, local and clinicians. The event was supported by female-run Crate Brewery who kindly donated some beers, Core Arts who also provided refreshment and plant-based caterer Pea Shoot, some delicious canapés! Since the exhibition, Renato and Angela have applied to exhibit in Hackney Wick this summer and Yvonne is developing more designs, including clothes that she can sell and market.