I was, I am, I will be; a Quiet Community Exhibition

We are so pleased to see our first quiet community project come together; because we all have a story, and every one of them deserves to be shared and heard.

What you’ll find at the ‘I was, I am, I will be’ exhibition, are the stories of those of us who once preferred to remain hidden, stay small and fearfully avoid attention. We’re telling our tales of feeling socially anxious, believing we’re not enough or worthy of belonging, and ‘protecting’ ourselves by withdrawing and staying silent.

Over the last 6 months, us ‘quiet ones’ have been coming together at Quiet Connections groups in Camborne (now moved to Heartlands in Pool), Falmouth & Truro to reflect on our ‘I was, I am, I will be’; getting curious about our thoughts, exploring ways to mindfully experience our emotions and self-care, and practising openness and self-acceptance through expressing our internal worlds with art, craft and creativity – all of which you’ll see at the exhibition! Together, we’ve stretched our comfort zones by gently trying new things, genuinely connected with friendship, and grown our confidence.

People from all walks of life got involved within the project and came along to the get-togethers; from university students, stay-at-home parents, those working, seeking out employment, and retired; younger and older generations, males and females, those who avidly create and make, to those who haven’t exercised their artistic creativity in years, all having a go and enjoying the process.

The development of ‘I was, I am, I will be‘ at the groups…

What can you expect to see at the exhibition?

• Thoughtful collages exploring individual ideas around mindfulness, self-care and self-acceptance. We loved that these were made during collage sessions led by one of the community group members, Julie 💙
• Beautiful poetry that seeks out feelings of growing confidence (with many references to nature!)
• Storytelling crochet that connects you heart to heart (or hand to hand, shall we say) to personal experiences through audio
• Expressive paintings revealing abstract emotions and our inner worlds
• Interactive wall tapestry weaving together the normality of feelings to show that ‘We’re all in this together’
• And so much more…

Setting up the exhibition…

What difference did this project make to those involved?

(…and being a part of our quiet community at the groups!)

“Meeting new people who understand how I feel, and not feeling judged. Feeling able to step outside of my comfort zone creatively.” – Group Member from Quiet Connections Pool

It’s always a pleasure watching people grow their confidence and stretch their comfort zones in so many different ways! Through attending our groups and taking part in this project, the individuals involved have experienced an 81% increase in feeling more self-accepting, and an 76% increase in feeling more connected to others. 80% also found that the creative activities supported them with stretching their comfort zones, feeling willing to try something new and have a go, mindfully explore their thoughts, feelings and emotions, and through practising interaction at the groups, found their social abilities had increased.

It’s true what they say – a little goes a long way.

The ‘I was, I am, I will be’ exhibition…

The ‘I was, I am, I will be’ exhibition, is now open for viewing at the Museum of Cornish Life, Helston, until June 1st 2019. The Museum is open Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, with free entry. (This exhibition has now closed)

Delivered in partnership with The Museum of Cornish Life, Portheden, Joining Dots, and Big Lottery Awards for All

So, with embraced imperfections and unpolished finishes (just like all of us) we now invite you in to share this ongoing journey with us, and perhaps, explore your own story too…

Join the Quiet Community to find out about groups in your local area.