Art inspires new confidence and opens up new opportunities

Last year Dimensions reported on a fantastic new pairing between Joe Dolan and his key worker Juliette, it seemed a good time to update the story.

Joe is an artist. Juliette is a former art teacher. Together the pair had visited numerous exhibitions around London. Recently, Joe had been invited to talk about his own work at event at The Royal Academy of Art.

The evening at The Royal Academy, in June 2018, a celebration for “disabled artists and creative people facing barriers accessing the art world to share their practise with others”, was a huge success. Joe was one of ten artists invited to speak. He gave a ten minute presentation with a ten slide PowerPoint that he had put together with Juliette’s support.

Joe said of the evening: “I kept dispassionate about things, to maintain clear and fluent speech about the slides that I was presenting before the audience.” 

Most excitingly of all, Joanna Wakefield, Arts Director of Arts St George’s was in the audience. Art’s St George’s is funded by the St George’s Hospital Charity. Joanna was so impressed by Joe and his work that Arts St George’s have offered him an exhibition in 2020. This is an amazing opportunity as 12,000 people visit the gallery within the hospital’s Ingredients Restaurant each week.

Juliette adds “I was really proud of Joe when he was invited to have his very first solo exhibition next year, it just goes to show if you keep on knocking the doors will open for you. He has done extremely well.”

Joe’s most recent piece is a three dimensional self-portrait sculpture, formed in brown clay in the style of a Roman bust which he has entered into The Ruth Borchard self-portrait competition.

Good luck Joe! We can’t wait to see it and to hear about your continuing success!

For more information about and to view Joe’s art visit https://www.outsidein.org.uk/J-K-dolan