2023 Art Exhibition
Welcome to Townsville Private Clinic's 2023 Art Exhibition – “Awareness, Belonging, Connection”
To celebrate the Mental Health Month’s 2023 theme of “Awareness, Belonging, Connection”, Townsville Private Clinic invited past and present Townsville Private Clinic artists to participate in the online Art Exhibition.
Artwork submissions
This year, TPC staff have also been invited to contribute, although these entries will not be eligible to win prizes.
Artwork entries close 22 September 2023. Artwork will be displayed on this page from 29 September 2023.
Voting and Prizes
There are 2 prizes up for grabs:
- People's Choice Award: $200 Spotlight voucher
- Art Director’s Choice Award: $100 Spotlight voucher
Voting for the People's Choice Award will
- open on Saturday 7 October 2023
- close Thursday 26 October 2023
Winner announcements and art exhibition date
Winners will be contacted, and announced via our social pages on Monday 30 October 2023
Art Exhibition afternoon tea and prize presentations on Thursday 2 November 2023.
Exhibition Entries
1. Matt Lewis
2. Patricia Conaghan
3. Ryan Mills - 1
4. Deborah Ayres
5. ANON 1
6. Andrew McDonald - description
6. Andrew McDonald
7. Maddie Hamilton
8. Deborah Ayres - 1
9. Deborah Ayres - 2
10. Deborah Ayres - 3
11. Deborah Ayres - 4
12. Deborah Ayres - 5
13. Deborah Ayres - 6
14. Lisa Carnegie
15. Ryan Mills - 2
16. Ryan Mills - 3
17. Ryan Mills - 4
18. Ryan Mills - 5
19. Ryan Mills - 6
20. Ryan Mills - 7
21. Ryan Mills - 8
23. Rebecca Coppo
24. Katrina Norris
25. Zachary Leonardi - 1
26. Zachary Leonardi - 2
27. Zachary Leonardi - 3
28. Natalie Sawyer - 1
29. Natalie Sawyer - 2
30. Helen Pace
31. ANON 2
32. Willow Brinin
33. Willow Brinin & Marissa Battaglini
34. Ryan Mills - 9
Women's Wellbeing Group
Poetry Entries
Family Ties – Georgia Smith
If you had told me growing up that family wasn’t everything, I probably would have just laughed and told you, you were wrong.
See, as I was growing up, I was taught that Family is the most important thing there is.
Family are the only ones who truly care for you; why would anyone else?
Family are the only ones who truly know you. They’re the ones who taught you everything you know and formed who you are.
Family is all you need; Family will always love you (right?)
Growing up you create this pedestal in your mind where Family sits right at the top like some Godly form where they will always sit and have seemed to remain seated.
This pedestal is the norm for me. Family above everything as they say. Maybe it’s a comfort thing. Maybe it’s a control thing. I just grew up thinking it was the right thing. Because they love me, right?
As you grow, they see changes in you that they didn’t plan. This makes them uncomfortable. They feel vulnerable at the loss of control. They feel as though you’ve broken the rules they’ve drilled deep into your mind from birth.
You can’t have your own opinions without it causing them to distance themselves. Theres no point having an opinion when they’ve already got one there waiting for me.
You can’t express your emotions on a certain topic without it being shut down. “That’s not how we taught you to feel”.
You can’t talk about your struggles without feeling their disappointment under your skin. “that’s not the happy girl I know.”
What’s the point in arguing with them? They know me, they know who I should be, how I should act. Why question that? Right?
I guess distance isn’t always a bad thing.
It allows us to grow and become our own people.
We get the chance to experience our life through our own lenses.
We get to experience the struggles.
We can form our own beliefs and morals based on our own experiences.
We can learn that there’s other points of view and that maybe what we were taught we don’t fully agree with.
But family is important. They’re the only ones who truly care. They’re the ones who know me. Right?
So, despite the distance, I can’t push back.
I can’t argue even if I don’t agree with what they’re saying.
I can’t tell them my struggles.
I can’t tell them I need medication to cope with these emotions they drilled into my head.
I can’t tell them I’m depressed.
I can’t tell them I want to die.
I can’t step off this path they’ve painted for me.
I can’t disappoint them.
This wasn’t what they planned.
“Your family will always love you”.
Right?
Faces - Georgia Smith
Do you ever just look in the mirror and think who the hell is that?
Because same.
The decision each morning to decide what mask to wear today is exhausting.
Which mask is the better choice? What one do people want?
Maybe if I just stay home then I can remain the empty vessel I feel I am. Hidden like I’m playing hide and seek but no one is trying to find me.
But that’s ok. At least I can be myself?
Now that’s the issue. Who am I?
I know I’m an older sister.
I learnt that early on from my experiences with taking on big responsibilities from such a young age.
My “Older sister” mask is on whilst holding my sisters through their heartbreaks and struggles knowing that the only thing, I can worry about at that moment is them.
I could be bleeding out and still need to make sure those 2 girls are ok.
I know I’m a daughter.
My parents do everything in their power for us girls to feel cared for and happy.
So, I can’t tell them how I feel.
That I’m constantly on edge worrying my mask could slip at any moment revealing the emptiness I feel deep inside.
I can’t let them feel as though their hard work and constant love hasn’t paid off.
I know I’m a friend. Well, I think I am.
I can allow my mask to slip a little when I’m with them.
But not too much!
They can know I get sad but not that I’m depressed.
They can know I have bad thoughts but not that I want to act on them.
That will make them worry.
I can’t have that.
I wont cause that.
I can’t be the cause of someone else’s pain.
If I can save them from this persistent pain and feeling of emptiness, then I will. And I’ll do anything I can to keep it that way.
So, every morning I head to the mirror and ask myself.
“What face is it today?”
Unsigned – TRP Group
We can only fix ourselves, I know it’s far and seems so hard.
I know the future will be exactly what I need to see!
Before the wars, I had no walls.
Found myself inside, with no way to see over or around.
So I picked myself up one brick at a time, seeking searching to see above ground.
From peace and stability, to violence and death.
I continue to chase and continue to test.
Find my boundaries and feel again my heart, my purpose, my love for life.
It scared my soul that trust will die and I will end my life behind the wall.
When people believe in Jesus and you’ve been god.
The horrors, kills are slowly feeling to fade.
I trust my hope my love my life will lift me high, to stay alive.
To find myself, my humanity inside when I thought it dead.
My passion, my heart will always be one. Always remembering the good things I’ve done.