Chapter 10 Content

The structured sensory art project created a responsive studio environment for its artists to work in. The rigs that the artists used to paint with were made out of pendulums designed to entice interaction with shape, colour and texture. In the lower picture you can see Zac's rig has been lit with UV light against a dark matt background to support him in being able to visually identify it. As well as the responsiveness of the rigs the responsiveness of the facilitators was critical to the success of the project. This was supported with mindfulness practice at the start of studio sessions.

Truro Cathedral's chalice is a sensory object laden with meaning, made from the melted down jewellery donations from parishioners and set with the gemstones from those donations. It is cold to the touch, heavy against the hands, it shines and twinkles in the light, and you could even drink from it.

The numinous tent was simply a strip of satin fabric brought from a rummage bin, looped onto four black plumber's pipes. It was lightweight enabling it to be hung from a single point if required. It created a space with a sense of privacy.

Using a pop sock to support a Sensory Being to grip and safely explore a tactile resource can be a great way to support Sensory Beings who might not be able to grip an object or who may throw it or try to eat it. Of course this is not a substitute for supervision. Here Mya is exploring a resource independently whilst being supported by people watching to make sure her explorations are safe.

The Equal Justice Initiative's community remembrance project has very kindly allowed me to share these images from their work. Here we see people collecting soil from the site of a lynching.

In connecting with this soil people connect with the reality of what happened to the victims. Having something tangible to connect with, like the soil, helps Linguistic Beings to engage as well as Sensory Beings.

The sight of all the jars of soil brings home the reality of the racial prejudice experienced across America.

This sparkly jangling cloth is a wonderful sensory-being resource, it is intended for use as a wrap by belly dancers. Sensory Being Consultant Chloe loved its response to her movements, she was able to process this response through her sense of touch, her sense of sight and her sense of hearing a wonderful mix of stimulation from one simple item.

Ben and Steve explore the stars in the sensorium

Steve Hollingsworth worked with Ben as a part of the Artlinks project. Ben explained to Steve that he enjoys high pitched sounds. Steve looked for naturally occurring high pitched sounds and found them in the births and deaths of stars. He created an immersive sensory space which Ben can navigate using eyegaze technology listening to the sounds of stars as he goes.