THE South Australian Living Arts (SALA) festival is in full swing across the Playford region, with one Barossa art student providing a touch of colour to a suburban shopping centre.
Lyndoch resident Iraina Clayton needed to create a public art display for the placement component of her Art Therapy diploma, and she decided to recruit the help of Elizabeth locals to help make it a reality.
Miss Clayton’s ‘Peace Poles’ can be found outside the Elizabeth Rise Shopping Centre, which houses the Elizabeth Rise Community Centre – a hub for activities and social programs for local residents.
She said the poles – painted wooden posts from a Barossa winery – represent the meaning of “inner and outer peace”.
“It’s not just my vision, this wouldn’t have happened without the support of the wider community,” Miss Clayton said.
“I’m interested in Playford Council and working within the community.
“It’s nice to see everything come full circle after all the work I, and everyone involved, has put in.”
Miss Clayton hopes to use her art therapy diploma to provide an alternative treatment for people suffering from a wide range of physical and psychological conditions.
“Therapeutic arts is my passion and I believe promoting art’s therapeutic values is beneficial to individuals and the community,” she said.
“I know from my study and research being involved in the arts process, those individual conversations you have with people sees people leave with a smile on their faces.
“It has flow-on effects; good health stems from a good wellbeing.”
Miss Clayton has been in discussions with the shopping centre landlord about extending the project, providing artists and community members a chance to add their own interpretation of peace to the installation.
“Hopefully artists from around the community want to keep the project going, and in their own time and space contemplate what peace means to them,” she said.