About Active Art
Ness became an Art Therapist several years after working in education as a P-12 teacher in Mildura as well as the Northern Territory.
Her first path was driven by wanting to understand more about the behaviours she was witnessing, as she knew the students she worked with each had a story to tell and underlying reasons for the specific behaviours that were witnessed.
Ness often used art when sitting with students and engaging as a form of communication. Many students she worked with spoke English as their second, third or fourth language.
The student were simply offered pencils, paper, textas or anything accessible, and wow…. Suddenly barriers were broken, tension was lifted and all individuals were able to communicate! Ness understood more about each individual, who they were, where they came from and their daily struggles.
After having children, starting Active Art & moving interstate, Ness worked at a beautiful local organisation where she formally became a Behaviour Specialist. Again she found art was a therapeutic tool she often used to form relationships and get to know the individuals she worked with. Between work and family life, Ness started offering well-being workshops to her local community where art was also used as the therapeutic tool.
From there it became obvious that she needed to further understand Art Therapy, how she could continue to use and understand it and how it might benefit those around her. Offering art in or as therapy is such a wonderful practice and Ness could not be happier that she took the plunge.
Ness went on to work as an Indigenous Mentor, Restorative Officer, Crisis Prevention Intervention Facilitator, Inclusion Online Facilitator and Behaviour Advisor for the Northern Territory Department of Education.
Active Art was founded in 2018 when Ness was a mother of three children under the age of five. Ness was inspired to share her love for creativity and art with local families as a way to help empower them to create with their young ones while juggling parenthood.
Ness’ journey is ever-growing and changing. She loves working one-on-one with clients and always looks forward to the next community program, workshop or school mental health forum to facilitate.
As an Art Therapist and facilitator Ness is able to work with all ages and abilities and design programs to suit specific needs.
The support, encouragement and feedback Ness continues to receive has been phenomenal, and she can’t wait to launch the Active Art school program in the near future.