Rent, Buy or Own
Painting a brighter future
- Helen Williams (left) and Rukman Wagachchi (right) admire some of Helen's latest paintings
By Linda Port
The bright bursts of colour on the wall at the Ponsonby Work and Income office are the handiwork of Helen Williams, a Freemans Bay Housing New Zealand tenant.
Helen, who displays her work under the name of Aurora Matteson, shared her goal of supporting herself and her two young children from the proceeds of her art with Rukman Wagachchi, her Work and Income Case Manager.
Lorraine Brooks, Manager at Ponsonby Work and Income service centre, wanted to display Helen's works at their office.
"It's the first time we've done this," said Lorraine. "But it is something we will encourage others to do in the future."
Helen's interest in art dates back to her college days when she remembers interviewing artist Sylvia Siddell, herself a mother with young children, by telephone for a school art project.
"She spoke about doing her artwork in between loads of washing and housework," said Helen, who now finds herself working in a similar way, fitting her art in between housework and parenting.
With encouragement and assistance from Work and Income, she completed a Certificate in Visual Arts at the Manukau Institute of Technology.
"This proved a launch pad for my painting. I spend about 20 to 30 hours a week painting, sometimes burning the midnight oil to do this. It's really good, quite uplifting really," said Helen.
Last year Helen was particularly pleased to be asked to provide artwork to complement a jewellery display by a friend at the Fashion Week Exhibition.
Helen is pleased about the encouragement she has received from Rukman and Lorraine who are helping plan her artistic future with suggestions such as business plans.
