About this Short Film
Creative Spark, a 2016 documentary by Q Art Gallery from Australia, offers an intimate look at Q Art Studio and gallery, where artists who have various disabilities develop distinctive styles and bring work to the public. Through interviews and studio footage we see the creative process—from layered ink and collage to bold colour and fine detail—alongside everyday banter, friendships and the satisfaction of selling work in the High Street gallery. The film’s tone is relaxed, celebratory and grounded, privileging artists’ voices and perspectives rather than medicalised narratives. Audiences will gain insight into diverse artistic approaches, studio practice and community, making it a thoughtful, person-centred portrait suited to the Focus on Ability festival.
Film Details
Film Transcript
One of the exciting things about the Q Art Studio is that the artists have a different view of the world and they express it very differently in their art. Each artist has this way of looking at it. Some are really naive, some are sort of with designs and colour bursts. Other people are precise and detailed. But it's all in that—it's the way that they see the world.
My name is Kitty. My artwork, I think, is very intricate, very optimistic about the whole colour contrast and the shading of the artwork as well. Entertaining. It looks absolutely brilliant.
I'm Jan Rowlinson and I'm the manager of Q Art. Q Art Studio is a professional studio, so we employ artists with artistic abilities. The artists come from various backgrounds. They have various disabilities and they all are united by their love of art.
Hi, I'm Jordan. I've been drawing since I can remember. Just looking at the canvas inspires me to have all those opportunities to think, "What could I do with this canvas?"
I'm Reeve King. I'm me. (Laughter) As a kid I'd always have a pencil and a piece of paper and I figured out, "Oh, I can do something with this. Okay, let's see what I can do."
My name is Sarah. The first thing that we did is we painted the canvas. Then I cut and rolled up papers and glued them onto the canvas, and then we painted the beads and we call it the seaweed, the coral—what it's like under the water of the sea.
Sometimes I might not be happy with it, so I try and fix it until I get it right. That actually was quite a big build-up of layers. I would have started off with one layer of ink for the backdrop, then I would have gone over that with a layer of stars, and then I would have gone over that with another layer of ink, and what that does is give a lot of depth to it.
The studio in which we work is the most wonderful, nurturing, inspirational environment. You walk in the door and there's hard work because they do work hard. But there's also a lot of fun, a lot of chatting. There's wonderful friendships that are formed. So this becomes their family, a big artistic family.
My name is Tara. I'm an artist and I work with beautiful, loving people in here. Tiffany always makes everyone laugh around the studio.
My name is Tiffany McBroom. Famous artist. (Laughter) A lot of good friends here. I do watercolour pencils and paints and—sell, sell, sell! Everybody, hold on, I want to tell you something. I've got great news. A painting has just sold in the gallery—Tiffany's painting. (People cheering)
Once the artwork is finished we take it to the Q Art gallery, which is in High Street, and it goes on show and is sold to the public. Our shop had to start on any night they were sold. Very, very happy because I know that I'm not the only one that loves my work. I know that someone else loves it even more than I do. It showed me that even if you have a disability, you have a creative mind with artistic skills and it shows that we artists can do more than our limitations. Yeah.
Filmmaker
Q Art Gallery is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Q Art Gallery.
Great art work Sarah is awesome
I would like to quote a couple of statements from this if that is OK as Im interested in art and am doing some research about art. I am excited about the work you are all doing and hope that the artists with disabilities in my area can see this too. I'll forward the link to them. Thanks very much.
You are all inspirational and talented individuals. Jan you and the team do such a great job Keep up the fantastic work and I look forward to seeing you all again soon when I'm next in Melbourne