Sparkling jacket wins Te Ara Korowai creative category
It’s bright, it’s colourful and it sparkles.
Te Ara Korowai has won the creative category of Pimp My Jacket, a competition organised by MIX Wellbeing Centre in Lower Hutt for their bright and fun pimped up jacket.
The competition in its third year, attracted 96 entries this year, with 66 of those entering the creative category.
The Pimp My Jacket competition is about bringing people together through creativity and celebrating the value of creativity to support mental wellbeing.
It’s about raising awareness of the creative skills of those going through tough times rather than focusing on the negative labels often attributed to them.
Along with Te Ara Korowai, Avalanche Inclusive Band from The Shed Project also represented Ka¯ piti by performing and entertaining guests at the event.
“This year Pimp My Jacket just caught everybody’s attention,” said Te Ara Korowai’s Shona Mcneil.
“It got too big for The Dowse and was held at the Events Centre in Lower Hutt.
“The whole thing was so good, all the jackets were fantastic.”
Te Ara Korowai’s jacket was a collaborative effort with over 40 members creating a mandala design that was sown onto the jacket.
Surprised with their win, their other entry entered into the nature category took longer to create with layers upon layers creating a picture of Ka¯ piti’s coastline complete with a seagull and ice cream. In the end the simple but eyecatching design, finished off with feathered cuffs captured the judges attention.
It will be displayed to the public at Flux, the community space at the Wellington Museum during Mental Health Awareness Week as part of a joint exhibition with Kapiti’s The Shed Project, MIX and Vincent’s Art Workshop.
Taking place from Monday October 8 to Sunday October 14, the jacket will be on display with Te Ara Korowai’s Tree of Life along with more artwork such as paintings by members of The Shed Project.
The exhibition is presented by Creative Spaces who operate throughout New Zealand for people facing tough times and mental health challenges to have a safe supportive space that people can be creative and empowered and get rid of the labels.
“Open from 10am to 5pm.
Come and see wellbeing in action, empowerment through creativity.