Exploring the Art of Occupation

Art

At times I feel I don’t have the time to get creative, but Art and Photography in-particularly are my favourite occupations to engage in. Here are just a few examples of my work

My Right Foot

The Right Foot

This Piece of work was exhibited at the TEWV ARTs 1 in 4 Journeys exhibition in Middlesbrough Oct 2013. It is a reflection of my journey coming to terms with how my disability makes me feel.

  • I wish I would were these all day.
  • Duvet Day
  • A tight fit but the only shoes that I can tolerate.
  • Swimming helps with pain
  • A tight spasm day
  • A need to rest day
  • I wish I could wear Dr Martin’s again
  • The velcro Shoes I had to wear after I broke the right leg, hated these shoes.
  • A good day – less swelling

Foot Days

I have explored this more over time, these pieces show how my foot determine my what sort of day I’m having.

Bin

This was a project looking at what goes on in every day life.

Kite

I love attending workshops. This is an image of a kite I made. There is something freeing about i.

I was admitted to Hospital April 2020 and spend over a year in Hospital recovering from Covid and Pancreatitis. During this time I did a lot of mindfulness colouring in. Here is a small selection.

Recently I have been re exploring Photography with a Polaroid Camera, I love the Instance of them, and experimenting with the different films and exposures.

Hello my name is

Ms Rachel Booth-Gardiner

Hello and welcome to my blog! Since 2013, I have been writing about topics that are important to me. My blogs often centre around my personal experiences with disability, neurodiversity and my job as an Occupational Therapist.

I began my career in Occupational Therapy in 2000 as an assistant in a mental health hospital. I graduated from Teesside University in 2006 and have accumulated 20 years of experience working in Acute, Rehabilitation, and Forensic mental health settings.

I’m active within the wider Occupational Therapy community, with voluntary roles including; Chair of The RCOT Northern and Yorkshire Committee, and founding member of AbleOTUK a network and advocacy group for Occupational Therapy staff and students with lived experiences of  Disabilities and or Long Term Health Conditions.

Acknowledgment – The blogs posted on this website are personal opinion piece, based on thoughts and ideas about my own lived experience, writing is an occupation that helps me make sense of my thoughts and ideas. I acknowledge these may not be shared by others, and respect peoples rights to have, different even conflicting ideas.

I’m #MadeByDyslexia – expect creative thinking & creative spelling

Let’s connect

https://www.instagram.com/ot_rach

@ot_rach

Recent posts