Children are Love /So Long and Thanks for All the Fish
Children are Love CHILDren are LOvE CHILDREN ARE LOVE
In that we have all been children and continue to be children, no matter our perceived/alleged physical age, which is a
construct anyway. Some of us children receive love and know it and can give it too. If our cup is full and not empty.
Some and indeed all of us at one time after another, in our own time, after catching a few fish, exit and hopefully have
received the life, the love and the grace and can laugh at the end and say;
“So Long and Thanks for All The Fish”
Written Story *6
Warrior of Light
This is how he wished to be and was also. The far gazing eyes of visions of a better world where humane beings become
aware of their own power to create, to ascend, to live in service and kindness. To protect to nurture. That even our thoughts
have wings, that we are fluid, limitless, that even watching or listening to violent imaginary stories is harmful, to our psyche and
our potential. Please Listen.
Sigrid E A van Krieken
Tryptich
The Red Thread Tryptich represents both connection and disconnection. The duality of that while we are connected to all of existence and each
other, we are also seperate beings. With our own identity, thoughts, ideas, feelings, experiences and existence. We may have
these invisible red threads that bind and we may also at times need to untangle or untie them to be authentically ourselves, to
be free to hold our own part of the thread and not lose ourselves all together. The word Boundaries comes to mind. Let the
boundary not be so rigid that no-one can reach you and not so flexible that your own sense of self is lost.
This is easier said than done, we are taught to conform, to follow rules, to obey.
In all this where are YOU? Who are YOU? Do YOU know YOURSELF?
Many philosophers throughout the ages have asked this question. This is Your foundation, a strong knowledge of self, in all your
entirety. Your reach stretches beyond your physical self and in fact it is possible to extend as far as the heavens. Vibes are
really a thing. Your thoughts matter, the nature of your thoughts, the nature of your words, the nature of your very BE-ing.
YOUR INTENTION IS YOUR FREQUENCY.
Sigrid E A van Krieken
You are Loved
These are Antoni’s words, his expression, his feeling, his aspiration. If you could be anyone or anything you wanted to be, what
would you put first? and yes, he loved driving and drifting and mountain biking, and dirt bikes too and thought himself
invincible. And Yeah, F*ck Yes he loved fishing too!
What happened to the young men and women and LBTQI who did love life and knew of what fun it could be and yet chose to
leave early> are we asking them? How is what we create in our capitalist systems, our hierarchical and still patriarchal systems
failing them? CAN WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION PLEASE?
Sigrid E A van Krieken
Violence & Abuse in the Home Kills Children
I came to the canvas with one idea to shine a light on a difficult subject that is not often talked about, and no, the painting is not comfortable or easy to look at. I hope to shine a light on the fact that Violence in the home kills children.
That children who witness violence or who may be targets themselves experience childhood trauma. This has an effect on their development, their brain structure and more. This may not be noticed during their early years and could begin to surface during later stages of development such as the teenage years and as young adults.
Some may develop feelings of being worthless, have difficulty in socialising and a whole range of issues that all stem from the same source. Witnessing violence in what is supposed to be a safe space, a nurturing space and where a child is meant to be encouraged to grow and realise their own innate sense of self.
What is not identified is the amount of children who grow into their teen years having experienced the confusion of seeing one parent being abused by the other, some try to protect this parent and risk being targeted by the abusive parent. In this family dynamic they can experience the dynamic of systematic psychological abuse where there is also differing treatments toward the siblings where the abuser treats one as the golden child, while another is the scapegoat.
All children need unconditional love and acceptance from their parental figures and for some if this does not happen, despite trying so hard to please. They may try other ways of being and feeling accepted. Sometimes the pain is too great, the mental health system may fail them or fail to address the cause.
This means that some fall through the cracks and much to shame of our society where still not enough is done to stop this abuse. Statistically the amount of women and children that are killed is horrific. What we also fail to see is the number of young people who choose to end their own lives after witnessing abuse or from the effects of abuse towards themselves.
Sigrid E A van Krieken
Safe Haven
"My bed is my safe space
A safe place
There I create worlds
of calm and magic
Hovering are my screams
my pain
There are many dimensions of me
intertwined always"
E Walker
Girl Power
Dear "Girl Power,"
Your vibrant symbol of feminist anarchy radiates strength and defiance. You call for greater power to women, challenging patriarchal barriers. In your bold hues, you echo the voices of trailblazers, inspiring us to champion gender equality and embrace the transformative force of "Girl Power."
E Walker
Shattered refuge
In my childhood room, I remember my own father’s hands intruding on me, an unwelcomed stain on my innocence. Now, standing in this room, I confront the shadows of my past, seeking healing in its familiar corners. It was meant to be my safe place, somewhere to turn to when the world was bitter but the scars that I suffered in my shattered refuge run deep, hidden from the world that I was supposed to be sheltered from. Yet I refuse to succumb to the hushed echoes that surround me, I find strength and resilience in the memory of my past, reclaiming my voice from the very echoes that stole it from me.
My beautiful mother was always warm, always caring, always listening, her kindness gave me the confidence to speak up and my dad, although not of blood, showed me the safety and kindness of a true father, he gave me the closure I needed to ask for help.
Nissa Smith
Fragile
In attempt to protect yourself from those who hope to harm you, you hide away with the delicate beauty that is expected of a lady, only as hard as you may try to push it down, these scars will always start to come through to the surface, like delicate porcelain, eventually it will shatter.
Nissa Smith
Oh, that’s a big red flag.
“You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.” I’m overreacting again. It’s me.
“That’s not nice.” I’m the problem – I need to change.
The degrading comments, the violence, the control. It doesn’t seem threatening. I’m scared. It doesn’t worry me. Oh wait, yes it does.
“I thought if I made you…” No. It’s not me. It’s you.
Remembering back – Oh, that was all a big red flag.
Allison Winters
Coming to get you.
Allison Winters
A meditation on healing.
The healing of our wounds is no lovely Fall-leaved walk or sweet swim in a Summer lake.
The terrain may be unsettling, unrelenting, untravelled, resisting advance.
Unbearable.
Our feet calloused in order to bear the broken glass we once walked upon;
our baby-body longing for a touch that didn't come, recoiling from the one that did.
And the starts and stops, the findings and losings - so many moments we thought we had arrived,
only to look out and see a storm of relationship, or illness, or wild emotion in the distance.
We close our eyes begging denial to have it move further out to sea,
but we can't fool ourselves for long.
The dream of safety will have to wait for another day.
Yes there are allies along the way,
not only the ones that try to kill you,
but the ones of fellow travelers who bear a true ear
or carry an ancient map that they have learned to read.
Or maybe even a tree, a rock, or a river that reminds you of the home you seek.
And hopefully
there are rest stops where we step away from the diet of our heroic efforts
and share a crust of bread or a tender embrace.
But this I know for sure:
Regardless of any pilgrim's progress on this most serious of tasks,
the moment you reveal the wound to another, the dove inside your chest flies from its cage.
And perhaps at this first gesture, the beginners mind of the healers journey,
the lover in you is born.
- David Bedrick
https://www.davidbedrick.com/
J Mitchell
Oh, that’s a big reThe Reckoning -
Reclamation Seriesd flag.
The gradual erosion from gaslighting and abuse eats away at the core, until without warning, you find yourself to be an empty shell trying to simply exist & survive.
Here we sit on the edge with death. Emotionally, at the soul level, and very likely physically.
The most precious gift you can give a victim of family violence is connection & kindness.
To know someone is there to reach out to.Someone to validate your experience.Someone to advocate for you or to give a connection to reality.
Connection can be a powerful catalyst to spark hope.
Reach out – hold her hand and see the impact that connection can create.
J Mitchell
The Rumble - Reclamation Series
With a spark of hope ignited and the glimmers of clarity, life force starts to rise up from the depths of her womb, the rumble is audible. Realising death is lingering, the urge to fight for life surges from the depths of the soul.
For some, it may take multiple attempts to rise, others will find the determination early.
There was a primal roar within which drives a victim to reach to their inner resources at depths that they never knew they had in order to create safety for themselves and their children.
Victims have to draw on everything they have to find courage, bravery and tenacity. Even bedrock becomes a new strength.
J Mitchell
The Rising - Reclamation Series
I am one of the fortunate ones.
To leave.
To gain independence, autonomy & a voice over my body, finances, and my choices. Safety for a child.
I pause to remember those who have not.And the many who have lost their lives.
While I left 15 years ago, the abuse has continued through shared parenting.
With sheer determination, tenacity, courage, and self compassion, I have been able to heal. I continue to heal. Not only for myself; healing for the next generations.
Healing, I’ve learned, is a lifelong journey.
J Mitchell
Autum Colours of a Bruise
Skin deep, a bruise has many colours. Your hurt can be covered up, concealing the damage. It's as if you carry the weight of the world in silence, afraid to expose your wounds through your voice. But let me remind you that beneath the surface, you hold a resilient beauty. Your strength shines through the Autumn colors, embodying the spirit of survival and healing.
You are not defined by your bruises, for your worth goes far beyond any pain you endure.
Helen
Blue
Masked and wired shut. Your hurt, anger, shame and damage is like a rolling sea inside of you. Hidden and trapped behind a façade that you present to the world.
Helen
Love in a war zone
Your family home was a war zone, there was no time for love. Not for you, only for mum.
Helen
Pieces of Me
You are made of many parts; you are fractured into pieces. Broken but appearing whole. You show us what you want us to see. I know you don’t want to expose yourself; I need you to take one step from behind your mask, and then you can get the help you desperately need.
Helen
Wounds
A bandaid will fix it, your hurts can be patched up with a quick fix. Although inside-behind the mask- the hurt runs deep. If only the world could hear your cry for help.
Helen
Metamorphoses
Metamorphoses is the process to completely change character, appearance, or condition. This artwork portrays the transformation from victim to survivor, to warrior. This transition is a significant milestone on the journey of healing and recovery, it is not linear, and setbacks are almost inevitable.
For a caterpillar to become a butterfly, no steps can be skipped to make the process go faster. Chamomile flowers, seen in this artwork, can withstand and survive through harshness, they represent fresh beginning or growth from grief.
There are different obstacles and barriers throughout the journey. It can be uncomfortable, tough, painful, and at times, overwhelming. Our warriors continue to survive and to grow despite the darkness.
Ee Min
Holding Pattern
This series of poems was written over several years before, during and
after I came to terms with my own experiences of family violence and
child sexual abuse. My perpetrator was one of my primary caregivers.
This meant I was never safe and so my brain did some exceptional
things to protect me. Dissociative amnesia (memories missing) and
suppressed reality created cognitive/emotional dissonance (not
thinking things even though my body was feeling them, or both
knowing and not knowing things at the same time). These are not
uncommon responses to trauma. You will notice some of the poems
seem unclear or take steps backwards, this is healing from trauma -
not linear and fuelled by a drive to be safe, reach justice and have my
own voice.
Often healing means things getting worse before better. I share my story in the hope others won’t feel alone and be a part of shifting a
culture of silence. I have always been trying to heal, always trying to pull the pieces together, but I took a leap in mid-2019 when I started work as a psychotherapist in the family violence sector and moved in with my little brother. The veil started to drop with the things I learned from my work, and the safety built with my sibling, however, regular contact with my perpetrator meant I was not able to fully come to terms with my experiences. In late 2020 an abusive relationship ended. It took me time to realise the harm but as I did, I recognised the familiarities from my childhood and recognise harm more clearly. In mid-2021 a family member’s disclosure gave me hope that not all family would reject me for speaking out. I cut contact. It was a tremendous relief but also a time of grief, resurfacing memories, nightmares, and other post trauma symptoms. I continued to grow carving out my values, accepting kindness from others, setting new boundaries, and learning to care for all of myself, including the parts that were hurt. I believe that the world can be better. I want to thank all the people who love me, especially my sibling, mum, aunt, chosen family and the wonderful community who show me kindness, including my wonderful and talented colleagues.
Rhys
"Help" – Mending the Unfixable
Dear "Help,"
I sense the invisible walls you've built, the façade of perfection you meticulously maintain. Your love and devotion have been a shield, covering for him, making excuses, and standing by his side through it all. But my heart aches for you, for the toll it takes to bear this burden alone, hidden behind the illusion of happiness.
Let me be the one to tell you that you don't need to carry this weight. You cannot fix what is beyond repair. It is not your responsibility to mend someone who breaks you in the process.
Step back from the chaos, look within and find the strength to save yourself. We will be waiting for you.
Kelly Ann
"Unfair" - Ignite Your Fire Wisely
Dear "Unfair,"
You are a fierce blaze of frustration, raging against the injustice you've endured.
Your anger is justified, but he has cunningly wielded it against you, using it as a weapon to maintain control. It's time to reclaim your power and redirect that fiery energy into smart, strategic actions.
Take a deep breath and remember your strength. You don't have to play into his hands or react impulsively. Focus on empowering yourself with knowledge and resources to navigate this difficult path.
Kelly Ann
"Trapped" - Caged Radiance
"Trapped" - Caged Radiance
Dear "Trapped,"
Behind the wires that silence your voice, there shines an inner beauty that cannot be extinguished. You are not defined by the chains that bind you, for your spirit glows with resilience.
He has cunningly isolated you from friends and family, cutting off your support system. He wields control over your access to money, leaving you trapped in his web of power. But let me be the voice that whispers hope in the darkness.
Though it may seem impossible, there are those who can help you find a way out. You are not alone in this fight.
Kelly
"Warrior" - A Lifetime of Strength
Dear "Warrior,"
I see the echoes of countless generations—the women who came before you, caught in the same unforgiving trap, enduring a lifetime of beatings and abuse. You have carried the weight of their pain, their sacrifices, and their resilience.
You have weathered storms that could have broken even the mightiest of souls. Your children, once your solace, have now flown from the nest, leaving you alone with the one who has caused you so much pain. The years of sacrifice have left you weary, but they have also honed the spirit of a fighter within you. Yet, here you stand.
Your journey is not over yet. There is still time to reclaim your life.
Kelly