Empowering Creativity : How Claro's support helped Jessi Hooper's exhibition shine.

Jessi Hooper, a Claro client and resident at one of our SIL supported properties, is a talented artist who recently hosted her first exhibition. After winning the 18-25 Glen Eira Youth Art Competition, Jessi was given the opportunity to hold a solo exhibition showcasing her work exclusively.

From her unique studio setup to the process of launching an exhibition, we asked Jessi to share her experiences and passion for art.

Getting the exhibition off the ground was a collaborative effort. Jessi’s support team, the council youth team and the art gallery staff provided invaluable support, helping Jessi determine how many paintings were needed, guiding her through the logistics, and offering encouragement throughout the process.

It was pretty cool overall to go from a year to 6 months, to a month, until it actually occurred, but it was also a bit scary. Definitely an experience I would like to do again though. 

~ Jessi Hooper ~

While Jessi doesn’t follow a strict schedule, she typically spends her weekends painting, depending on other commitments. Her shared home features a room that has been affectionately dubbed the “gaming room,” where she likes to store her artwork. Jessi enjoys the flexibility of working in this space or occasionally setting up at the kitchen table.

At McKinnon, the staff provide support to Jessi both physically and mentally by praising her artwork, commenting what amazing talent she has and that she has a very special gift. We have also displayed some of her paintings on the wall at McKinnon SDA, including purchasing a piece of her artwork in recognition of her talent and our way in supporting Jessi. When Jessi is having a bad day, the staff support and encourage Jessi to paint as this is her happy space. Making sure that she has all the equipment set up for her to paint.

~ Fili Bolgi, Claro VIC Accommodation Services Manager ~

Acrylic paint on canvas or canvas board is Jessi’s medium of choice. However, she also enjoys working with watercolours, especially since she teaches watercolour painting and art therapy. The art therapy sessions allow her to work with a variety of materials, including watercolours, clay, and scrapbooking, providing a well-rounded creative experience.

Jessi’s solo exhibition was a wonderful experience for the budding artist, and everyone involved is so proud of Jessi for her hard work, creativity and dedication. A testament to her talent – Jessi sold every single painting on display at the exhibition. Well done Jessi!