Collaborative Work
Some of my publications,
exhibitions, talks and features
Reframing Autism's Podcast (RE)FRAMED, has been created to center our stories, share our knowledge and contribute to conversations impacting Autistic people, our community and our children.
In our own words, we are framing, and re-framing, our stories!
Angelique Joy (They/Them) is Reframing Autism’s Community Educator and our (RE)FRAMED podcast host!
Angelique is a late-identified Autistic person and the parent of two young-adult Autistic and multiply neurodivergent people.
Along with being our Community Educator and podcast host, they are also an advocate, artist and creative researcher – currently a PhD candidate at RMIT investigating, in part, the ways in which Neuroqueer people positively mediate their experiences of the world through technology along with interrogating divergent modes of care, their creative research is key part of their ongoing advocacy.
Agenda aims to question and challenge current understandings and practices of gender relations. We contribute to the development of new knowledge about how gender relations can be transformed. In particular, they contribute to the development of women and their capacity to organise themselves, reflect on their experiences and write about this.At the forefront of feminist publishing in South Africa for over 20 years, the Agenda journal raises debate, probes, questions, challenges and critiques understandings of gender and feminism in its broad and complex diversity. Agenda prides itself on being at the cutting edge of feminist debate and gender analysis, and the journal provides readers with a fresh, challenging, stimulating and thought-provoking read.
Abstract
This perspective draws from my insights in advocacy and therapeutic practice as an African art therapist in Australia. Along with my own positionalities, I have often been involved specifically producing projects related to LGBTIQA + people, migrant communities, First Nations people and other minoritised people in advocacy work. As a therapist, it is not only necessary to be attentive to the ways intersectionality operates as it relates to people who are frequently framed as ‘complex’ and diverse’, these locations and the often pathologising framework of our positions are amplified by where and how neurodiversity is understood for people in the position of therapeutic work. The national sentiment in Australia often frames engagement with those who are complex and diverse through intentions around social inclusion, so multiculturalism and diversity shape the sociocultural as well therapeutic space precisely because they fail to capture the connected structures of power people are engaging, and a transformative ethical intentionality. That is, that questions related to power, and the force of cis-heteronormativity, neurotypicalness, white supremacy, classism and ableism.
Written by Yellow Ladybugs, this is an authentic resource for parents, teachers and allied health professionals written and illustrated by autistic women and gender diverse individuals. You will be given the inside scoop, through their intimate knowledge, recollections and advice from growing up autistic. I had the joy of illustrating the front and back cover as well as the chapter pages,
"Black Lives Matter"and "Nurture Yourself"
From the graduate arts and humanities students of the University of Melbourne, this anthology of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, artwork and scholarly articles traverses the landscape of emotional and psychological experience, from living with mental illness, to confronting past demons, the trials of COVID-19 and the challenges of parenthood and childhood. Featuring work from 37 contributors including Maja Amanita, Penni Russon, Jini Maxwell, Chenai Mupotsa-Russell and Bel Schenk.
Future Reset Youth Summit. A celebration of young people's resilience, creativity, and innovation. One where the like-minded thinkers, artists and young creatives will come together to share inspiration. And deep dive into the relationship between art, social connection, and mental wellbeing. The Summit took place at the Science Gallery, Melbourne on 13-15 October 2022.
HeARTful Conversations: An intersectional approach to unpacking 'wellbeing' in the arts through a spiritual, physical and mental lens with grounding video by Dr Paola Balla and conversation with Chenai Mupotsa-Russell, and Avrille Burrows.
A safe and inclusive ideation space. Brightest young minds and thought-provoking creatives. Conversations centred around the future of arts and stories of self-care and growth.
Art Work: “Sensitive Souls Unite”
Canvas 40 x 40 cm. Often people are made to feel “oversensitive”, this is when we need community care the most. Come as you are, you are wonderful, you are loved.
Board Member & Exhibition Contributor
Mossfolk is a non profit organisation created and run by Sam Moss based on the principles of community, creativity and communication.
I proudly serve on the Board of Mossfolk, we are passionate about providing resources, workshops and events that are affordable and accessible and aim to do so in the most ethical and sustainable way possible.
Mossfolk has delivered over 50 projects to over 500 people, has an online community of 5,000 and an incredible team of people with lived experience! The most recent Mossfolk Event was a Community Care Exhibition which I also created an artwork for.
SA Parliament: Autism and Making Space
Presented from Parliament House, Adelaide, hosted by the Honourable Emily Bourke, the assistant Minister for Autism.
The event covered topics such as the social model of disability and the affirmative model of disability, Autism and identity, interpersonal accessibility and the importance of Neuroaffirming service providers.
Watch video here
Co-created and co-organised by Georgia Joy & Angelique Joy
Yellow Ladybugs is bringing together four creative autistic individuals showcasing the career diversity & options for our community, breaking job stereotypes and providing tips on turning your passion into purpose
The four incredibly creative panellists are:
Clem Bastow is an award-winning writer, critic, cake maker, cosplayer, author and overall creative guru! .
Cherie Clonan is an award-winning digital marketer and founder of the highly successful agency - The Digital Picnic! As an autistic entrepreneur.
Chenai Mupotsa-Russell oozes creativity, and is a dynamic and vibrant autistic art therapist and entrepreneur. Chenai launched Rainbow Muse - an art therapy and psychology practice to help her clients uncover their sparkle in a safe & neuro-affirming way.
Ashlea Jaye Crane is a creative force to be reckoned with. She is an Autistic musician and music industry worker, who has been involved within the music industry for 15 years.
Full video available here
Boroondara Arts presents Craft Contemporary
A celebration of the multifaceted art of craft. For the entire month of October 2021, the program welcomed people of all ages and experience levels, to participate in a series of online events, workshops, exhibitions and panel discussions. It was a chance to learn from some of Australia’s best crafters and discover the joy of craft-making.
The program includes interactive workshops on all areas of craft, including collage-making, fabric printing, paper sewing, visible mending, weaving, sculpture making, quilted textiles, and more.
Other highlights included a panel discussion with Sai-Wai Foo, Aaron Billings, Tantri Mustika and Chenai Mupotsa-Russell, who discuss what does our craft-making say about us? What does our creative practice allow us to express? How does this form our individual identity in society? Audiences are invited to join this conversation as the artists share their own lived experiences.
Home Truths began as a project in lit therapy, an extension to trauma counseling. The result is a collection of stories, essays and poems written by a diverse group of refugee and migrant writers, mostly from Africa and Asia. The authors share first hand experiences of war and dislocation and of being at odds with one's own culture. Collectively, this book demonstrates the human desire to connect and build relationships is universal.
All profits from the sale of this book were donated to charities that support refugees.
I wrote Chapter 2: Writing My Life
Everything about Rainbow Muse is vibrant, welcoming and colourful. The Naarm (Melbourne)-based clinic takes a different approach to mental health and therapy services – with creativity, magic and a lot of rainbows.
Founder Chenai Mupotsa-Russell set out to create an inclusive, safe therapeutic space where people who do not like or fit into “boxes” could feel seen and get tailored treatment to suit their needs.
Chenai, who has a background in community development, mental health, art therapy and yoga, established Rainbow Muse in 2019. She teamed up with best friend Sammy Elliott, who had been running Girl and Dog Psychology and the two practices merged to open Rainbow Muse Clinic in 2022.
Art therapy is very different from “doing arts and crafts.” Allied Health Professions Australia gives a pretty good definition, telling us “art therapists use visual art-making, drama, dance and movement to improve physical, mental and emotional well-being.” This means it can be particularly magical for working with children on the autism spectrum, due to their differing sensory-processing needs, ways of perceiving the world, and methods of communication.
