Publications
WOMEN SHAPING DESIGN: KARA SCHOEMAN
12 August 2021
With a passion for the environment and sustainable living, working in collaboration with her father, a Foundry artist, together they design and cast recycled aluminium artworks that often portray concepts regarding the extinction of various species. Kara: I come from a background in Fine Art where I explored various mediums and specialised in glass slumping and soldering, along with immersive video and sculpture installations. My fine artworks are often of an installation nature, which creates an immersive experience for the viewer. The immersive experience is important to me, as I would like to create an atmosphere of contemplation for the viewers. The creative process is of utmost importance to me because it allows me to develop my own understanding of topics, express my thoughts and emotions, and help me develop technical skills in working with specific materials.
"Emotion" an exhibition curated by Dr Paul Bayliss for KKNK Supported by ABSA
23 August 2021
“Bewustheid”, ’n toestand van bewustheid; om bewus te wees van iets. Om te fokus op ’n mens se bewustheid van die huidige oomblik. Om bewus te wees van jou bewustheid. Hierdie emosie staan ook bekend as “gedagtig”.
Dié kunswerk het die titel Awe’ness. Mense wat vertroud is met die Afrikaanse taal, kan die woord as “Awehness” lees, ’n Afrikaanse slengwoord wat gebruik word om mekaar te groet, of iets te erken. Schoeman is van mening dat die daad van erkenning nou verband hou met ’n staat van bewustheid. Daarom is die titel ’n woordspel tussen “Aweh” (Afrikaanse groet of erkenning), “Awe” (Engelse term vir verwondering, of om oorweldig te word) en “Awareness” (Engelse woord vir ’n toestand van bewustheid).
A group art therapy intervention model to address mental health stigma in a rural community in South Africa
July 13, 2023
Mental health stigma is one of the main reasons why individuals do not seek mental health treatment, and it can lead to discrimination and alienation. Group art therapy is a successful and economical intervention option to address mental health stigma, specifically in rural areas like Phuthaditjhaba in South Africa. This article refers to a research study where a short-duration art therapy intervention was implemented with female students in Phuthaditjhaba, a densely populated and isolated rural area in South Africa. Using a reflective action research cycle the study found that a group art therapy intervention informs the group members of mental health stigma, its repercussions, how to prevent it, and how to heal from experienced stigma. Traditional healing objects and traditions were included in the intervention, making it an inclusive and less-threatening option for different cultures. A group art therapy intervention model is presented to serve as a possible process guide for art therapists who would like to address mental health stigma in group therapy. The participants have experienced mental health stigma in Phuthaditjhaba. Their visual stories of change capture the internal changes that took place for them as a result of the intervention. They are now more aware of what stigma is, it’s repercussions, how to prevent it and how to heal from experienced stigma. Group art therapy is a suitable therapeutic paradigm for addressing mental health stigma in rural areas of South Africa.
OFM interview with Kara Schoeman, the curator of "Grounded"
Design Indaba
Cultivating creative agency through artmaking
2021
Cultivating creative agency through artmaking: Unlocking artmaking with found and home-made materials
A Resource book made as part of the Community and Professional Practice module of the BA honours in Art Therapy.
For remote application in community when Covid19 Lockdown prevented physical social action engagement in the sites.
Co-authored by Kara Schoeman: How to make drawing charcoal & Charcoal body paint: self-acceptance exercise