It was a fun Friday at Louis Joel Arts and Community (LJAC) in Altona on September 20, with the unveiling of a ladder sculpture.
The ladder was constructed by members of Fridays by the Bay, an activity group that meets at the centre every Friday with the aim of increasing social participation for people who would otherwise miss out.
The program began at the start of last year and the ladder sculpture was conceived as a way of recognising the steps participants had made since.
With help from local artist and sculptor Dovey Dee, participants worked on the ladder for the past few weeks.
LJAC manager Karen Ingram explained the process.
“It took three workshops to create the ladder, from initial construction using fallen branches from a gum tree, and wooden stats that were drilled and screwed together,” Ms Ingram said.
“The following workshops included the decoration and positioning and fixing the chosen objects onto the ladder. We then mosaiced the runs of the ladder. Objects that were placed on the ladder were wooden dolls, and wooden custom cut birds and fish, which represented nature and environment.”
The ladder now has a permanent position on the outside balcony at LJAC where Ms Ingram said it would send a powerful message to those entering the building.
“The ladder is a universal symbol of growth and transformation, and is a beautiful reminder of one’s journey through life in the pursuit of reaching our full potential,” she said.
Friends by the Bay is supported by Hobsons Bay council and is open to people aged between 18 and 64 who live in the municipality and are not eligible for other support programs.
Cade Lucas.
