Dianne Johnstone 79, has been a carer for most of her life.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
As a young girl she cared for her mother who had multiple sclerosis. One of her sons lives with aspergers syndrome and schizophrenia; and then her partner of 23 years had a stroke which has left him with a disability.
It's been a challenging road, but throughout her life Diane has always had one special place which helped give her strength and respite - her passion for art.
Recently Diane joined artists from The Benevolent Society's Carer Gateway, an Australian Government program providing free services and support for carers, at a special one-night-only exhibition at QT Sydney.
The Carers Art Exhibition featured an array of artwork created by carers during online and in-person art-based cognitive therapy sessions from pottery to mosaic lamps, acrylic and water colour paintings.
"Art has been a lifesaver for me," said Dianne. "I grew up an only child and I was on my own quite a lot. I started drawing with pencils when I was four, for pleasure and company.
My art became a place of safety and refuge over the years. It fills a space and an emptiness and gives me renewed energy - when you're creating art there are no boundaries."
Diane has worked with various art styles and mediums including botanical images with ink pen and coloured pencils and charcoal and graphite to draw buildings and interiors. Her exhibition pieces were created at a Carer Gateway Indigenous Dot Art Session led by a First Nations engagement practitioner.
Diane has also had a number of personal exhibitions and displays art in her own home.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there are approximately 2.65 million unpaid carers in Australia.
This year marks three years since the Australian Government launched the free national carer support service, Carer Gateway. It's delivered in partnership with a network of service providers including The Benevolent Society, which delivers the service in metro Sydney.
Services are delivered in-person, online and over the phone, and are available free of charge to all carers no matter where they live in Australia.
Carer Gateway 1800-422-737.