A community interest company promoting contemporary visual arts & participatory arts
Art has the power to heal, to connect, and to transform. Creative Connections is a project rooted in the belief that creative expression is a vital tool for well-being, particularly for those facing isolation, mental health challenges, and social barriers.
Through a series of inclusive workshops, community-led exhibitions, and collaborative art-making, Creative Connections fosters a safe and supportive space where individuals can explore their creativity, build confidence, and form meaningful relationships.
This project champions accessibility and participation, ensuring that everyone—regardless of background or artistic experience—has the opportunity to engage with the arts as a means of self-discovery and empowerment.
Inspired by the resilience of communities in northeast England, this project reflects lived experiences, personal narratives, and collective expression. By bringing people together through creativity, we aim to break down isolation, nurture emotional well-being, and celebrate the power of artistic engagement in transforming lives.
At its heart, Creative Connections is not just about making art—it’s about making a difference.
The arts are a dynamic way of bringing people together to work in collaboration and learn new skills and knowledge. MONA LISA Arts & Media facilitate art workshops, activities and exhibitions in the community, working with schools, businesses, church groups, youth and community groups.
We have curated a number of exhibitions in the local community and surrounding area. They have included works by professional artists, schools, youth and community groups. Since 2009 we have curated a number of art exhibitions covering a wide variety of themes e.g., Arts and Flowers Festival, 2012 Cultural Olympiad, The Diamond Jubilee, WW1 Commemorations/Celebrations, 800th anniversary of the Seal of the Magna Carta, Creative Collaborations to name but a few.
Transformers Youth Arts Group was established in 2010 for children and young people from the South East of England and met on Thursday evenings at St Peter's Church, Burnham. The group of young people aged 8 to 15 years worked with professional artists as part of the MONA LISA Arts & Media's outreach in the community, in partnership with the church. The group was given the opportunity to create artworks for exhibitions and events that have a particular theme or subject. For example they've had their artworks included in exhibitions for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad, the Diamond Jubilee, Blessed are the Peacemakers and WW1 Commemorations / Celebrations, exhibition at the Royal Holloway University, for the celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the Seal of the Magna Carta.
Threads, wool, mixed media, various papers run through my painting practice, spiritually and conceptually. A thread, a strand of wool sometimes thin and invisible, sometimes intense, being knit and wrapped like a net between shapes and maps, embracing and playing with them, interacting or most often conflicting with them. Like silent women, counting their loneliness and their losses by embroidering with silk thread, while sitting behind a window at dusk. The tacit thought, the conversation with themselves, with their long-lasting memories, not just their own, but also the collective memory of their generation or race, going back to the centuries. Memory that often hurts. The thread, like the one that the Fates spun, or like the one that Ariadne gave to Theseus to find the way out to salvation, in the ancient Greek myths. The thread, as an umbilical cord, connects memory with history.
Claire Rollinson has recently moved back to England after living in Northern Ireland. Her art practice includes the disciplines and expressions of drawing, painting, and printmaking with an element of storytelling running throughout.
Gina Martin works in wood and natural "found" objects, both in her studio and the environment in site-specific pieces. She also works in 2D and 3D using various materials and techniques.
Caroline studied at Sir John Cass College (now part of London Guildhall University) specialising in Printmaking and gained a Diploma in Art & Design Studies in June 1988. In 1989-90 she qualified for ACSET teaching Certificates I & II. She teaches occasional courses for Friends of the Hatton Gallery. Caroline has 5 sons and 9 grandchildren and works from her home in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Landscape, natural forms, water and light are the subjects that inspire me. These interests were encouraged in early childhood by my Nanny and parents, in the high Cotswolds and on seaside holidays in Dorset. They were keen gardeners and nature lovers and I readily absorbed their enthusiasms which continue to this day. In my work, I use a variety of printmaking techniques: collagraph; lino cut; wood engraving; acetate drypoint; monoprint and collage. I have recently extended my practice to include hand-made books and paper constructions with printed elements. This work is inspired by my passion for growing organic fruit and vegetables on my allotment. I am a Quaker, which influences the way I live my life and think about the world. This includes care of the environment and sustainability. I was Chair of the Friends of the Hatton Gallery Newcastle upon Tyne from 1998-2005 Email cacoode@phonecoop.coop
Mary Cook-Cosh is an artist based in Brooklyn, NY. The content her work is weighed in exploring aesthetics pertaining to teenagers, teenage life and imaginary landscapes of flora and fauna that creatures and beings often inhabit. Film is inevitably an inspiration and the dialectics of dark drama staged with colourful aesthetics is a tension Mary finds fun to explore. For the World War I Commemorations exhibition in conjunction with Mona Lisa Arts & Media in partnership with St Peter's Church and in collaboration with the Royal British Legion, Mary has created a series of ink and graphite drawings works specially made in honour of young people that lived during the period of World War I. We see young brothers pictured together perhaps before they each set off to war, a propaganda poster picturing young English youth within the circumference of English allies, a "Dazzle Ship", which many young soldiers contributed the fabrication of, in addition to images of a teen getting a routine eye exam or a set of children in the midst of a brief moment.
Durham Artists Network and INTERFACE Durham, participatory artist (volunteer) working with Rhonda Fenwick. Has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally, art prizes winner. Her work is ideas led: she will use any medium she feels is appropriate and is available. These include found objects (composed of plastic, glass, ceramic metal etc), paint on canvas or board, fabric, poetry, performance, anything. Her latest work has been inspired by our present situation in the world, particularly concerning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and conflict that is based in domesticity. She is inspired by these topics because they are highly relevant to her and all of us. Email dianaraw1951@gmail.com
Marion Thompson is an artist with strong family ties to County Durham. Currently living in rural Northumberland and helps to run the Vale Arts Group. She studied Fine Art with Sunderland University and Painting with UCA. She has worked on several projects linked to health and mental well-being and has taken part in group exhibitions around the North East and Finland.