Chan Taylor uses a community project as part of a life changing return to learning.

Community project

Being on a community project has boosted my inner strength, to do well. In fact the project "Cloth" has given me a stepping stone. The designs I have done have very strong colours of communication which reminds me of my art therapy treatment, using and also expressing one's inner strength and difficult emotions by the use of colours. I would refer to community project as public form of art, which also recognises "hidden talent, either young or old, art is a subject which can be admired on its own". The technique of using wax painting and tie dying is a skill on its own, that enables people to express themselves.

East End Diversity

During the course of the project, we were involved in making a garment which expressed the rich diversity textile heritage industry in the East End, where I learned how to pattern cut, sew, embroidery and how to construct a garment. A lot of hard work was involved. The work was undertaken at the House of Antoine Bridal Shop. I also learned how to do beading, for which you need a lot of time and patience, which is a skill on its own, that one can achieve. While the "Cloth" Project got more interesting and rewarding, Free Form Arts Trust decided to move the constructed garment to be exhibited at the V&A Museum. The garment showed a lot of rich history of multi culture talent in the east end of London. There is so much to learn because everyone in the community played a vital part in the project, to make it a unity project in the neighbourhood. The exhibition was very successful and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

During the course of the project, I volunteered to be one of the models to the wear the Unity Coat, which was very rewarding experience. The project was very well constructed and well focused. My time in the project has given me a good sense of creative writing to express my self, and to develop and generate ideas and to think constructively. A very valuable lesson learnt that anyone can be down and out like myself or socially excluded, but still transform themselves into a new dimension, The big moment of truth came when the garments (Frock Coats) were shown and exposed to five hundred people and the press and photographers. The function took place at Old Spitalfields Market, at the Alternative Fashion Week, where "all eyes were on me", during the catwalk, it's a great challenge to motivate yourself and develop confidence, which I already had.

Your own life experiences and pain can make you move stronger, if you want to change the way you live in your neighbourhood, you need to motivate your inner self, and get the shit out of your head, i.e. drugs, drink or whatever situation your in, and to say to yourself, I can, you can, he can, she can. The word "I CAN is a very powerful word to use to stimulate your mind. Everyone has some form of inspiration and hope for the future. Whatever the inspiration is i.e. Art, music, football etc…is to build your own bridges, and take your ideas forward, to focus on and to make them become reality in life.

The more you persevere, the more channels you will be engaged in. The only way to succeed is to set yourself a goal, and to achieve your own goal, whatever way you can and the hardest thing is not to give up. It's a psychological battle in your mind to keep strong and keep focus at all the time and not to show your weakness, and the only way is up.

Drving force

My own driving force, as an Artist, is to get public recognition, as a Professional Artist, to help people in the community as a role model to help socially excluded people like myself. Also to show my talent at its best is to exhibit my own artwork in a gallery, to give an inspiration called "I CAN". Also to engage in any future projects with Free Form Arts Trust regarding community links.

Don't be a pre-Madonna, so let your mind have a piece of your time or have a cranberry sauce, when it comes to return to learning grab yourself a new punch line at lunch time to get a new crunch line. The more you learn, the more you get polarised into a source of knowledge, which will open a world of avenues. The only road and star you will have in your life is one opportunity, so don't blow your chances of returning to learning, so give it all you got and reach for the stars.