Artist Mia Harris invites you to choose a cherished picture from around your house and tell us what it means to you:

·      Step 1 – Choose a favourite picture from around your house to share with us, then take a picture of yourself holding it. (See our artist’s below for inspiration – and to get to know them a bit better!)
·      Step 2 – Let us know in 1-2 sentences why you have chosen this picture, where it came from, what it reminds you of, how it makes you feel and why you like it.
·      Step 3 – Email your photo to sarahwatson@magicme.co.uk, and if you like, share on your personal Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, tagging Magic Me with hashtag #TheAfterParty!

Suggestions – The chosen picture can be of anything at all: a painting, print,  sketch, poem, card, a photo of landscape/city  – something that you cherish in your home.

Download these instructions as printable pdf here

What happens next…

• All photos will be shared in our online gallery on this page, and on our social media channels: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
• Care home residents and staff will be invited to share their cherished picture – and we’ll share their responses too!
• Photos will be included in our ‘care package’ sent to partners at the end of each month.

We look forward to your response!
send to: sarahwatson@magicme.co.uk or share on social media tagging Magic Me and using the hashtag #TheAfterParty.

Mia’s Pigeon Picture (above): “I have had this postcard, bought in a car boot sale for years from a Magnum Photographer. I love it because it reminds me of when I studied Art Foundation in Weston-Super-Mare over 20 years ago. Weston is a Seaside town and Seagulls were always diving at people to steal chips or hotdogs out of people hands!”

Mia’s Ceylon Poster (above): “I LOVE this Print a lot as I love the style of the design. I work a lot at carnivals and sometimes design costumes for Notting Hill so when I look at this picture I see carnival, even though its a poster for Ceylon Airline. I went to Sri Lanka in 2017 and two of my friends bought this poster and I got the postcard because I didnt want to carry a poster travelling around. I regretted not buying a poster and was always envious of my friends posters!! One of my friends moved into my house and now the poster is on the wall of our kitchen yesssss!!!”

Artist Shepherd Manyika’s cherished picture (above): “This is photo of my girlfriend on a horse in Vinales Valleys Cuba 2018, this was our first holiday together it was amazing in many ways and also the most challenging as it was the time Hurricane Irma hit Cuba. This photo was taken before the day before the  hurricane struck.”

Artist Kathy Horak-Hallett’s cherished picture (above): “This is a print that my friend did when she was at art college. I like the mix of using a fine art technique with dinosaurs…….It’s a combination that maybe doesn’t happen enough. And I always think it looks like it’s crying with laughter – it always makes me happy to see it.”

Artist Chuck Blue Lowry’s cherished picture (above): “My Auntie is a visual artist and does beautiful prints and drawings. She was exhibiting her work at an Artist Open Studio Festival, where you get to walk around an area and pop in to artists studios to see their work. She was exhibiting near to this artist called Martin Grover, who does huge scale prints and paintings of records and other interesting objects. I loved his work but couldn’t afford to buy any of it, so he gave me this card with his print on. I really like it for a few reasons; I can be prone to procrastination, I live in South London, it reminds me that there is great art everywhere and my favourite colour is blue (it also happens to be my middle name). I have it on the wall next to my desk usually, and I like looking at it at the moment because it reminds me that procrastinating can be ok, and taking time to think and faff about is sometimes really useful and part of the creative process!”

Volunteer Josephine’s Dance Posters (above) : “I lived in Montpellier, France for a year. The male dancer poster started appearing everywhere as a dance festival approached. I liked it. One night. after the event, the posters were being taken down from the hoardings and I was allowed to take one. The following year I went back for the Summer to visit friends I’d made and got myself another one. These posters, framed and now on my bedroom wall,  remind me of the fun, sun and freedom of life in the South of France as well as the joy of dance and travel. And since I’m friends still with people from Montpel they are testimony to lasting foreign friendships!”

DJ Care Home aka Volunteer Martin Aston’s Painting (above): “Fave picture. It was painted by my late friend Moray, inspired by the nights when a gang of us went out clubbing.. His charisma, warmth and energy are very much missed!”

Volunteer Fiona D’s cherished artwork (above): “I bought this print from an artist in Berlin in January this year – it had been raining all day and it was late afternoon when I came across an art market near the museums. The stalls were starting to pack up and I really loved the work of this artist so I bought one of her prints – this one is of a couple dancing. I like how it is quite abstract but once she told me that I could totally see it – it’s really fun and lively. It’s a great memory of the trip and it was great to meet and talk to the artist.  Now it hangs in my bedroom so I see it all the time.”

Kate H’s Cherished Rabbit painting (above): “I love it as it’s one of a kind. My partner made it as a replica of the photo that hangs in the film ‘Harvey’ starring Jimmy Stewart as a man whose best friend is an invisible 6ft rabbit.”

Phoebe’s cherished painting (above): “My mother gave this to me, “Gina sticking her tongue out at the bullies, sitting in a poppy field.” The artist Gina, began painting in her 70s when her husband was diagnosed with a dementia & Gina became his carer. I love this as I see myself in it.” 

Lindsay B’s cherished fox painting (above): “This is Farley the fox and I think he’s so handsome. He’s the only “proper” painting I own and it was love at first sight – I knew he would be perfect in my house. He was painted by a very talented Northern Irish artist so he always reminds me of home. I love how real he looks, and his slightly mischievous sly expression always makes me smile.”

Deborah M’s cherished painting (above): “This one by my mum of my best friends and I has hung on my wall for over 30 years. Currently with my own beach pic and one by my grandfather.”

We look forward to your response!
send to: sarahwatson@magicme.co.uk or share on social media tagging @MagicMeArts and using the hashtag #TheAfterParty.