AN ARTS project that began as a way for people to express their creativity during the pandemic in 2020 has resulted in five volumes of works.
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The City of Greater Bendigo initiative What I Did Last Week released volumes three, four and five on the one year anniversary of the program.
Council arts officer Rohan Phillips said the project snowballed into something that saw 170 artists contribute work.
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"I think (it grew) because it was a way for people to tell their story, for mine that's what art is about.
"As people became isolated and had worries, it was a chance for them to share their experience. Whether directly or just to show this is what I do."
Each volume has eight weeks of work with volumes three and four covering July 14 to November 6. The fifth volume is a final gallery featuring one work from each contributor.
Watercolour artist Barb Fordham had her work selected for the cover of the fifth volume.
"A friend of mine emailed me and said I should do it," she said. "I have always loved doing art (and) Mum was a very good oil painter.
"(What I Did Last Week) gave me focus and was something different. It was something to look forward to and getting published was a buzz as well."
Bendigo mayor Jennifer Alden said What I Did Last Week was initially designed to support wellbeing through the arts.
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"Participants told us how important it was for them to create and share their works during a very difficult time in their lives," she said.
"It also gave the community the opportunity to experience the insights of an extraordinary online exhibition while they remained at home too.
"These five books and the online exhibition are now a legacy document of a critical time and place in Bendigo's history.
"Congratulations to the 175 artists who exhibited 780 works over the course of 32 weeks and to the team who helped coordinate the online exhibition and the development of the beautiful books."
All five eBooks are permanently available at www.bendigoregion.com.au/arts-culture-theatres/what-i-did-last-week-online-exhibition
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