A former drug dealer from Devonport, who took up mindful art while on probation, is to be featured in a Plymouth art exhibition, at Leadworks Projects CIC.
James (not his real name), who grew up in Plymouth, has been learning the art of mindful doodling with Mindful Art Club CIC, a local social enterprise which offers free peer support groups using mindfulness and art. The upcoming exhibition will feature work by participants of the weekly recovery art group, and explores themes of addiction and recovery through drawings, paintings and 3D art works.
James left school with four BTech qualifications and got his first criminal conviction for possession and GBH aged 17. He soon started dealing Class A substances, leading to a prison sentence of four years in 2015, for possession with intent to supply.
In 2024, while on probation, James attended Mindful Art Club at Plymouth Central Library on Monday afternoons, where he learned to practice mindfulness, and mindful drawing, in a relaxed, non-judgemental atmosphere.
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Mindful Art Club founders, Peggy Melmoth and Emma Sprawson had previously worked at Broadreach addiction rehabilitation centre, until being made redundant when the centre closed in 2019.
Emma said:
“We wanted to continue supporting people who struggled with mental health and addiction, so we set up our social enterprise to provide free peer support groups in Plymouth.”
Peggy, a counsellor, added:
“Working in rehab gave us extensive experience of supporting vulnerable people, specifically those who have experienced substance misuse, mental health issues, time in prison, homelessness, and domestic abuse.”
Following the end of his probation period James has become a volunteer for Mindful Art Club, attending three sessions a week, at Plymouth Central Library, The Harbour Centre, and The Unitarian Church hall in Notte Street.
People’s Health Trust has invested in Mindful Art Club, using money raised by Health Lottery South West, making the addiction recovery art group at the library possible. Funding from The National Lottery Community fund has allowed them to also offer a new art club at The Harbour Substance Misuse Centre in Mutley.
James is now interested in working with young offenders. He said:
“I want to help youths avoid grooming and county lines, and help them out of positions they have ended up in.”
The Mindful Art Club’s exhibition at Leadworks in Rendle Street, Stonehouse, opens with an evening of music and performance on Friday February 21 at 7.00pm. The exhibition is on display for a week, until February 27.
The event and exhibition are free to attend, and are a culmination of an 18 month addiction recovery group project.
There are more details at https://mindfulartclub.co.uk/recovery-exhibition/
Leadworks, 170 Rendle Street Stonehouse PL1 1TP
