In her gentle way, Keely Wilson has a gift for connecting with people – from family and community to strangers she meets through her art and advocacy, everyone comes away richer for meeting her.
Keely is a Uniting LAC customer in our Nepean Blue Mountains service area, but lately, we’ve been fortunate to get to know the other layers of Keely: “I’m an artist. A daughter. A sister. An aunty. A friend. A challenger of norms. A lover of life and all that it offers,” explains Keely, through her mum, Vicki.
“I have a unique communication style and enjoy expressing myself creatively with colour. Art is a time and a place of mindfulness, where I can be present with my thoughts and be alone with my dreams. I can be a voice for myself.”
Keely is brightening up the world, one painting at a time, through her bold acrylic-pour artworks – and now she’s being recognised for her striking creations. This year, Keely is an Ambassador of Uniting LAC’s annual Abstract Abilities Art Competition, which highlights and celebrates the diverse talents of people with disability. Her piece, “Force of Nature,” was one of the winners of our 2024 competition.
“I’m so proud of Keely as the person that she is, she has showed so much resilience in her life, more than I could ever imagine, and now she’s become an artist in her own right,” said Vicki.
“When words are not possible, through the colour and material choices I make, I am sharing my feelings, needs, desires, worries, concerns, and joys with the people around me,” adds Keely through Vicki.
“Keely offers a lot of confidence to her peers, her friends and to other people in the community who may feel they can’t do things,” reflects Vicki.
“I think Keely has shown them that with their own heart and their own supports, they are able to do anything they put their mind to.”
To learn more about how Uniting LAC can support you, contact us via our website: https://lac.uniting.org/contact-us