In the latest exhibition 'Behind the Mask', artists of all-abilities celebrate their journey through the past nine months where many responded to the strict stay-at-home restrictions for longer than most.

Under the guide of creative arts facilitator Mellisa Lynch, the National Disability Insurance Scheme-supported group Studio A meet regularly for workshops on different facets of the creative arts industry, to listen to a range of south-west guest speakers and connecting with the community.

Participant Rowan Drake created an acrylic on canvas painting of Middle Island for the exhibition and has explored a range of art forms through the program.

"I spent a lot of time in lockdown not doing much and feeling trapped," he said. "Art was a good way to keep busy and not stay in a rut; which was a problem I had already.

"This painting started because of sheer luck. I went to the breakwater in my free time and I saw Middle Island covered in the pink and I thought 'I have to get a picture and paint it up'. The next time I went the pink was gone so I had a good opportunity.

"We blew up the photo to work off and Mellisa had the idea to use a small canvas to fit with the style of the exhibition. I used acrylic on canvas and tried some blending on the canvas, then I'd let it dry and worked over the top."

The talented artist and writer started creating work as a teenager and found a love for the industry through writing his own comics.

"I started drawing in high school about 15-years-ago and before then I just had art classes where you'd grab some paint and slap it on some paper," he said. "But when I started drawing, I found it was the first time I enjoyed what I was doing.

"I did a TAFE course in multimedia and then art and that was the first time I properly painted on an easel. Last year I got access to support for some art classes and I was allowed to step up and experiment with different mediums and do it in a professional capacity. I spent a lot of time creating comics and I'm moving in the direction of wanting to publish them."

The Studio A exhibition, which opened on Friday, features Sam Martina's intricate drawing of a busy Flinders Street Station scene and was originally a panel from one of the comics he created.

"My attention to detail helps me draw the same characters in my comics over and over again," he said. "I draw with pencil, even though I'm good with details, I don't necessarily get it right the first time.

"My comics are black comedies about silly comedic versions of me and my best friend Tom in high school. The characters Frank and Jack incorporate the general frustrations I felt about high school.

"The stories are between 20-30 pages and I've got the idea to add colour but the only one I've been able to add colour to the whole way through is a five-page story."

Sam recently joined Instagram and with the help of Mellisa he uploads snippets of his comics. He is currently completing two commissions of the Koroit Convent and a personal depiction of his Flinders Street Station scene including a family.

Sam graduated from Deakin University about 10 years ago and has recently become a mentor for young people with autism who he met through Quirky Kids, a social group for adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder.

"I was told the kids expected me to stop being nice because that's what they're used to with adults but I don't expect that'll be a problem, they're good kids," he said.

"Mellisa is helping me mentor because I don't have that much experience with mentors myself.

"I didn't get diagnosed with autism until the end of 2010 when I was 22 and I never really had a mentor. But I do like working with kids."

Throughout Studio A's exhibition there are a variety of bright, detailed and abstract works hanging alongside Rowan and Sam's pieces including works by Kelsy Landwehr, Emily Morris, Megan Beatty, Sam Ward, Timothy Harris, George Kempton, Ebony Stevens, Ricky Taylor, Tim Mast, Alex Rees and Zoe Whitson.

Mellisa said the exhibition was a chance for the participants aged between 24 and 60 to celebrate the end of a challenging year.

"Studio A supports participants of our neuro-divergent community. Our participants have exceptional skills and abilities yet continue to face discrimination and barriers to employment.

"Accessing the creative arts and receiving appropriate support to assist people to develop skills and access opportunities increases confidence for individuals to reach their full potential and make great contributions to our community."

Through Studio A, the participants have had the opportunity to link up with south-west artists Gareth Colliton, Caroline Healey and Harley Manifold to further explore the arts industry.

Manifold connected with the participants through Zoom about three months ago and spoke about how he had found confidence through creating.

"I talked about utilising social media to give people awareness of the work you're creating and to engage with a broader audience," he said. "I also spoke about how my life experience had influenced my art, I was quiet and shy in school but my confidence really came from making art.

"Mellisa told me all the participants were quite shy but when I started talking to them about their work they shined; they're all so passionate about what they're doing and some of their work is phenomenal.

"I think to be able to express yourself with art and to put time and thought into your work is a healthy and constructive way to deal what you're going through and your feelings."

Mellisa said creative pursuits were great to support people of all-abilities in a variety of ways.

"Our participants along side our international and local creatives have been impacted dramatically by COVID, however it has proven how truly resilient and determined our creative community are," she said. "Although our participants at times experience some significant challenges and barriers, our community of arts service providers continually observe how accessing the creative arts has the ability to transform challenges into something really positive and powerful.

"Being connected, included and embraced by a community impacts on everyone's mental, physical health and ones everyday well-being; we need to be embracing everybody, of all-abilities in our community.

"It's really hard to put in my experience with the participants. Seeing these people develop more confidence through their art and to be able to feel they're a part of an inclusive; it's the best thing I've ever done."

Behind the Mask is open from 9am-3.30pm weekdays until February 2 at the Realise Enterprise Art Gallery inside Tasty Plate.

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