After hopping around the world as a branding designer and outdoor adventurer, in 2014, Rob Mackenzie experienced a brain haemorrhage and stroke that left him paralysed on his right side and suffering from aphasia. Rob refused to let his condition define him, and, with the help of his partner Syreeta Challinger, has spent the past decade healing through art. Ahead of a new exhibition of his work, The Life the Grass Speaks, he lets us into his creative world.
“Initially, my work was controlled and safe, with deft penmanship and line drawings of places and spaces – a style echoing my design past. My mark-making freed up over time and won me support from Arts Council England, which helped me explore different techniques. My style now is more emotive, with depth, movement and meaning.”
“I’m mostly independent in my drawing, yet I need help setting up my materials, and at times, my cognitive processing and thoughts need teasing out. Syreeta helps me land where I want to be. I find it frustrating that I need to lean on her for so much help, but she works from home to support me, not only in my art sessions but also in day-to-day tasks. I’ve had to accept that I do need help.”
“Creating has been integral to my recovery, thanks to Syreeta, who taught me to draw again. I couldn’t speak, read or write, but she taught me how to hold a pen and mark-make, which opened up my world. It was a necessity at first; doodling images to let people know what I needed, what I was thinking – and then for pleasure. It’s given me not only an outlet but a purpose, too.”
“Moments of beauty in nature, music and poetry are the foundations of my work. Yet I get ideas from everywhere: books on other artists, workshops and galleries. Being out in nature, even though it’s hard to access with limited mobility, is extremely important to me.”
“The message of my TEDx talks is, don’t give up. There’s always a way. We are proof; proof that creativity heals, that love heals. That there is a way of living at your own pace, slowly, beautifully, in a way that works for you. Take one step at a time, inch by inch.”
“The exhibition is based on my coma dreams, where I was surrounded by grass, like I was lying down in a field held by the blades and the earth. This collection of work honours the grasses that whispered to hold on and got me through, and celebrates the healing powers of nature. Plus, the ten-year milestone post-haemorrhage felt like a poignant and beautiful time to explore how nature mimics the liminal space between life and death.”
Photo credits: James Melia, Emma Todd
Follow Rob @therobmackenzie
The Life the Grass Speaks was at No.6 Gallery, Bruton, October 2024. Search Art & Design on the nearfield for more events like this
