Full Report 29 Soap making Residents worked with Jack to choose from a range of soap mould shapes the one they were most interested in. The residents would then choose a natural dye they most liked, as well as a scent, and then began to mix the soap mixture together. The soaps set in the fridge and were offered to residents to use in their personal rooms. Perfume making Jack explained to residents the basic chemistry of perfumes, the top, middle and bottom notes. The residents started by choosing their favourite smells from an offered range, mostly in a one-to-one set up. These were then mixed together and a perfume created on-site which was offered to residents to try. Candle making Jack began by showing residents some examples of the candles they might be able to make themselves. Moulds were chosen, followed by coloured dyes and essential oils with different perfumes. Residents worked one-to-one with Jack to melt down the candle wax, colour it, and scent it. The candles then cooled and set and in collaboration with Karen, were given back to the people who made them. 3D printing Karen runs a weekly ‘Gentlemen’s Club’ for male residents. During this session, Jack introduced a 3D printer on the shared table, explaining and demonstrating how it worked. As those joining ate some food and enjoyed a lite beer, they watched a mini dog 3D print in front of them. General reaction was that they couldn’t believe this sort of thing was possible. One of the gentlemen took the little 3D printed dog away with him. Follow-up Following these experiments, Jack drafted instructions for each activity, which Karen then tested and used. He also provided a supply of the necessary materials and equipment for her to use with further residents in the future. Conclusion During our residency, curious directive introduced residents to totally new worlds. Some of the technology we were working with isn’t even really in the mainstream of most people’s lives. This is what made our approach exciting and interesting. Our project, due to complicated rationale and context, was forced to spread across three main focuses. Initially digital technology, then new ways to communicate with families and finally, the safer, practical, hands-on creativity with science projects. We are sure that at the start of our residency, our presence animated the room. By the end of our time at Longfield, it was very much the creativity of the residents delivering these vital sparks, these moments, and interactions – which are so vital to life feeling abundant and positive in these spaces. Photo: Jack Lowe
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