Artists boost self-esteem

Artwork intended as therapy for Whangarei mental health clients is again on public display in the city.
Clients and staff of Whau Valley Whairoa Support Trust opened an exhibition at The Quarry's Yvonne Rust Gallery in recognition of mental health week this week.
The exhibition, Insight Out, will run over the next two weeks and, unlike last year, some of the colourful creations are up for sale.
Exhibits include an array of colourful mosaic mirrors, paintings and pottery.
Trust art tutor Christie Brophy said the artwork produced by the trust's clients had significantly improved over the past year.
"They've been doing it for about 12 months and their work has progressed.
"There's a consistent group of people who come in on a regular basis, they're building their techniques, building their own particular style, their sense of self-esteem," Ms Brophy said.
"They should all be very proud, they've worked very hard."
The trust provides a free social and recreational resource and drop-in service for the mentally and physically disabled.
Trust client Karen Carter, who has bipolar disorder, said the centre was the one place where people with mental illnesses could go and people would not "come down hard on you for it".
She enjoyed the course, saying art was the one thing she could have control over when everything was "coming apart at the seams".
The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week this year is the link between physical and mental health.