“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way. things I had no words for.” – Georgia O'Keeffe

This is Zara, one of our wonderful clients. Zara has been attending music therapy at Raukatauri for nine years, since she was just 10 years old. She has autism and is non-speaking, but it has always been clear that she has a love for music, and responds enthusiastically to her drumming, piano and harp playing. While her music therapy has focused primarily on improvisation and drumming, her mum and her music therapist began teaching Zara to read music during the 2020 lockdown. Zara is now able to read music for both the piano and the harp and is learning new songs each week. In addition, she has recently begun singing at home, at the Centre and at karaoke!

In addition to always expanding her musical skills, Zara has found another talent and motivation as a visual artist. She attends a weekly creative workshop where she works alongside her tutor to create incredible and expressive paintings. We are lucky at the Grafton Centre to be able to display three of her works in our reception area, and our staff and clients all love to see the vibrant colours and expressive brushstrokes. We were thrilled when she recently created a painting just for us that shows the exuberance and joy she finds in music!

Zara always reaches for the brightest colours, and loves to paint building structures and flowers; she has been painting for 4 years and enjoys the freedom to express herself through her paintings. Zara’s imagination and bright personality come through clearly in her work in a way that she is not always able to communicate verbally. We are so excited to be able to enjoy her lovely work with her. As of 2021, Zara has been in two shows and sold eight paintings!