Arts are the way to start a conversation about anything of importance....

My initial thoughts about 'Are You Sitting Comfortably' appeared when I was walking and observing the homelessness situation on the cold city streets of Manchester. I felt passionate about how important it is for every day members of society to converse verbally. How? when everyday folk walk passed hundreds of people sat on the ground, every day.

This conversation needed two chairs of importance. One representing lived experience of a caring home and the other to represent lived experience of homelessness. I found such chairs, one up cycled by Pete, a gentleman who had lived experience of homelessness and experience of upholstery. The other was owned by Ethel Briggs, a gentle grandmother and mother who had recently passed, her chair was donated by her children and grandchildren.

The conversations that would take place in those chairs would be between the ,members of the public and Denise Harrison, a writer and mental health, blogger who i had connected with after reading one of her blogs about her experiences with homelessness.

Art galleries, spaces, etc these are the catalyst for statement art pieces. This is where the public are open minded and willing to be challenged and challenge them we did. We know from psychological studies that communication is at the very core of human kind. We need to understand, challenge and evaluate the world around us. We need people to throw images at us to make us step back and think. We need tactile materials to stimulate our senses and encourage discussion and thought processes. Art is creativity visualised into an idea, sound, colour, experience and even taste. 'Are You Sitting Comfortably' is an audience participation, it is an art installation, it is time taken out to connect, it is sharing values and commonalities, it is airing our thoughts and feelings about a complex issue. It took place at the Whitworth art gallery and then a second time at 'parsonage gardens' at Fletcher Moss, didsbury. The second event was with John Priestley, a gentleman who was rescued from freezing conditions as he lay on a bench in Rochdale town centre, a few years earlier.

When I had the idea to create a piece that would encourage society to talk about the sensitive subject that is 'homelessness' I never imagined it would be so welcomed.

This is a conversation between Heather and Denise 'Are You Sitting Comfortably'

Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester.