20 Years of Creative Visions – 19th March – 18th April

A MESS ROOM and Kent Association for the Blind (KAB) exhibition celebrating artistic achievement beyond sight .

20 years of MESS!

Creative Visions celebrates the resilience, skill and unique perspectives of blind and sight-impaired artists. Through sculpture, tactile media and vibrant colour, this timeline of artworks challenges us to see the world differently.

The journey began in 2006 with a simple question. Wendy Daws contacted the Kent Association for the Blind (KAB) asking: “Do you have any art groups I could visit?”

The answer was a simple “No.”

Unfazed, Wendy, self-described as an “accidental volunteer”, set up four taster sessions in Medway. That spark caught fire. Twenty years later, those initial sessions have grown into a thriving network of art groups across Chatham, Gravesend, Canterbury, Bromley and Tunbridge Wells.

We invite you to explore two decades of vision, voice and the vibrant community, built one artwork at a time.

As we celebrate this milestone, we look to the horizon with one question: What next?

“The art group is a life saver and gives me a sense of well being and joy when I am with like minded friends and can have fun. Creating together gives me a sense of purpose and pride.”

KAB art group member

Gallery & Café Opening Times

  • Thursday 5th March 10am – 4pm
  • Friday 6th March 10am – 4pm
  • Saturday 7th March 10am – 4pm
  • Thursday 12th March 10am – 8pm (Gallery Lates)
  • Friday 13th March 10am – 4pm
  • Saturday 14th March 10am – 4pm

Kent Association for the Blind

Kent Association for the Blind (KAB) is a leading UK charity supporting people who are blind or partially sighted across Kent.

Established in 1920, KAB provides practical advice, emotional support, and specialist services to help individuals maintain independence and improve quality of life. The organisation offers rehabilitation training, assistive technology support, employment guidance, and social activities designed for people living with sight loss. KAB also works closely with families, carers, healthcare professionals, and local communities to ensure accessible support is available when it’s needed most. Through outreach services, community hubs, and volunteer programmes, the charity helps thousands of people each year adapt to vision impairment and stay connected with their communities.

Kent Association for the Blind is committed to raising awareness about visual impairment while promoting inclusion, accessibility, and independence for visually impaired people throughout Kent.

“The experience and sense of belonging is so important. When your eyesight starts to go and your lifestyle changes you start to think “What purpose have I got?” The art group means a lot to me, it’s given me confidence and I’ve made so many new friends.”

KAB art group member

Wendy Daws – Artistic Director

Wendy Daws is a passionate artist based in Medway, known for her community-focused and tactile art. Born in Hoo, she has deep local roots. Her early life was shaped by Hoo’s transformation from orchards to housing estates, a changing landscape that continues to inspire her work.

She thrives on collaboration, sharing ideas, uncovering hidden stories, and bringing creative projects to life. Working across educational and community settings, she adapts her approach to meet the needs of each group she engages with.

Her artistic journey took many turns. She left school at 16 and explored various training courses, from bookkeeping to sugar craft, before returning to education at 30. Later, she earned a BA (Hons) in Three-Dimensional Crafts from the University of Brighton, specializing in metals and plastics.

A life-changing exchange program at Nagoya Fine Art University in Japan sparked her passion for accessibility in the arts. This experience inspired her dissertation, The Value of Touch – Blind Alphabet C and Museum Approaches to Visually Impaired Visitors. After graduating in 2004, she felt the pull of what she calls the “Medway magnet” and returned to her hometown, ready to make an impact.

“The MESS ROOM approach is…if somebody says they would like to knit with yogurt, we just ask – what flavour would you like?”

Wendy Daws, MESS ROOM founder

Nessy Gets Messy!

FREE Foam Mosaic Workshop Friday 10th April 11 – 3

Join us for a hands-on creative session where the whole family can make together. Lead by the MESS ROOM create your own colourful foam mosaic artwork and help give their beloved Nessy sculpture a fresh new look.

Using bright, soft foam pieces, you’ll design and build your own mosaic masterpiece. Make:

  • A self-portrait
  • Your favourite pet
  • Or anything your imagination dreams up

Drop in 11am – 3pm, all materials supplied, just bring your creativity.

About Nessy

Nessy was created by Nim Thorp in 2023 for our Magical Maritime Mysteries exhibition, held at the Historic Dockyard Chatham as part of their Monsters of the Deep exhibition.

Now Nessy needs a glow-up!

The MESS ROOM are big on repurposing and recycling. For this workshop, we’ll be using donated foam and mount board offcuts, turning reclaimed materials into colourful new masterpieces.

Come craft, create, and help Nessy shine again.

Discover More About The MESS ROOM

An inclusive creative space offering fun, accessible, and innovative art workshops for people of all abilities people with sight loss and visual impairments.

Designed to encourage creativity and self-expression, the workshops provide a welcoming environment where participants can explore new artistic skills, build confidence, and connect with others in their community

Exhibitions at The Riverside Gallery

Located in the heart of Chatham’s vibrant cultural quarter, Sun Pier House is a dynamic riverside arts venue where creativity comes to life. Overlooking the tranquil River Medway, our light-filled gallery spaces provide a striking and ever-changing backdrop for an exciting programme of exhibitions, installations, and community-led art projects.

Have a look at what’s coming up next in the Riverside Gallery!