Olivier Jamin tells us about his involvement in the ‘Samarivans,’ – a fundraising art project for The Samaritans (BSL)

Olivier Jamin is based in Birmingham in the West Midlands and has been Deaf since birth. He is an award winning contemporary Deaf artist specialising in hand drawn multi-coloured arts, digital, videos, and photography.

Olivier collaborates with charities, museums/galleries and the private sector: leading BSL tours, art workshops, installations and creating BSL videos, bespoke art commissions. He also offers talks as a guest speaker.

I chatted to him to find out more about his work and especially his involvement in Samarivans, a project by the Samaritans charity.

Hi Olivier, can you tell us about your work as an artist. How did you first begin?

When I was just five years old I drew with pens on paper / card given to me by my family and I just kept on drawing many, many different images. I think I have always had an Artist’s Soul since birth. My passion for the arts keeps on growing all the time and I am always learning new skills / ideas / experiences over the years.

Where did you train?

I studied arts at college in Chesterfield and stayed at the Derby college for Deaf, living independently. Since leaving college, I have learned lots of skills and knowledge, with much of it being self taught over the years. I find it is very important to keep learning new skills, keep practising, make mistakes and look at how to improve myself as an artist as well as my services.

For example, last year I took part in a four day masterclass workshop with seven students from the UK and Europe at the International Festival of Glass at Ruskin Glass Centre. They provided BSL Interpreters for translations and voice over and I really learnt alot from glass tutor Jigong Le.

I don’t have an art studio and I like to work different ways to do my work outside in my garden, sometimes in my kitchen. I use digital drawings, small work and managing my admin in my small box room.

What inspires you?

Most of my creative ideas come from nothing in particular. I usually look at my surroundings for ideas. Whether that be in books, pictures, travels, TV, in conversation with people talking about issues, my experience of Deafness.

When I feel I want to draw something I may try out new ways to create new images. I destroy my work if it is something I don’t like because I find this helps me move on to the next piece.

There are so many amazing talented deaf, hard of hearing artists in the UK that inspire me and you can find a list of artists in Deaf Visual Arts UK (DVAUK). If you are an artist, then it is worth visiting their facebook and instagram page. They share their work, advice online, comments and arrange an artist retreat meetup.

I was really inspired after the time I spent in Kitengela Glass Studio, Kenya, Africa. I stayed for two months in Kenya working with big studio teams, making all kinds of different glass pieces and I didn’t have access to Interpreters provisions but we communicated very well through gestures, English and showing how to make them in a visual way.

It was an unforgettable experience where I learned more about people’s lives there; their friendly/laid back attitudes; their skills.

I am always finding new inspirations from my travels, meeting new artists, visiting galleries/museums, and exploring the internet for my research. Over the years I have met amazing artists, curators in their exhibitions, meeting teams from the galleries/museums.

What materials do you work with?

I use my POSCA pens on cards and other mixed media materials (glass, canvas, woods, fabric.) Here is an example : https://www.instagram.com/p/CeovVz3tXmQ/ – Bellyboard Arts

In the past I have been commissioned by Roundhouse Birmingham and Don’t Settle/Beatfreek where I used digital prints, painted the models and drew the wordings – https://www.instagram.com/p/CbcB805Ag6a/

I have also painted and drawn on public art sculptures and I was lucky to be selected as an artist for the trails with Royal Highland show, Gloucester BID, Puffin Galore, St Barnabas.

I also design my work digitally, my designs are printed in fabric by Sunny Digital Prints for T-shirts.

My art is not about only focusing on my drawings, using digital work. I have also created my own photographs through my trusty iPhone and posted them on my social media. Sometimes I receive requests to have my photos printed digitally. For some of these photos I then edit with colours, patterns and abstract style.

Can you introduce what the Samarivans project is?

The Samaritans volunteers provide emotional support to people in distress 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. North Herts & Stevenage Samaritans handled 22,103 calls last year, and also carried out vital work to raise awareness of the service within the community.

Although the branch is part of the national Samaritans organisation, it is responsible for its own fundraising in order to stay operational.

Sarah Graham explains ‘I came up with the idea for Samarivans to raise money for North Herts & Stevenage Samaritans, a charity close to my heart. I’ve been painting camper van stencils for a long time, and I’ve now asked artist friends and collaborators to put their own spin on my camper van design, creating their very own, unique Samarivan.’

How did you get on board?

Sarah Graham and I have communicated through Instagram as well as supporting each other for a few years. I was advising Sarah who was famously commissioned by the British band Kaiser Chiefs to paint the album cover of their singles collection ‘Souvenir’, which was released worldwide.

Sarah realised the importance of adding subtitles and preferred to edit them herself but did not know how to create a video with them. I guided Sarah to look at many apps and she realised she could create them easily for her social media.

Sarah Graham then asked me to take part in the fundraising project to support Samaritans, so I agreed and have donated my bespoke artwork on her VW van canvas. Over the years, I have donated various artworks to Hospices, NHS and charities to auction to raise funds which you can see here – https://www.instagram.com/p/CYOYib3NAM_/.

Funds raised by this Samarivan project, through goodwill, will go to supporting the Samaritans with their work. I have seen Samaritans work in the news, supporting homeless people, providing food/drink to those in need and supporting people with mental health.

How did you feel about being involved?

I am thrilled to be involved in the Samarivans project. Mental health is an important topic for me as a Deaf artist. Research shows that Deaf people experience poorer mental health and face many barriers to accessing services.

Therefore, supporting a charity that helps people in crisis while also doing what I love, bringing art to the people, is very rewarding!

I am the only Deaf artist taking part in the campaign with over 180 artists. The eBay auction will end on 1st October and the money will support Samaritans to continue their work and support people.

The full collection of Samarivans (180 artworks) can be viewed on eBay website managed by Sarah Graham, Artist using this link: https://sarahgraham.info/samarivans-auction  and there are 12 fantastic celebrity Samarivans Joe Lycett, Leighfrancis, Ricky Wilson, Sue Pollard, Timmy Mallett, James Bay, Kim Wilde, Kerry Ellis, Phillip Jupitus, Bec hill, Valerie Singleton and Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker.

To see Olivier’s work: https://www.ojart.net/