Survival Techniques, Naomi Edmondson
Survival Techniques is a legal street art project that aims to promote hope and optimism and bring a little light to someone having a dark day.
5 years ago, after a period of feeling very low, I wrote a list of things I needed to remember to do when I was feeling bad: things that always made me feel a bit better. They were always super simple things like 'Talk to someone, anyone, about anything' which came from me chatting to the guy in my local shop for a few minutes. I realised that I would leave the shop feeling much more a part of the world again.
After finding that friends found similar 'Survival Techniques' worked for them, I began to think about ways of sharing the list, and after seeing a local street artist at work in East London, decided that the street would be the best, most democratic place to share them.
The first wall I painted was "Hide Less Chat More" - words from the friend I’d first shared my list of Survival Techniques with. There are now many paintings spread across the UK and Japan.
I’ve collected lots of experiences and words from friends and family, which have inspired the phrasing of current paintings. I’m always looking for new Survival Techniques and you can send them to me via the button below. They might become future paintings. Long or short, specific or general, I’d love to hear them all.
