A local couple is on a mission to show their community the power of play using Slinkys.
Also known as the Slinky Whisperer and Slinker Belle, Jacob Zantinge and Candice Barrett own and operate a Slinky-themed multi-sensory environment called Slinky Swellness out of their home studio in Guelph.
Created using items like black lights, sensory toys and over 500 Slinkys, many of which have been transformed into analog art, the space is designed to relax and engage users through a combination of senses using various forms of Slinkys to boost mental health.
“A lot of people are in a bit of a downward spiral and the cure for a downward spiral is an upward spiral,” said Zantinge. “With the Slinkys, a lot of people respond very positively to them and that’s made me pretty happy."
Crafting a variety of interactive sculptures, costumes and even Barrett’s wedding ring, all using Slinkys, Zantinge's art is the backbone and inspiration for the space.
An oil painter who had lost his drive, Zantinge first discovered his love for Slinkys as an art medium after scouring the dollar store for items that would glow under a black light for a party a couple of years ago.
Later looking at the Slinkys through a kaleidoscope, Zantinge said the image the two created immediately inspired him and he knew he needed more Slinkys.
"I like this better than painting because paintings are like these 2D surfaces and they’re not as interactive," said Zantinge. "(With painting), you’re experiencing someone else’s output but with the Slinkys ... you’re experiencing what I’ve created but you can play with them a little more, you can touch them."
Bridging Zantinge’s artist background with Barrett’s experience working with Respite Services of Ontario, the space is one of the only publicly accessible sensory rooms in Guelph and is mostly used by people with funding from respite services, the CMHA or for the occasional party.
Despite this, Barrett said any age or ability can use the space and experience the benefits of play.
“(For example) The slinkys are an avenue for Jacob to express a rich internal world,” said Barrett. “When I first met Jacob, he didn’t verbalize as much, he didn’t move as much, he was very stuck."
Attempting to create an environment where people feel comfortable getting creative, relaxing and exploring their thoughts, Barrett said the idea behind the space is to allow people to cater to their own specific needs through a play-based approach rather than an outcome-based approach like most therapeutic strategies.
The core goal of the space is what the couple calls cathartistry – using expression as a tool for catharsis and connecting to oneself and others.
“When people are given that space to play, stuff comes up that their body maybe hasn’t forgotten,” said Barrett. “I’ve had incredible moments in a state of play that have changed my life forever and shifted everything around me. I think it's definitely that catharsis we lose the opportunity to have as much of as adults."
Everyone reacts differently when entering the space: some walk right in while others will stand in the studio foyer and "need a moment to move from their outside world space into a play space."
If someone gets overwhelmed, there are quiet areas within the home with no stimulation.
“It’s difficult (we have friends that) still struggle being in this space and not having a goal in mind when (they're) making something," said Barrett. "(You have to figure out) what you have to unlearn in yourself in order to stay present in that play space."
Already participating in a variety of events across Guelph and Wellington County, the couple hopes to share the space with more people in the future through various festivals, open houses or even a television show.
Barrett also intends to pursue her master's in therapeutic clowning and medical clowning.
More information about Slinky Swellness is available here.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
