Art is a guarantee of mental health

I love creating art. If I could I would paint adn draw and make collages and ignore everything else in my life, especially cooking. It is my great escape.

Hi

Art for me has been extremely helpful after the death of my son. I started to attend an art therapy group. And being able to create something amidst this awfulness, was for me some sort of hope. It gave me a place to put my feeling other than swirling around in my head. My first painting was full of words on a black canvas. Words like desolation, bane , tribulation, anguish, pain etc. And the canvas stayed like that for about 6 months, then I decided to paint over the words with white but so you could still see the words through it. I then did some dragon flys on top. It signifies grief. The pain will always be there but you have to put on your mask and keep going. Never getting over anything but holding it all. I was always told by my family that I missed the artistic genes, but now I don't care what others think, creating is what it's all about, not necesarily the final product. I would advise anyone to just give it a go!!!!!

I agree with frog, just give it a go!

Hi Frog,

I'm so sorry about the death of your son.

Your painting with the words and the dragon flies sounds very evocative.

I agree art therapy can be incredibly helpful, so can art as therapy which is less directed but very freeing too.

I don't think it really matters so much what others think of our work from this space. It's nice if people appreciate it, but if they don't maybe it's because they don't get it. Not all art is meant to be pretty or whatever, like mental illness it doesn't fit in a single box. I think there is a lot of raw power and beauty in art produced by sufferers from MIs. Last year the community art group I'm part of held an exhibition called "Metamorphosis" and there was the most incredible range of amazing work.

I never thought I had any artisic genes either, but I've discovered that the art is its own reward. Keep creating 🙂 and encouraging.

Best regards,

Kristin

Hi Chemonro,

Thanks for the article link, very interesting. I think she's spot on, it's certainly a saving grace!

Best regards,

Kristin