Art is a survival tool. I mean survival in the sense that I could live without art, but the quality of my life would be diminished.
I drew this when I was 17 and in grade 12. I don’t think I gave it a title. This is what I mean by ‘unbottling’. This image represents the teenage angst, anxiety and frustrations I felt at this time- and I needed somewhere to put this. Thank God for having a tangible way to represent and ‘unbottle’ my emotions.
I mean survival in the sense that art is a bridge to others, to share common humanity and tell stories. Art is deeply humanising.
Also, the process of making art helps preserve my good mental health.
This week is Queensland Mental Health week, and I wanted to reflect on some of the very specific ways art helps me personally to stay well.
Art As A Great Unbottling
Art functions as a way to ‘unbottle’ what could easily be bottled up if I did not have an avenue to let it out. It is a ‘great unbottling’ of emotions. Talking can be effective also, but drawing just allows a little more ‘simmer’ time to ‘sit with’ the feeling and let it come to life on paper. Even the unpleasant stuff, when uncovered and expressed, can be beautiful and has a place within my story. I fear no emotion, in fact I embrace them all when it comes to their usefulness in art making. I once experienced some heartbreak and bitter disappointment, and I made a big painted banner about it, and then someone bought it, and I realised that pain can be transformed (sometimes into personal profit, I learned, lol). Pain doesn’t stay pain when it gets expressed creatively.
2. Art As a clarifying experience.
Kind of like dialogue and debate can give you pause to consider different ideas and arrive at what you think (which takes longer) art making is kind of a shortcut that allows me to stop and figure out ‘what do I actually think about this topic?’ or ‘is that what I actually believe?’ It kind of changes my relationship with ideas, because the act of art making becomes so concrete, so tangible, that it changes my relationship to the idea I am expressing. Like, do I think this enough to put it out into the world and make it more real? Sometimes the answer is yes- cool, I’ve learned something. Sometimes the answer is no- cool, I’ve learned something.
‘Obscurity’ 2018.
This clarifying experience clears my mental fog, helps me understand myself and my responses to the world around me better, and helps me think more clearly.
3. Art as a bridge to others
I love this part of being creative: when you put yourself out there and share your art and someone responds with “I’m not arty but I totally get it…” “I’m not that creative but that resonated with me..” or when people point things out in my work that I didn’t even notice I put there. That happens on a semi-regular basis. Art, though for me is quite a solo endeavour at times, functions to connect me in a meaningful way to other people. I create alone, but then I share what I create and engage and see the response of others which brings me joy. Art is such a great ‘alongside one another’ activity, too, that breaks down awkwardness and transcends verbal language.
Art as a bridge: this image is from a 2019 trip to PNG where I visited remote Western Province villages on a medical ship. I was there to engage kids while medical staff looked after immunisations etc. I took chalk with me and used it to draw with kids from the differing villages. They drew their houses (on stilts) and I copied, then I drew my western style house and they copied me. A great non verbal, reciprocal experience that allowed us to come together and understand each other.
My invitation to you this mental health week, is: is there a creative format you haven’t tried before? What could you use to express or ‘unbottle’?
Perhaps writing a poem? (doesn’t even have to rhyme, just get it out!)
Doing some cartoonish drawings while you’re on the phone- absent minded squiggles.
Writing a ‘dear _____’ letter to express your emotion towards someone (who you will never send it to)
Some finger painting! It is surprisingly cathartic! it doesn’t have to ‘look like’ anything- the sensation, the textures, the catharsis is the goal
Write a blog post! Put your thoughts out there somewhere (besides the comments section, therapeutic though that may be…lol)
What about viewing some art!!! Don’t even worry about the making!!
Recovered Futures is an exhibit on right now, displaying mental-health themed works by people with lived experience. One of my drawings is available to buy still! Check the whole show out! Here’s the link to see my stuff: Recovered Futures Store- My Artwork
Here’s to unbottling, finding clarity, and building bridges to others via art making this mental health week.
x