On Thursday May 4, 2006, the mindyourmind.ca Street Team members attended an art exhibit showcasing the work of artists affected in some way by mental illness. The event was held at The Art Project on Dundas Street in downtown London and was sponsored by the Mental Health Promotions Committee, a network of community agencies and consumers, aiming to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
We attended the evening reception for Framing the Phoenix, A Mental Health Art Exhibition ready to admire some amazing artwork, interview artists, and mingle.
Lucy Olgetree was the featured artist who created the folk-art piece featured on the poster promoting the event. The painting was raffled off to raise money for the Mental Health Promotions Committee.
Each of the street team members were responsible for interviewing an artist whose work they admired at the venue. The following are the artists that were interviewed; Lucy Ogletree, Scott Scherer, Andrew Minderlein, John Mackey, Christie Davis-Amyot, and one anonymous female artist.
Andrew Minderlein
Interview with Andrew Minderlein by Josh
What got you into art initially?
When I was first diagnosed with psychosis I used art to help me express my emotions and feelings in a way that I couldn’t do as easily in words.
Why did you choose to be in this exhibit?
It seemed like a good fit. I liked what this exhibit was all about--existing as a whole, apart from a mental illness. I also wanted to give my work some exposure and this venue was a good collaboration. I plan on being famous someday.
BIO
By the age of 16 Andrew was already seeing the world through different eyes than most. Eyes that would become those of an artist saw a dramatic turn in the life of what was then just a young man hanging on to family and friends. He closed those young eyes and when he opened them he had been kicked out of his father’s house, had dropped out of school, and had fallen on harder times than any 16 year old should.
By 17 he was homeless, living in a shelter and doing his best to keep the image of the typical teenager more prominent than the image of drink, drugs and strange women. He managed a few good jobs and some education but fell to more convenient ways more often than the paths to success.
By the age of nineteen his life was predominantly same shit, different day. He closed his eyes tight and wished it all away. When he opened them again he was leaving college for a psychiatric hospital. He bounced from home to home and juggled the old hard habits until he was admitted back into the hospital. He quickly closed his eyes again. They had seen too much in twenty years.
When he opened them again those eyes saw something different. They saw life and living in beautiful terms. His hands created art, his eyes created wonder, and his mind created hope.
At 23 Andrew sees the world through different eyes than most.
John Mackey
Artist John Mackey
By Rachel
BIO
Eye In the Sky represents my spirituality with the idea that God is always watching us no matter where we are.
Pain and Recovery shows that sometimes little things like breaking something small accidentally seems so catastrophic but there are things that can help, they can be small. If you listen or watch for them you can find an answer to your problems.
Christie Davis-Amyot
Christie Davis-Amyot
Have you been affected by mental illness?
Absolutely, I am not mentally ill but I do suffer from anxiety. My sister, I think my past experiences and a lot of my memories of my family come out in my work. I think that it is probably unconcious and it is part of the process of making a painting and the one large scale painting is basically indicative of that process.
It is just kind of train of thought. I did preliminary sketches.
I was kind of trying to paint something that explains the process of what is real and not real, what we understand and what we dont understand, cognition, memory those kind of things.
Those are all things that people with mental illness would be affected by, especially memory.
Do you believe that art can be a coping mechanism...a way of dealing with mental illness?
I think that it is probably one of the best ways to cope with mental illness. I know from personal experience when my father died, I made myself a painting about it. It was extremely hard to do and I did it and I cried and it made me feel better. It brought beauty to something that was extremely negative. It was something that helped me accept what happened. And I think that painting, drawing, creating artwork, or sketching will do that for anyone with mental illness.
Why did you choose the three paintings to exhibit here?
Most of my work at this point is cleaning at the Bruce Peninsula but it is also wanting to find a venue where I can really do the art that I want to do. It fits in. Part of the reason that this picture fits in, it comes from a place deep inside that I share with my sister. It is very personal it has to do with memory, cognition there are a lot of symbols in my work that are about my family, the elephant, the egg, the moon and mars, the feather.
Elephants are in the big picture now because they represent memory.
Thanks to Christie Amyot (36)
Mohamed
My name is Christie Davis-Amyot, and I am participation in this show because my sister, Marisia Davis is paranoid schizophrenic. Unfortunately, she was not able to join us this evening.
First, I would like to thank Trudy Gratto, Regional Coordinator of the Schizophrenia Society for inviting me to speak on behalf of the artists participating in this exhibition, Rising the Phoenix. It is an honor to be included in this way.
As consumers of mental health and their families, it is imperative that we recognize the important of raising awareness and reducing the stigmas associated with mental illness. By displaying our art, we have shown that we are ready to engage the community in discussion of mental illness, to effect change, and ultimately to increase awareness for disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
We have come together as an untitled and strong group, and have used art as an influential political tool in sending a message to the public. We, as the mentally ill, have experiences to be shared and understood.
Look around you, at these works of art and our messages will unfold.
Speak to us, and learn about our experiences.
We are, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, grandparents and friends,
We have suffered abuse, loss, isolation, desperation and lack of dignity.
We have found joy, happiness, peace, and understanding.
We are curious and funny, tender, and kind.
We are fragile; we are brave, patient,
And human.
I congratulate this group for creation works of art that show a unique sight into there conditions of humanity. We have created diverse, interacting, and aesthetically prolific work and have displayed the ability to harness our cognitive function of smell, touch, taste and sight and to render the inexplicable when out illness has allowed us that freedom.
Art has immense power to give you a voice, and to give that voice or message immortality. We have embraced this opportunity to leave something behind and will be remembered for doing so. Friends, I ask you, how can we be alone when our voice is so strong?
I encourage you, as our public, to spend time with each piece. A successful work of art finds an irreplaceable place in your heart, and in your home. It is not a mere commodity.
Extend you appreciation and support of the talent, bravery, and drive that we have shown in making the decisions to share this highly emotive work with you, in battling mental illness in all forms, and in attempting to belong as a functioning part of society. It gives an artist an unequivocal sense of pride, accomplishment, and dignity when a patron shows keen interest in his or her work.
Lucy Ogletree
Interview with Lucy Ogletree
Lucy Ogletree grew up in the community of Thamesville, Ontario. She was first inspired to become an artist after painting a picture called 'Helping Hand'. Lucy painted this picture for her therapist; she wanted to make something for her therapist to show how much the person was helping her and how grateful she is. Her love for art boomed into her own store called Winter Wheat. Winter Wheat involves the things she loves the most; Canadian and American Folk Art. Lucy suffers from Depression she never lets her mental illness control her life. She is an inspiration to all on how with hard work you can over come anything. The store is in Sparta, Ontario. Check it out.
By: Francesca
BIO
Lucy Ogletree is a self taught Canadian folk artist who was raised near the small rural community of Thamesville and Chatham areas, Lucy spent the first six years in a one school house.
All of Lucy's working experience has been involved with the things she loves to do most; Canadian and American Folk Art. Through her production companies, she has designed and produced hand crafted country products that have sold successfully at many gift shops throughout Canada. This experience, together with warm memories of her rural childhood, have inspired Lucy to paint her folk style images. Flying cows and Noah's Ark with wings, add a touch of whimsy to her work while farms and fields offer a peace and tranquility found only in the country.
Lucy lives on a small farm near Sparta, Ontario with her husband Mike Roberts. Here she continues to discover new and fresh ways to share with us her vision of a simple life.
As time allows, Lucy enjoys such hobbies as antiques, music and traveling, but in particular, she enjoys attending functions where she can meet the people who collect her art work.
Lucy's artwork is available as signed prints, signed and numbered limited editions and note cards.
Scott Schere
Scott Schere Scott spoke with me about his decision to enter his artwork into the Framing the Phoenix exhibit – he as suffered from mental illness, and he wanted to support this cause. He also finds the process of creating art to be a form of relaxing meditation. Scott would love for art to one day be his career, but for now it’s his form of therapeutic creation.BIO
I believe all art comes from the conscious and unconscious working either in opposition or in unison. Whether the medium be paint, clay, or whatever the artist chooses, it allows itself to be manipulated seemingly with no repercussions. However, there are lines that should not be crossed or the piece will fall apart.
I have been creating art for over 10 years in different media. I hope others will find as much enjoyment in my art as I have in making it.
Michelle
Anonymous
Alysha’s Interview Phoenix Art Exhibit
Q: What inspires you to create your art?
A: I do a lot of portraiture. I am fascinated with the face. A never ending source of information, there is so much information there. I look and I always wonder what is behind the face? What are the people like? What is their life like? It ‘s a capturing of a moment in time that’s my focus.
Q: Do you use any other media? Like photography etc…
A: No, I tried to do photographs and I can’t translate what I see from a photograph. I am a bad photographer, and I end up cutting parts of the person’s head off or something like that when I do photographs. But I do drawing and I’ve done print making as well.
Q: How does art affect your life? Does it translate into other areas of your life?
A: I’m constantly looking at the world around me. Seeing the world through different eyes perhaps? I do a lot of stopping and looking at things. I tend to work right brained a lot of the time. I live on that side of my brain!
Anonymous
