This article is to be something a little different to the typical article I post up.
I've posted before about how I use painting as a form of 'mindfulness' - a way to focus my mind and find calm.
Ruby Wax, writing in her excellent book 'Frazzled' explained mindfulness as: "For me mindfulness is like building a house, so the next time the tsunami that is depression comes I'll have a structure in place to resist it." Through painting I build the structure that keeps me strong when the tsunami hits, as it sometimes does.
For me, I came to realise this when I had a period of severe depression in early 2016, which left me physically incapable of pretty much anything apart from basic living skills. However, what I did find, what helped remove the 'noise' in my head, the maelstrom that I felt just by opening my eyes, was painting. Even if I couldn't eat, drink or in the worst days, wash, I could still pick up a brush.
Focusing on a inch tall miniature, working out the colours to use, the textures I needed to replicate drew the world down to what was in front of me, allowed me to block out the issues, both real and imagined that I felt I was fighting against. Through this, and taking the meds as prescribed, I found that the time between the episodes of debilitating depression began to grow longer apart, until they stopped.
Now, I'm not saying that painting is a panacea for all ills, or a miracle cure for depression, but it certainly helped me, and continues to help me.
So this is where the new logo comes in. Instead of just talking about it, I want to start to help others find their version of mindfulness, pushing the negative energy which depression unleashes into creativity, whatever that may be - painting, sculpting, writing - I'll be looking for stories of those who've managed to do this, who can stand as inspirations for everyone to look to.
I'd love to hear from you if you've experienced episodes of poor mental health, and how you've overcome them - however it may have been.
I'll leave the final words to Ruby Wax - who puts it better than I ever could:
"Why is that when people become ill and have something wrong with any of their organs, they get sympathy from other people - except when that organ is their brain?"
So let's change that - let's have the conversation and help each other!
Mental illness is a many headed bastard beast. When my depression kicks in, all I can do is sit at my desk and shuffle paint pots around. It's only after the cloud has lifted that I am able to paint again.
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Good piece. I suffer with severe depression and painting also helps me as well. There's something so tactile and old fashioned about it compared to hobbies I have that involve a screen, and mixing and applying and working with paint has a very organic quality to it. Like you it also helps me reduce the world down, and it seems to stimulate another part of my brain that my other hobbies don't. I also enjoy gardening, and painting and modelling gives me that same sense of purpose, productivity, except weeds don't force you to do it all again, and now I've got an airbrush I can do every aspect of it all year around. More articles about the therapeithe nature of the hobby such as yours will surely bring depressed nerds like me into it as well!
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