Craft For Health

Painting helps me with Mental Illness

 

I want to tell you I'm happy you are sharing people's stories.

Mine is one of mental illness. I suffer from bipolar and a few  more challenges.  Painting has helped me get through most of it.  When I was 36, I got arthritis through most of my body.  It  was painful and still is.

My art that I create makes me forget the problems-- so every day I create not only to relieive my pain but to bring hope.  I paint wonderful colorful art .  It saves me from my self worriying and lessens lifes  hardships.  Even in the hospital I keep painting most times,I hope to write a book on it some time.

Love Gina from Washington state

Sadness and Depression Overcome with Craft Therapy by Sandy Mastroni

I grew up with loving parents but ours was a house of sadness and depression .

My brother suffered with a mental illness and each day we walked on eggshells wondering what would happen next .

 

Colored pencils , ink, fabric , paper and clay were my salvation . Later in life Jesus became my salvation . He gave me art to get through the hard times and then when I was older I understood His loving kindness toward me I still create something everyday .  

Dolls , paintings , illustrations or pillows .  I don't feel alone and scared now . Now , because of His promises to me I can create something each day with joy .  [ My first name is actually Sandra Joy ]

You can see my work on my blog and there you will find links to my etsy shop , Flickr pages and the galleries that carry my work .

http://smastroni.blogspot.com

http://sandymastroni.etsy.com 

Painting Gives Me a High and an Escape from Depression

 

I have suffered from depression for most of my adult life. I have a very supportive, healthy, and loving family and there is no reason to feel depressed, in my life, but it's there. Ever present and insidious, if not controlled.  I've never been on medication for it nor would I consider it although I know it's the only alternative for many.  

 

 

 

It might sound lame or simplistic but when I wake up in the morning, I make a deliberate choice, by telling myself,  to "be happy today".  It's always a struggle.  One might go throughout the day, busy, doing a million things at once and out of nowhere, depression creeps in!

 

 

One other thing that I do to ward it off, is create art.  I paint pictures of landscapes, still life, or portraits.   I stop my thought process, and focus on the painting itself.  The sheer process and concentration required for painting is the ultimate "high" for me! As I paint, I'm praying (sounds silly, but true) that someone will find some measure of joy in that which I'm painting.  The themes of Cuba, (either the landscapes or still lifes) that I love to paint bring back many wonderful memories, for me and many of my collectors.  Each painting that I make has a calming, positive influence.

 

 

I'm mostly a self-taught artist and I've only been doing this for six years, so I find that there is still a lot to learn.  One of the things that I've been focusing on lately is on becoming a better portrait painter.  So, right now, I'm offering Practice Portraits.  This is a free 5x7 oil painting (only $5.00 for shipping and handling) of a head shot (from the shoulders, up) of you or someone you love. You can go to my blog and check it out here at  http://artbymsr.blogspot.com.  Or you can email me, [email protected],  for more information.

 

Thanks!  cariños,  Maria Soto Robbins

My Stitches Help Me Conquer Mental Illness

 

I have always expressed myself through stitches.  I talk with my hands, I nurture with my hands, and I stitch with my hands.  The Promise of Pills explores the identity of illness, the promises of drug marketing, and frustration with the current healthcare system in the US. 

 

I use embroidery to mimic the swirling colors and visible brushstrokes of oil painting. I use dozens of colors of cotton, silk, and rayon floss on each image. I spend 30-60 hours stitching every one. The time and labor it takes to create these pieces reiterates the uphill struggle of recovery and the depth of compassion needed to conquer mental illness.
 
I use my background textiles to comment on my subject matter. The cheerfulness of printed fabrics echo the drugs’ promises of sunny, uncomplicated happiness while standing in sharp contrast to the reality of depression and anxiety. I occasionally use textiles pulled from my daily life--scrub smocks, kitchen linens, bedding, and my daughter's clothing--to show how much of a person’s life is affected by illness.

I want to bring beauty and individuality to the stern geometry of pills. I want to blur their rigid, clinical lines. With the warmth and softness of fiber, I am giving humanity to medical diagnoses and their chemical solutions.  Meet me at  http://meetmeinthedayroom.wordpress.com
http://kniterdone.blogspot.com