New exhibit ‘Opening Minds' to mental health

Mental illness coupled with artistic endeavor is not a new concept. Sculptor Camille Claudel, a peer of Auguste Rodin (and, for a time, his lover) spent much of her adult life in a sanitarium in France. Painter Vincent Van Gogh suffered from such severe mental illness that he eventually took his own life.

“Opening Minds,” on display through May 11 at the San Luis Obispo Art Center, showcases art by people in mental health wellness and recovery.

Barry Johnson, curator of the show and division director for the Transitions-Mental Health Association, which sponsors the show, said in an interview that the works were created “by people, from young boys in a home, ages 12 to 16, to adults of all ages, even into their 80s.”

“These are people who have identified themselves with mental health and recovery,” he added. “Some of them receive services from Transitions-Mental Health. The percentage is about half-and-half clients and community. Some are homeless or have previously been homeless, others are self-sufficient members of the community.”

Johnson also noted that many of the artists chose to use only first names or remain anonymous. “This is, sadly, due to the stigma associated with mental illness,” he stated.

The featured piece, chosen by a group of outside artists and galleries to promote the show, is a photograph taken with a disposable camera, titled “I'm Feeling Better,” by Suzanne Joelle. A series of vertical lights, from dark hues at the edges to a bright central focus, is a poignant reminder of the recovery process from mental illness, going from the darkness into the light and a sense of being centered.

There are several works in the show, located in an intimate gallery in the Nybeck Wing, including the humorous “Time Out Chair,” with a clock skillfully incorporated into the backrest, created by the Safe Haven day program; the Basquiat-like “Denti-Cal Device for Taking Care of Tooth Problems” by John, with its mix of comics, graffiti, violence, color and humor; “The Five Dimensions,” a group of beautifully thrown pots in graduated sizes by Patrick Terjak; Alicia's acrylic “Spiritual Battle,” suggesting internal struggle with its white shock of paint splashed across a swirl of vivid hues; the surreal “Horse and Mountain” by Teresa; “Girl and Pets” by Joan P. that recalls Lautrec's bold colors; Patrick Bergin's mysterious “Moonlight Mist,” and the simple, yet heart-felt watercolor, “Memories,” by Al Ward, of a boy holding a folded flag while standing in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.

Many works are also for sale and all proceeds go to the artists.

The exhibition is well worth seeing and, through artistic expression, will help bring mental illness out of the dark of ignorance and into the light of understanding by “Opening Minds.”

FYI:

The 12th annual “Opening Minds” art show is hosted by the Transitions-Mental Health Association, through Sunday, May 11, at the San Luis Obispo Art Center, 1010 Broad St. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Monday; closed Tuesdays. Admission is free.

For more information, call the center at 543-8562. For information about the Transitions-Mental Health Association, call 541-5144 or visit www.t-mha.org.