Recovering The Artist 3: A Show about Art, Not Illness Opens May 2nd

In this recovery art show practice, creative expression offers a path to deeper insight and meaningful connection.

The John and Jane Q. Public mural Joins our artist in recovery show because mental illness can happen to anyone, anytime.

May is Mental Health Month, and along with a time for celebration of the hard and successful work of recovery that continues daily, it is a time for art. A nine year tradition continues with the third Martha Pace Swift Recovering The Artist Show. This years show features work by many artists from the recovery community, including a delightful new wall of figures from perennial contributor Lynn Marcoe. Her “Resinates,” named for the polymer resin clay that she sculpts them with, are humorous and touching, moving, and wonderfully detailed in classic Marcoe style.

An unfortunate fact of the Recovering the Artist Show is the loss of gifted artists too young.  Those under mental health treatment die an average of 25 years younger than the general population. This year we remember Garrett Chesney, a true original. Garrett lived with traumatic brain injury from childhood, and in adulthood, suffered a debilitating stroke that left him relearning how to walk and talk. Yet throughout his recovery he continued to make art in a style that remains completely unique. Garrett’s compositions could be compared to hieroglyphs or cuneiform,  dense tablets of personal symbology he often used as portraiture  of his familiars, a kind of visual haiku. Seeing Garrett Chesney’s achievements in the face of lifelong challenges clearly demonstrates that artistic expression is at the core of human experience The show opens Friday, May 2nd from 5pm-8pm with an artist’s reception and live poetry readings in the studio, and will continue through July 25th, with a special openings on June 6th in conjunction with Friday Night Liberty, our first Friday’s gallery crawl.  Hope to see you there- Wes Need Directions or Details? Click HERE  

To explore recovery art show further, visit the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association — and discover EAI’s expressive arts programs.

Deepen Your Recovery Art Show Practice

Whether you are new to recovery art show or deepening an existing practice, the path forward is yours to shape. Creative expression opens doors that language alone cannot reach — and every step you take toward authentic expression is a step toward wholeness. Explore EAI’s expressive arts programs and find the right next step for you.