Taking Arts Seriously, Gayle Bluebird February 19, 2014 · 2014-02-15 · Taking Arts Seriously,...

Taking Arts Seriously, Gayle Bluebird February 19, 2014

Optum/iNAPS www.inaops.org 1

iNAOP’S Webinar

February 19th, 2014

12:00-1:00pm

Gayle Bluebird, RNArtwork by:

Knicoma Frederick

Creative Arts Factory

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�Art was used to reflect anger, outrage,

protest, and political ideology

�Posters

�Newsletters

�Chants

�Songs

�Music

�Poetry

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� A National Newsletter

published from the

1970s to the 80s.

Cover by:

Tanya Tempkin

Berkley, CA

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Photograph of a 30-day

“sleep-in” protest in

then Governor Jerry

Brown’s office to

protest deaths and

abuses in State

hospitals in California.

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� Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.

(From Human Motivation, 3rd ed., by Robert E. Franken)

� “Creativity is the outward manifestation of what one feels inside,” or “it is the ability to bring something new into existence by seeing things in a new way.”

� Bluebird thinks of creativity as “soul inspiration”--- a bubbling up inside of us that begs for our recognition.

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Creativity

Creativity

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• Can be a potent form of communication

• A self-help approach to overcoming obstacles

• Focuses on feelings, thoughts and ideas

• Lets us express things we cannot express in

words

• Comes directly from our imagination

• Can transform tragedy to triumph

• For sake of enjoyment- engages our senses

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� Engaging in art can:

� Change a person’s physiology and attitude

� Chang the immune system and blood flow to all the organs

� Free our immune system to operate optimally

� Transform a person’s outlook and way of “being in the

world”

� Art is now recognized as helpful to healing

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� First research project by and for

mental health clients in California

� 500 persons interviewed

� 61 Percent of clients stated

creativity essential to their well-

being

� 24 percent stated they lacked

creativity in their lives

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“Touched with Fire: Manic Depressive illness and the

Artistic Temperament”

Book looked at many historic artists:

� Found many suffered from major depression and

manic depression

� Another study looked at 47 British artists:

� Found that 38% had been treated for a mood disorder

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Study of nine artists with mental illness:

�Looked at their artistic process

�Found they did art as a means of self-

expression and to share their beliefs and

values

�Study showed a striving for emotional

wellness, not psycho-pathology

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Healing Themselves with Art

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Once a Broadway performer, Wambui later created a one-woman show ”Balancing Act” based on her mental health experiences. She has also written an enlightening memoir, “You Don’t Know Crazy,” which describes how she found inspiration and exhilaration out of despair.

www.wambui-bahati.com

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Jerome is a talented and

nationally recognized

artist known for his works

of beauty and color; one

of his paintings in the

“Tulips are People” series,

hangs in the rotunda of

the Carter Center in

Atlanta, GA.

www.jeromelawrence.net

Tulips are People IX

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Michael writes songs on issues

related to his childhood abuse and

on spirituality, hope, love and

recovery. He has written, recorded

and published three CDs of his

music; he also speaks on the

prevention of childhood sexual,

mental and physical abuse. Art is

his primary source of income.

www.michaelskinner.net

www.michaelskinnermusic.com

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“Drag with a Tag”

Mark created his act to educate and

raise consciousness about being gay,

living with HIV, and mental health

issues. Mark received a “VOICE”

award in Los Angeles in 2009.

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From

“The Entertainer Series”

Sharon is not only an accomplished visual

artist, but a talented dancer 18



Meghan’s transformative art

evokes strong emotions

when viewing it, from the

very deep and painful to the

light and joyful. “My life has

been rather raw and hard to

look at but I have tried to

make it into something that

has beauty…and art has

done that for me.”

www.meghancaughey.com

“Hugging Form”

From Meghan’s early work

“Lotus with Sparks”

From Meghan’s

Lotus Series later

in Recovery

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“Pieta”

Sybil is the only (known) mental health survivor to receive an Eli

Lilly scholarship to obtain her MFA.

San Francisco



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From Sadness to Gladness

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Examples:• Pillow Cases of Recovery• Art Exhibits• Drumming Circles• Note card Projects• “Arts and Wellness” Carnivals• Decorating Comfort Rooms• Entrepreneurship• Hands Project• Recovery Related Arts Projects

(the list is endless)

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The Mural Project

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Definition:

The Comfort Room, formerly called the “Quiet” or “Time-Out” room, is a room that provides sanctuary from stress. It can be a place where people can experience their feelings within acceptable boundaries.

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Zen Room, Ft. Lauderdale Hospital, FL Western State Hospital, Tacoma, WA



Cemetery restored with beauty to honor 25,000 people who had been buried in unmarked graves at Central State Hospital since 1842. This project, coordinated by Larry Fricks and Pat Deegan, has spread across the U.S. and many others like it now exists at other hospital cemeteries, including the cemetery at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, DC.

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Hands, Hoops, Pillowcases

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•Easy Project to do

•Presented at Peer Conferences in MT, MD, NYC, NJ, TX

� “If pillows could talk, they would

� tell a story of our struggles …”

� Reflects issues of recovery & effects of stigma

� A traveling exhibit of poetry & art on pillowcases that

is now called “Pillows of Hope”

� A clothesline exhibit you can do!

www.alteredstatesofthearts.com

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A Simple “How To”

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�Be a unique and

creative dresser with

color, combinations

of colors, that attract

attention.

�Let your attire be a

conversation piece.

Dara HagansInpatient Peer Specialist

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�Use casual words

�Give someone a high five

�“Hey Bro, What's Up?”

�Be a person not a title

�Find out a person’s interests/hobbies/strengths

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� Word Search/Crossword puzzles

� Joke of the Day

� Small Journal

� Stuffed Animal

� Package of Tissues

� Small Notebook

� Stress Ball

� Affirmation/Fortune

(Arts Materials depending on the audience)

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• Created in 2011

• Written, and designed by Peer Support.

• In easy-to-understand language.

• Illustrated with national artists’artwork.

• Designed for persons receiving services… and others

“Hugging Form”Meghan Caughey 36



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A self-help arts guide

published in 2000 with funds

from CMHS with information

that is still relevant and helpful

to mental health consumers

today

www.alteredstatesofthearts.com

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S.I.D.E.S, a wellness center in

St. Louis, Missouri, started a

fabric quilt project with the

theme of recovery to

demonstrate to the

community that we are

capable, caring and loveable

people. The chosen theme

was “Wings of Change” thus,

the butterflies scattered

throughout the quilt.

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The Second Step Players theatre troupe creates and performs educational sketch comedy about mental health issues for the purpose of educating the public and reducing stigma. The Players have been ambassadors in community education and advocacy since 1985.

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� Altered States of the Arts www.alteredstatesofthearts.com

� ARTREACH – Second Step Players Theater Group,

www.artreachheals.org

� Bahati, Wambui www.wambui-bahati.com

� Campbell, J., The Well-Being Project,

http://mimh200.mimh.edu/mimhweb/pie/database/GetArticle.asp?value=1601

� Caughey, Meghan www.meghancaughey.com

� Cemetery Projects, Pat Deegan & Larry Fricks http://www.patdeegan.com/links.html

� Lawrence, Jerome www.jeromelawrence.net

� Noble, Sybil [email protected]

� S.I.D.E.S.

� Skinner, Michael www.mskinnermusic.comwww.michaelskinner.net

� Wise, Sharon [email protected]

� Graham-Pole, J. (2000). Illness and the art of creative self-expression.New Harbinger Publications,Inc.: Oakland, CA

� Jamison,K.R. (1993). Touched with fire: manic depressive illness and the

artistic temperament. New York: Simon & Schuster

Panter, B.M.,M.L.; Visrhup,A.T.R.; and Visrhup,B. (Eds). (1995) Creativity

and madness: psychological studies of art and artists, Burbank,CA: Aimed

Press

� The SAH.org/resources/biblio.cfm (Society of Arts in Healthcare)

� Spaniol,S.E. (July 1990). Exhibit in art by people with mental illness: issues,

process and principles, Art Therapy, pp.70-78

� The Awakenings Project, Chicago, IL: www.theawakeningsproject.org

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Gayle Bluebird

Director, Peer ServicesMental Health Association (MHA),

Delaware Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH)

Office: (302)255-2701

E-Mail: [email protected]

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Taking Arts Seriously, Gayle Bluebird February 19, 2014 · 2014-02-15 · Taking Arts Seriously,...

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Transcript of Taking Arts Seriously, Gayle Bluebird February 19, 2014 · 2014-02-15 · Taking Arts Seriously,...