About 1 in 4 Americans suffers from some form of mental illness in any given year 1. And because of the stigma often associated with mental illness, many people afflicted do not seek help, which means the number is likely even higher.
I am fairly certain that each of us has either experienced mental illness ourselves, or has someone close to us who has; and considering its prevalence, isn’t it time to get rid of the stigma and acknowledge that mental illness is NOT something to be ashamed of?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States, and is a perfect opportunity to support one another (and ourselves) in getting educated about what mental illness is, what it isn’t, and how we can all help each other to become or remain mentally healthy. (Learn about mental health/illness here»).
To that end, G Gallery in Bellmore, NY, is holding an art show entitled “ASYLUM – It’s All In Your Head,” sponsored by the Long Island Crisis Center, which provides “24/7, free, high quality, confidential and non-judgmental programs and services to support and empower Long Islanders at critical times in their lives.”
This promises to be a diverse showcase featuring passionate local artists, and I am very pleased and proud to say – I am going to be one of them! Two pieces which I created that reflect various states of mental distress will be on display, as well will be offered for sale.
So please save the date: Saturday, May 18th 7:30 – 9:30 pm
…and the place: G Gallery, 2717 Grand Avenue, North Bellmore, NY, 11710
Wine & hors d’oeuvres will be served, and any questions may be directed to Liz at: 516-376-2737.
Hope to see you all there, and please remember, mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, and you should never give up hope. We are in this together. <3
Love,
Adesina
I am so excited that my Charity Art Auction portrait, the sale of which benefitted the Sandy Hook / Newtown School Support Fund, has been completed and given to the donor!
I took much longer than I intended, as well as artistic license, because just doing a simple portrait did not seem like enough. Working closely with the donor, I asked her what her favorite things were, and cats came up very high on the list. Realizing she did not have one herself, I thought it would be nice to include one in her portrait. I then chose one of her most interesting features, her hair, and stylized its rendering, giving it a very illustrative quality, and much more dimension than if I had left it as a simple mass of black.
In the end the portrait came out much more finished and imaginative than either of us could have guessed, and I hope that the donor enjoys having it in her home, as much as I enjoyed drawing it.
Looking forward to portrait #2!
xoxo,
Adesina
