‘Take a Walk in My Shoes’ opens today
Stefan Davis found a way to express himself through photography.
The 48-year-old took up the skill after being introduced to it through the PhotoVoice programme at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.
He is one of about 60 past and present, young and old service users who will be showcasing and selling their artwork at the “Take a Walk in My Shoes” MindFrame PhotoVoice Exhibition.
“There’s a lot of beauty in photography,” Mr Davis, of Warwick, told The Royal Gazette.
“I took an instant liking to it. It’s a good avenue to express yourself.”
Although his real passion is sketching and drawing, he has always liked taking pictures and being in pictures.
“I call them memories. It’s quite interesting when you take pictures, because you know your eyes see something and you use the camera to try and capture what your eye sees. There’s so many beautiful natural scenes around this island. It’s wonderful. It’s exciting. Now I look for photos everywhere.”
Mr Davis, who has been taking part in the exhibition for six years, has been a patient at MWI since he was 18 or 19 years old.
He has schizophrenia and hopes the exhibition will help break down some of the negative stereotypes associated with mental health.
“A lot of people encounter that a lot,” he said, adding that he had “not really” been the victim of stigma in his time.
“Everybody’s pictures tell a story — it’s like our vision of life. It gives you the insight of what people’s minds go through as far as the outlook.
“I honour it because you see everybody’s best — it’s just awesome.
“People will get a sense of enlightenment seeing all the different artwork that’s put on display.
“The pictures speak for themselves.”
Alana Dill had never picked up a paintbrush until she was at MWI six year ago.
She was 19 and had to do an art therapy class, surprising herself and others at how her pieces turned out.
“I want people to be inspired by the exhibition,” Ms Dill said. “Everybody was blown away at how my art comes out. I surprised myself.
“It has made me feel that I am actually good at something and I’m not completely useless. Art makes me feel so good inside. I feel like I can achieve anything.”
Ms Dill said there was more to art than picking up a paintbrush: “You have to be inspired, motivated and in the mind where you feel that this is it, nothing can hold you back.
“You have to be inspired and connect with your pain, your paintbrush, canvas and surroundings and it will take you to places you have never been.”
Gino Edness, meanwhile, has been into art since he was young and has been a yearly contributor to the art exhibition since it started at MWI in 2006. He came up with the name Mindframe.
“I am a quiet person, I don’t say much,” he said. “Art makes me open — more people gather around me when I do my art. I’ve grown and my art has helped me to grow.
“I’d like people to see how we can work at being creative with our hands. They can learn something from us, because we’ve got a lot to give, a lot to show.
“I figure that people should come and see what it’s all about. I’m sure they’ll enjoy the show.”
A reception from 5pm to 7pm today will open the exhibition at the Bermuda Society of Arts and the public are invited to join the artists, photographers and creative writers who will be there.
The MindFrame PhotoVoice exhibition has continued to expand since its humble beginnings at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute ten years ago.
A new art form has been added almost every year and this year’s exhibition, themed “Take a Walk in My Shoes”, will feature digital art for the first time.
The public are invited to attend the opening reception at Bermuda Society of Arts this evening to get a better insight into the minds of those with mental illness or addiction.
“This is an amazing exhibition of work,” MWI art therapist Reilly Ingham said. “It’s a great opportunity to meet the artists, to see the artwork and to get a little insight into the minds of those with a mental illness or addiction.”
She added that it also demonstrates the creativity and abilities of those who use MWI’s services.
According to occupational therapist Morissa Rogers, the initiative was started to give service users an “opportunity to be referred to as artists in their own right without the stigma of their diagnosis to obscure it”. But it also allows them to show they have a diagnosis and that their art can be appreciated just as much as anyone else’s, she said.
“Sometimes people feel like they are useless, hopeless, they do everything wrong and when people can really appreciate their art, it helps to reinforce that they do have a worth.
“The other important aspect is that it allows them to develop leisure skills — some of them have not participated in art before, photography or any other visual art.”
The first exhibit was held in the MWI’s lobby in 2006 and it has grown every year, moving to the Bermuda Society of Art in 2007 and including more mediums on an almost yearly basis.
“It gets bigger and better every year,” Ms Rogers said. “This year we have 60 participants and about 180 pieces.”
And occupational therapist Akilah Lapsley-Dyer added: “We’ve also added video and more media.”
In addition to including digital art, this year’s exhibit will also highlight how the event has evolved. Ms Rogers said: “This is our ten-year anniversary so we are really trying to reflect on where it started in 2006 and where it has come.”
She explained that all service users past and present, old and young are given the opportunity to exhibit, no matter what calibre.
“Over the last ten years we’ve seen those that have started without much of an interest progressing to artists who exhibit at their own shows.
“When people make an assumption of what somebody with mental illness looks like or the type of art that someone with mental illness can produce, typically it is not of the calibre that we are showing at the exhibit and that is a significant part of breaking down the barriers.”
Occupational therapist Akilah Lapsley-Dyer added service users grow and learn to appreciate their own talents and perspectives on life through art, photography and writing therapies.
“It helps with motivation. It helps with their self-esteem. It gives them a purpose and a role in society and they really enjoy it.
“We have provided commentaries for all the art and photographic contributions from the individuals in the show.
“We hope people will see those who struggle with mental health challenges through a new lens, and appreciate what these people can tell us about life, struggle and hope.”
The opening ceremony for the exhibition, which runs to December 6, will be held at the Bermuda Society of Arts from 5pm to 7pm.
