by Jeni Fitts

ART IS MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY PICTURE

For quite some time now, art therapy has been a tool to unlock tortured minds and to give the patients a place to put all their rage, their grief, even happiness. But I propose that art therapy and art itself can be much more - a link to the so-called "outside" world, and excellent social commentary. I am a 26 year old former schizophrenic (still in therapy and on meds), but I am also an artist who has been creating all of her life. At the present, I'm looking for representation in a gallery or museum, and also creating my own home-based business to sell straight out of the studio. And that's the way things should be. Anyone who has ever sufferred mental illness, especially severely, has a story to tell. The rest of the world- those people in the "real" world who misunderstand us or believe we're to be feared - they are the ones who need to know our stories, because up until now we've only been portrayed as savages bent on murder or just plain stupid and crazy.We need a bridge to open up communication - to decrease stigma, to work for ourselves and get paid for it, to show others what it's like to live with mental illness. I believe art is one such bridge. We can't reach everyone, but any artist whose work has been looked at by anyone already has a bond with a willing and curious viewer.
Currently, the only places for the mentally ill to display their work are on websites such as this one, or travelling art shows that weigh more heavily on mental illness rather than craftsmanship. Don't get me wrong- these are INDISPENSIBLE opportunities. But why stop there? If you've been mentally ill and you consider yourself an artist, move on! Take on the art world! You have a unique point of view that art patrons need to see- and you are entitled to have pay for good work.
What should you paint, draw...? Anything. Explain the image with the title. People will get it. I've already had success in that area; just recently my art was published on the cover of a book about schizophrenia by the American Psychological Association. But, beyond that, there's the rest of the world, and you can create your own opportunities. Naivete is on your side. If you don't know what you can't do, do it anyway! Often it will not produce much, but you may find places or people you never thought could help, but many can and will.
Taking on the art wold is another ball of wax. You do need to know a bit about art world protocol - for this I'd recommend looking in the art section of any large bookstore - there is always a small section with books that tell you how to break into the art world, how to advertise, art law, etc. But it isn't easy. Rejections abound. You need to have a strong faith in your art and what it means, that it must be seen. Competition is stiff. It's been said that it's easier to get a book published than to snag an art gallery. Once again- hard, but not impossible. This is what it means to persevere. You can do virtually anything you want. Sell your art straight out of the studio and bypass the galleries altogether. This way you sell directly to the customer, as opposed to having an art dealer as a middleman. Or you could create a website and post your images as thumbnails that can be enlarged, and sell from there.
There are many ways, definitely more than I know of. But it is worth it. The world needs to know we're just as human as they are, and can compete in the marketplace with other artists and entrepreneurs. It can be done. It needs to be done.

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