Centrepieces Mental Health Arts Project: EXHIBITION REPORT - BEXLEY

Monday 28 September - Friday 23 October 2015

An example of the selection at Bexleyheath Library.

Our members who are exhibiting have overcome severe mental health difficulties, largely by being empowered through art. Tony Bennett, ‘a functioning alcoholic and drug addict’, credits Centrepieces with bringing ‘art back into my life’, to the extent that ‘the concentration and enjoyment I get helps keep out all the rubbish that’s in my head’. Georgina Bowen says her depression has been alleviated by her painting, revealing that ‘it has been very therapeutic for me, and very beneficial for my health and wellbeing’, while Barbara Anne French’s art ‘fills up my time and via my paintings I am transported into another world. A happier one’. Joan Sher comments that ‘in times of stress and worry I find it quite uplifting splashing around with very bright colours’, while Trevor Whiting sums up the whole ethos of Centrepieces by observing, ‘working alongside such a diverse and friendly group of artists… is helping me become more confident in both my own ability as an artist and my self-esteem.’

We are partly using the Bexleyheath exhibition to help publicise World Mental Health Day, which takes place on Saturday 10 October. This year, the World Health Organisation are raising awareness of what can be done to ensure that people with mental health conditions can continue to live with dignity, specifically through human rights orientated policy and law; training of health professionals; respect for informed consent to treatment; inclusion in decision-making processes and public information campaigns.

More of the art on display.

Centrepieces believes that effectively supporting people experiencing mental health problems is becoming one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. Stigmatising and discriminatory treatment can be particularly distressing when a person is experiencing a mental health crisis. By failing to treat people with mental health problems with dignity, we make it more difficult to ensure that everyone takes steps to safeguard their wellbeing and to seek help, as it can lead to self-stigma, low confidence, low self-esteem, withdrawal and social isolation.

Please support the Centrepieces exhibition in Bexleyheath library, as it’s a prime example of what people can achieve in an atmosphere of sympathy, encouragement and support.

List of Paintings and Artists

1.      Arrangement in blue No.18  Richard Jones

2.      Baby in the bulrushes  Martin Robinson

3.      Candle in the Wind  Martin Robinson

4.      The Milk Maid (after Vermeer) Georgina Bowen

5.      Cork Head  Tony Bennett

6.      Ever Watchful  Tony Bennett

7.      The 4 Cottages  Barbara French

8.      Togetherness  Barbara French

9.      Autumn Lake and Three Cows  Barbara French

10.  Clocks Barbara Cotter

11.  Being Set Up By Them (Part 1) Barbara Cotter

12.  Portal to Psychosis  Barbara Cotter

13.  God is Angry and She’s Black  Christie Cassisa

14.  Twilight  Christie Cassisa

15.  Mythical Monster  Steve Jones

16.  Metamorphosis  Peter Walmsley

17.  Liam Gallagher  Trevor Whiting

18.  Dog 1  Trevor Whiting

19.  Rainforest  Dawn Tomkins

20.  Coral  Dawn Tomkins

21.  Poem Concrete Mandala  Ann Cronin

22.  Lost Fennec Fox  Joan Scher

23.  The Lion and the Unicorn  Joan Scher

24.  Rhino  Joan Scher

25.  Julie  Libby Harris & Dave Salonia

26.  Priceless Jordan  Dawn Tomlin

27.  Caught   Dawn Tomlin

28.  Dinner Time  Dawn Tomlin

29.  Chain  Neil Butler

30.  Dungeness Boat  Neil Butler

31.  Clouds  Neil Butler

32.  I Like to Wobble  Alex Spendley

33.  Moss Side  Alex Spendley

34.  Wet Hare  Alex Spendley                  

If you go to the exhibition and are interested in purchasing any of the above, please contact us at Centrepieces.