Artists show how their use of creativity heals

By Victoria Gail-White
Advertiser Art Critic

•	'Abilities 2003' Through Friday 1 to 4 p.m. today 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., tomorrow through Friday Gallery on the Pali, First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, 2500 Pali Highway

Abilities 2003, the first statewide curated exhibit for individuals touched by a mental illness focuses on the positive — abilities rather than disabilities. It is sponsored by the state Department of Adult Mental Health and VSAarts. Curators Philippe L. Gross, Duane Preble and Ron Kowalke selected 36 two-and-three dimensional art works from 130 entries.

"It is important to note that persons diagnosed with a mental illness are now being referred to as consumers of mental health," says Gross a research psychologist, photographer and author of "The Tao of Photography." "Even serious problems can be treated today and individuals can recover and function very well. However, it is one thing to recover and another to be welcomed and well-received in society and not be labeled as an alien."

Often people think that individuals with mental challenges can just snap out of it. "It is ridiculous to ask someone to pull themselves out of a cold," says Gross, "but it is the same principle. When it gets extreme, you need medication." His intention in organizing the art show was to focus on what these individuals have to offer, finding their strengths and using their strengths for growth and healing.

"It is the healthy person who seeks help," says Preble, emeritus professor of art at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

He has sought assistance in his life and feels that more people could benefit from it if they relinquished their negative and prejudicial beliefs. "People who think outside the box turn out to be much more creative," he says. "However, I think it is important to note that it is not a prerequisite to being an artist."

Kowalke, a professor of art at UH-Manoa, has a history of depression and has been in group therapy and on medication for years. Throughout it all, he claims that art and sports have saved his life.

Actively involved in healing the stigma attached to mental illness, he argues that it is unnecessary to give up hope or suffer the shame of mental disabilities because help is readily available. He is hoping that the positive role models in this exhibit will encourage others to seek assistance in getting their lives back. He has his. He says depression takes people to another realm of thought, a gift that comes with a price tag.

"The bottom line," he says, "is basic brain chemistry, and it affects all age groups."

Kowalke sums it up with a quote from an inspirational book he is reading about mental illness, "Touched with Fire" by Kay Redfield Jamison: "Creative work can act not only as a means of escape from pain, but also as a way of structuring chaotic moments and thoughts, numbing pain through abstraction and the rigors of disciplined thought, and creating a distance from the source of despair."

Kowalke was instrumental in encouraging the artists in the exhibit to write statements about themselves and their work.

It is those statements that give the exhibit its heart. The participants had the courage to identify themselves and share their insights, amid their personal struggles. The outcome is touching and provocative; their genuine and honest narratives are engaging and encouraging.

They were also printed in Braille to promote the participation of those with visual disabilities. Gross intends to have audio descriptions for the next exhibit. "People with physical disabilities have the highest needs for beauty and aesthetic arts," he says.

Michael Yano, who studied art at UH, has numerous works in the show. He says that seeing so much of his work displayed at one time was surprising and embarrassing yet also affirming.

"My art debut was delayed 30 years because of the illness that I didn't know I had," he says. "Four years ago I realized, with the help of my therapist, that the illness and I were not the same thing. It helped me to be more open because I was not judging myself with the illness. It is not a personal defect, it is a physical ailment that affects my moods and thoughts."

His stone lithograph on paper, "Knight's Dreamer," was inspired by the concept that many of the ideals we fail to find in life appear in our dreams. The mime-faced female in the foreground of the composition is overshadowed by a dark stretch of black ink that barely reveals a knight in armor.

In "Every Dog Has Its Day" (oil on canvas) Yano's dog figure is in a state of transition. The tail and hind legs of the dog are brown with natural markings while the face is blue. Although the expression on the dog is apprehensive, the dog is moving into another dimension in the painting surrounded by a variety of blue and purple painted animals and beautiful vistas. For Yano this work signifies compassion and support. He is proud to be a part of the exhibit and feels that it creates a rare perspective for the public to gain insight to people who live with mental health difficulties.

Laurie Meech, diagnosed with a bipolar disorder (also known as manic depressive illness), started a support group in 1985 to help her deal with the illness. At that time, the medication available, information and support were limited. Today, she belongs to what she calls "little neighborhood get-togethers."

She and Yano are working on lifestyle changes. "I need minimal medication for the first time in my life," says Meech. "Doctors don't often talk about diet, nutrition and exercise and many of us are over-medicated."

"Mood Scape," a color photograph of shadows reflected in water puddles on a coral reef in Mokule'ia, is suggestive of impressionistic painting.

Both Meech and Yano were awarded the 2003 Impact Award for their collaborative entry, "No More Restraints, Treatment Not Punishment" (mixed media).

Toni Tengan also has a bipolar disorder. "Venice" (oil on canvas) was taken from a sketch that she made while touring Italy in 1998. Making art raised her self-esteem and she is now pursuing a degree in New Media Arts.

The Kathleen Rhodes Memorial Award was given to Ali Paulmino for "Untitled," a tempera painting. In the work, whirls of pink and white thinly veil an underpainted vortex of illusory words that exist next to a raging black and orange flame. She writes, "I've learned that self-acceptance and happiness come through working with the disability, not against it. It is hard enough to learn this alone, but still harder to reach out for help. The stigma of mental illness makes life even more difficult for disabled people. By overcoming my shame I hope to change people's understanding and attitudes toward mental illness."

"Rainbow" Mahoney's "Untitled" acrylic on canvas is as bold in color and shape as his statement: "I come from a family of secret keepers. They would be horrified if they knew I was openly displaying my art work for this particular show." However, he is honored and delighted to participate.

The Creative Excellence Award was given to Charlene Hughes for her quilt "The Therapist." However, the quilt is not at this exhibit. It has traveled to the Honolulu Academy of Arts and will be on display in June in the "Artists of Hawaii 2003" exhibit.

Two very simple drawings by Ellen A. Heid pack a powerful punch. She writes: "Both drawings are about recreating a new identity — moving from an old identity as a victim to a new identity as a survivor. 'Removing the Mask' was drawn at a therapy program and illustrates the pain of breaking out of an old identity and recreating myself. 'Starting Identification' is my first attempt at a self-portrait to understand my new identity."

For many of these artists, making art gives them a sense of purpose and adds meaning to life. It is their wish, and that of the organizers who already have begun to plan another exhibit, that more artists will come forward.

This exhibit gives us the opportunity to question our attitudes and lift our own prejudices about mental illness.

Self-examination is healing and humane and fosters a more compassionate environment that supports mental wellness and benefits us all.