Mental Illness Awareness Week 2017

Did you know that the first full week of October every year is Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW)? It was established in 1990 by the U.S. Congress to educate and increase awareness about mental illness. This year MIAW will be celebrated next week, October 1-7, 2017. Did you know that one in five adults will experience mental illness in a given year? VSA Texas honors artists with mental illness in our annual Mental Illness Awareness Week art show held every year in San Antonio.

We are only able to bring you this fabulous exhibit because of the dedication of one volunteer, Susan Beattie. Susan has hosted the MIAW exhibit since 2002. She invited us to be her hosting partner in 2007. And 11 years later, we are still going strong. Susan starts working on the next exhibition as soon as the previous one is over each year. She finds the venue, coordinates the details of the reception, promotes the event, solicits artists, and so much more. Her passion for this show is unstoppable! Plus she has become a great friend over the years.

Photo of April and Susan with our faces painted at the Grand Opening of Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio in 2010

Susan is a collage artist and photographer. As an artist living with mental illness she thought it was important to make sure that people with mental illness were seen for their positive attributes, skills, and contributions to society rather than be stigmatized as “crazy.” She does a great job of getting this message across by presenting a professional exhibition of work by San Antonio artists with disabilities.

Photo of collage by Susan Beattie

For the past several years, High Wire Arts has been the home of the Mental Illness Awareness Week art show. Owners Cindy and Ray were very supportive of the show. This year we have moved to a new (to us!) but well respected venue, Bihl Haus Gallery. We are excited to work with Kellen and hopefully make this space our new home for future MIAW exhibitions.

Photo of Susan and Ray at one of our previous MIAW openings

Come out to this year’s opening reception Saturday, September 30th from 5:30-8:30pm at Bihl Haus Gallery, 2803 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX 78201. We are featuring artwork by 20 artists, and there will be live music by the Michael Waid Duo. If you can’t make the opening, the exhibit will be on view through October 7th. Gallery hours are 1-4pm Fridays and Saturdays OR through appointment by calling 210-383-9723.

Photo of "Anxiety Boy vs Doctor Diagnosis" by Raquel Majeno

If you have never been there before, Bihl Haus is the historic building located inside the gate of Primrose at Monticello Park Senior Apartments (across from the Tip Top Cafe). Please park in the circle lot and enter through the walk-in gate. Overflow parking is available at Redeemer Church.

Creativity Saves Lives – Art Heals

It is April here… I mean May. What I mean is, this is April writing the blog this week. And my favorite month of April is over. So that means it is May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. Did you know that mental health has been observed in this month since 1949? Here at VSA Texas we want to stress the importance of art and creativity to mental health. We work with many artists in the community who use their artistic expression to relieve the pain of mental illness and to release thoughts and feelings that could be detrimental to their health if kept inside. We encourage everyone, whether you are diagnosed with a mental health disorder or not, to express yourself through art. Because as artist SylviAnn Murray says, “Creativity Saves Lives – Art Heals.” Here is one of her poems:

the M A N I C rainbow

First time I flew

The M A N I C rainbow

I told the world every thing

I knew I could BE

and thought I already WAS

though no one could see

Declared me “CRAZY”

for believing in my self

t o o    m u c h

Tied me down

left me ALONE

to  d e s p a I r

Convicted me of a  “crime”

Called  IN SANITY

They said

“There is NO  RETURN”

Here is SylviAnn with her book of poetry
currently for sale online and at local bookstores.

Poet Bryan Rowland says, “I write poetry to express myself when I am depressed or emotionally drained. This poem was written at a very dark time in my life, when I was going through a med change. It tells of being rejected because of my illness. But it also provides hope and acceptance.”

LIGHT

IN TO THIS WORLD WE ARE BORN

THRU BLOOD PAIN AND SIN

THIS IS HOW LIFE BEGINS           

LIFE IS SHORT AND DEATH IS SWEET

BUT IT’S FOR THE LIGHT WE REACH

IT IS WHEN WE ARE A CHILD

THAT WE LEARN TO

LIE STEAL AND CHEAT

LIFE IS SHORT AND DEATH IS SWEET

BUT IT’S FOR THE LIGHT WE REACH

FROM THE HEART THESE THINGS SEEP

HATE WAR AND MURDER

USING DRUGS AND BOOZE

CHASEING A HIGH TO GET BY

LIFE IS SHORT AND DEATH IS SWEET

BUT IT’S FOR THE LIGHT WE REACH

ON THIS PAINFUL RIDE WE CALL LIFE

LOVE FAITH AND HOPE

WE MUST KEEP THESE IN SIGHT

AS WE REACH OUT FOR THE LIGHT

LIFE IS SHORT AND DEATH IS SWEET

BUT IT’S FOR THE LIGHT WE REACH

You can hear from Bryan and SylviAnn at our monthly The Lion and the Pirate Unplugged Open Mic held at Malvern Books. Maybe you will be inspired to bring your own poem to share with us! Or just post it here in the comments section of our blog.