Art therapy and mental health: Does it really help?
Van Gogh famously said: “Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me.”
The post-impressionist, Dutch painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in art history, in fact, suffered terribly with his mental health. Although battling through his life mentally – Van Gogh is widely recognised as one of the most iconic artists of our times. It begs to ask the question: Was art a type of therapy for this artist, and more many others alike?
According to talkspace.com, drawing, painting, collage, colouring, and sculpting are more than just creative techniques — they are vehicles of self-expression and understanding. Art therapy has evolved over the years and was coined on the belief that self-expression through art and creativity has healing effects on people. This modern form of therapy combines psychotherapy and an element of visual art for desired results.
Sean O’Connor, was an artist who sadly, suffered from mental health - to be more specific, schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a mental health condition where you may see, hear or believe things that are not real. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behaviour that impairs daily functioning and can be disabling. Sean used art as a form of expression and ‘escapism’ and a way to navigate and ‘make sense’ of the emotions he was feeling.
Sean’s art wasn’t showcased hugely during his lifetime, as there wasn’t a platform that was accessible to him to share his work. As the illness grew stronger, so did the depths of Sean’s work. It was only after his death, did his family and friends discover the full volume of work Sean had accumulated.
It was Sean’s good friends Patrick and Claire Byrne who founded SOCArts in the hope that other artists would have the chance to view their work showcased in their lifetime.
SOCArts mission is to create a platform for artists and creatives to exhibit their work, with special attention to those who are suffering from mental illnesses. You can evidently see the journey his mind takes through his different art expressions as he navigated through his schizophrenia.
So, does ‘Art Therapy’ help with mental health? The answer is absolutely - We couldn’t agree more. We thank this medium for being a vehicle for Sean to express how he was feeling.
If you would like to showcase your work, we would love to hear from you.
Please visit our gallery page to view a selection of Sean’s pieces. Prints are available to purchase in the SOCArts shop.
By Priya Chauhan
