The healing power of art

When it comes to looking after our own mental health, art – whether a specific art therapy project, a community class or a personal exploration of feelings and emotions – can help. Not only can expression through art itself allow participants to unknot tricky issues, but sessions also have a social aspect, encouraging problem solving and allowing participants to challenge themselves to see a project through from start to end.

One of the key drivers of art for wellbeing in Bristol is Milestones Trust, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities or mental health needs from their base in Staple Hill.

“What we do isn’t art therapy,” says Beth Hendry, assistant director of operations for mental health at Milestones Trust. “For our participants, meaningfulness comes from being outside of a clinical setting, being with others, building citizenship and resilience.”

Beth Hendry of Milestones Trust (centre) running a poetry workshop

The art programme that Milestones Trust runs is now in its ninth year, and culminates in an annual festival where the artwork is displayed to the public. The art is all made by service users with the guidance of professional artists; the groups form part of their individual recovery pathways.

“The groups are all about trying to create a space where participants feel confident enough to find out who they are,” Beth says. “We work with people with schizophrenia, for example. They are hospitalised in their mid-to-late teens and once they’re there they have no chance of taking any risks. They haven’t had the opportunity to explore what they can and can’t do.”

Art fills that gap and allows for a safe exploration of mistake-making.

The Art of Recovery Exhibition features life-size statues made from aluminium armature wire

While Milestones Trust put on sessions year-round, this autumn a new project has been run for the first time in Bristol. Bravo 22 Company, an arts project from the Royal British Legion, took up residence in Ashton Court Mansion on October 14 and invited local wounded, injured and sick service personnel to attend sessions. Over the course of four weeks, each attendee has created a life-size sculpture of themselves with the help of director of art, Al Johnson.

“The sculptures are based on their own measurements, so in a sense everyone has created themselves,” Al says, standing in Paintworks Event Space surrounded by statues made from metal and mesh that are getting their final tweaks. Her sessions begin with activities to help participants find what they want to express through their sculptures, and then Al helps them to make those ideas a reality using aluminium armature wire.

The statues – a mixture of new creations made during the course in Bristol and older works from previous sessions in Manchester and Brighton – are arresting. Themes vary from cages, chains and wings to a Pandora’s Box of horrors pushed deeply into a metal ribcage. The work is brutally honest, the life-size figures tormented by their various demons, and the letting out of the emotions thoroughly cathartic.

Veteran Paw Watts has worked to create his own sculpture, along with his wife and full-time carer Cheryl

Paw Watts and his wife and full-time carer Cheryl, who live in Yate, both have sculptures in the exhibition. Paw had left the army by the time he and Cheryl met, but his health issues didn’t begin until after they were married and had two children. His diabetes affects his mobility and his sight, and his sculpture shows him rising from the confines of his wheelchair to the freedom he craves. Cheryl’s sculpture depicts her juggling the many tasks she has as a carer, while inside a huge heart is hugged by wire figures representing her children.

“Doing the programme has given Paw a bit of independence,” Cheryl says. “At home I do a lot for him, but after this he’s more confident in himself.” She puts this down to him meeting people in the same situation, especially member liaison Ian Rudge, who has been through the process himself and now mentors others. “He promised Ian he’d stay and do the course,” Cheryl continues. “He’s a lot more like himself now – how he used to be.”

Artwork from the 2018 Milestones Trust exhibition Expressions, created by local people with mental health needs

“Stuff I assume is nationwide is actually quite progressive in Bristol,” Beth Hendry of Milestones Trust says of the art for wellbeing that happens around the city. “It absolutely has therapeutic value.

“What really makes a difference is the levelling effect of it. The best experiences come from the artist running the class recognising their own mental health challenges: then there’s empathy because you’re not coming from a place of telling people what to do with their life. When you share emotions on an equal level you get more from the experience.”

The Art of Recovery from Bravo 22 Company runs at Paintworks Event Space from November 9-14 2018. Find out more at www.paintworksbristol.co.uk/eat-drink-and-see/whats-on/whats-on-item/view/the-art-of-recovery-9th-14th-november