I began my journey with Art Therapy in February 2021, when I was profoundly unwell and navigating a very challenging time with my Bipolar disorder. In Sept 2021 I was admitted to hospital having tried to take my own life. Now I am pleased to say I am well and as best as I can be recovered and managing my mental health condition. Across the 2 and half years I have had my ups and downs, but regardless of mood, no matter how bad it got, I always turned up, and the art making has been a constant in my recovery story. Art Therapy runs in 8 week blocks and the sessions are 2 hours long. I am part of a group, and we check in at the start, have an hour art making and have time at the end to share our work and talk more about it ( if we would like to, we are never forced to share) A huge thank you to Edit Biro from the Kingston branch of Mind, my very talented, supportive & understanding Art Therapist. She may never truly know what her sessions over the years have meant to me.
I’ve accumulated quite the portfolio of work over the years, enjoy having a browse.
My first art therapy piece 8/02/2021
Planet Mig
My first ever art therapy session. We were asked to draw our planet; the orbit, surface & core. Is it foggy, hazy? Who surrounds you? Whats at the core? How do you see you? How do others see you? It was a little overwhelming being my first one.
You can see people to the left but they aren’t clear, on one side is a clear focus of my daughter. the core is half colour and half dark a depiction of my bipolar. The entire planet is volatile and abrupt, the landscape is changing.
02/2021
Contrasting Squares
This was a home work piece out of the therapy sessions. We are encouraged but not forced to work on art during the week, as a form of self care. This was me re creating a larger painting I did many years ago. I love contrasting colours and abstract shapes.
02/2021
Kindness
This was another homework piece created between sessions. The theme was “kindness” and this was my responce. It was fab to spend some time technically drawing hands, which are incredibly tricky! I don’t often create realistic work, I often don’t have the concentration required, so its always fab when my head is clear enough to try.
Kindness for me needs the power of many. to be impactful. So in this pic I wanted to reflect sharing the act of kindness in unity.
02/2021
Home
Another homework piece, our theme was “home”. I was clearly in a calmer place in 2021 as I seem to have tackled a few realism pieces. The boat on the outside was where I lived and I just drew my street. It was an incredible piece to work on as I dipped into it at various points throughout the week, adding layers and more detail. It was cathartic to do and my own version of mindfulness throughout the week, getting lost in the image and detail.
undated
Responce to art
I must admit to not really liking this one personally. I find it a bit scary…. We were shown many different types of art and asked to produce some work in responce. I remember some with torn paper which is why I used this medium. One had abstract faces, and another had an image of a child.
This image has the 2 sides of my bipolar, the dark depressive side, and the manic side (thats the face that scares me the most!) The figure in the middle ins my little girl who is my focus, my goal and my reason to work on recovery.
02/2021
My life in lockdown
I love this piece. My responce to explaining my head through lock down. The box is the restrictions and feeling cooped up in doors. The colours are life, activities, entertainment. The dark lines are the restrictions preventing us from seeing the beauty and colours in the background.
02/2021
Nature
Another homework piece. So I spent some time during the week compiling this. Different sections of this drawing were added throughout the week. I didn’t have much time hence its small, but I was glad I did it.
15/02/2021
My safe place
The first in a series of pieces that share my love of being at the beach. I love the idea of staring out to sea and the vastness of the horizon. The love the all sensory experience, the waves crashing, the crunch of sand or stones. The smell of salt. To me the sea is unknown and I find that fascinating. I am always a little calmer when I’m on a beach.
03/2021
Salmon
The theme this week was to think about what animal we identify with and why. This is my Salmon. They have a turbulent time of it. They have to battle up stream for miles to lay their eggs. I kind of feel for the poor salmon, and often feel like my life is an up stream battle! I love how I have captured the movement in this piece.
03/2021
Emperor Penguin
This was a homework task, still looking at what animal we identify with. I love penguins , such beautiful majestic animals. I vibe with penguins on 2 levels; penguins often look awkward as they waddle on land, but are streamlined and elegant when in the water. Sometimes I excel at life, other times I’m that waddling penguin trying to just get by. Penguins also spend months in the worst environments on this planet protecting their eggs. They are so brave and stubborn in enduring that, and for that reason I’m vibing with the penguin.
03/2021
Untitled
I must profess to not remembering much about this piece. I know I started with a mindless flower doodle in the middle and this piece was a simply mindfulness drawing with not much thought linked to it. Sometimes its nice to just go with the flow and see where the drawing takes you.
03/2021
Untitled
I don’t have detailed memories on this one. It was a responce to important people in our lives. This made me think of my Nan who has passed away. Hence I suspect the image of an angel. I did go on to draw a more detailed portrait of my Nan which now resides framed with my Uncle. My Nan was and still remains one of the most significant people in my life. She was a constant and I don’t recall ever having anything other than happy memories.
03/2021
Turbulent water
Again no real clear memories on this one. I know it was a bad day as my normal calm sea scape I have depicted rough and messy.
undated
Untitled
I’m not a fan of this piece. During the session we were asked to engage in a traditional mindfulness exercise. If you know me you will know how much I loathe traditional mindfulness. It doesn’t work for me. We were described a journey along a path. I’m sure it was much more inviting than this image, but I think my responce reflects my unease and trepidation of the mindfulness task.
06/2021
Bipolar
I cant remember the theme for this session, but this picture encompasses bipolar disorder. The manic depressive lows, and the hyper manic elevated highs. Both so very tough to navigate, both equally tiring.
06/2021
Baron Landscape
I know I wasn’t feeling great in this session. We were asked to think about our landscape, whats around us and the world we inhabit. As you can see I wasn’t in the best place. A baron dessert, the toughest environment to inhabit. The only glimmer of hope is the cactus, the plant that grows and finds a way to live in such a tough environment. Maybe deep down even though I was down I had hope.
06/2021
Climbing out of a hole
I was in a bad place this week. I don’t remember much, but this picture is dark. The good news is I’m trying to get out of the hole, but for this week I wanted everyone to see how dark and crap that place is.
07/2021
Tears hidden in the rain
Again I was in a pretty dark place during this session which is clearly reflected in this piece of work. I like the rain, its often disliked by many and I think it gets a lot of bad press. The rain I feel sometimes reflects my mood, and my tears are hidden in the wet. Much like crying in the shower.
10/2021
Mental Health in an unequal world
This piece my art therapist encouraged me t produce for a competition. It was for world mental health day 2021, the theme that year was mental health in an unequal world. This was my responce. I was only weeks out of hospital and the crisis house, I was profoundly unwell and signed off work. IT was a welcome distraction to work on this. It was part of an online exhibition and the guests voted on the winner. I won. I got some voucher to spend on art materials. It was something nice that happened at a very bad point in my life.
10/2021
Fireworks
I don’t remember the theme for this session. I can tell you that I have a fascination with fireworks. I’m in awe of their beauty but also have a fear of loud bangs! So I’m torn between loving them and hating them. My Uncle Vincey got a home fireworks box each year for us and have happy memories of him letting them off in my nans back garden. He died in April 2021 I know I would have been thinking about him when I painted this.
10/2021
Happy / Sad
I don’t remember the theme for this session, the date was not long after I was out of hospital. I limped through most days back then, but always turned up for art therapy. This is classic bipolar depiction in art. The ying and yang of moods. Happy and sad. Although at that time I was most definitely in a very low mood. I love the twist of theatricality I brought to this piece, a nod to my profession as a theatre tech.
11/2021
Water
I don’t remember the theme for this session. When creating this I was thinking about how calming I find water. I live on a boat and love being on the river. I will always gravitate towards water, a lake, a pond the sea. This piece was the reflections on water perhaps from a stone being dropped in.
11/2021
Costa de Caparica
I painted this piece in Portugal. A very dear friend whisked me away on holiday at a time when I was navigating recovery from my suicide attempt. I was so unwell and a few days by the beach were amazing. This view was outside our beach house.
12/2021
Mandala 1
In this session we were simply asked to engage with the technical concept of creating a mandala. It was a lovely cathartic process, probably the closest I get to a mindfulness activity.
12/2021
Mandala 2
This one I did in my own time. I was simply enjoying the process of creating a mandala.
12/2021
Xmas Mandala
I was clearly loving the mandala theme and made them my christmas card design.
Undated
Abstract Seascape
I did this in my own time. Gravitating back to the place I love, the beach.
02/2022
This piece is celebrating aspects of me I’m proud of. My running, being a mum to Chloe and being successful in my career. They all celebrate me being determined and strong.
04/2022
End of the day
We were asked to draw our mind at rest. This picture is me at peace, outside at sunset the end of the day. Knowing I have managed to get through the day and that it was good gives me peace.
04/2021
Recovery
This pieces all about recovery. I was starting to feel a little better. It was the first time I felt hopeful that I might feel better after my suicide attempt. It felt like a turning point in my road to recovery.
Undated
Untitled
This I did in my own time. No theme, no real direction just playing with blow planting. Not sure its finished really but I never picked it up to carry on. There is something about it I like though.
05/2022
Submersed
I don’t remember the theme for this session. But when creating this I found myself drawn back to the water. I know I wasn’t feeling great when I drew this, and this is me trying to keep myself above the water, which I’m always nervous will consume me. Its strange though because find this image quite calming, even though I know I was down. Having my head or even just my ears under water mutes out the noise of life and for that reason I feel like I look at peace.
Undated
Book cover
We were asked to draw the book cover for our life. I was still really struggling hence the monotone, but I was trying to find the optimism.
05/2022
Animals
We had to draw animals that depicted what we are, and what we want to be. I went with a sloth, as depressive thoughts can debilitate you into that kind of state. A chameleon because I’m always having to adapt and change to fit in with my environments, even when the environments are really designed for me. Finally a bird because one day I hope to be at peace and free, finding balance and acceptance with who I am.
05/2022
Untitled
I don’t remember the theme for this session. I do remember being frustrated at how difficult it was to draw the northern lights. Ive always wanted to see them, its the ultimate light show for a lighting geek. I’m certain that its me and my little girl in the boat, of course on the water. Purple is my favourite colour. Although not quite happy at my depiction. of the aurora borealis I do fiind thiss image quite calming.
09/2022
My tree of life
We were asked to respond to creating our tree of life. Some of my roots are made from happy things and are colourful. Some are made from crap things that were rubbish and dark. Both are still a part of me, both built me up and made me strong. This picture is about acceptance.
09/2022
Running
In this session we were asked to spend time focussing on activities and hobbies that make us feel better. I channeled my inner David Hockney and did some ipad art for this one. My journey with running started over 15 years ago, when my wheezy asthmatic arse got on a treadmill and decided. t ogive it a go. Its now my routine, if I’m happy and well, if I’m down and low I drag my butt to the start line and let those endorphins do their natural anti depressant thing. I just celebrate getting there, taking part and completing it regardless of my time. It took. me about a year an a half to build up to 5k, now I run park run every week, and this have completed 2 half marathons.
10/2022
My bed
This was another session on safe spaces. I always draw the beach so I dug deep to think of somewhere else I feel safe, and so I drew m. bed. This has a definite Tracey Emins vibe! I have always loved my bedroom, its your own private space. Its where I hide when I’m down and those covers provide a fortress of protection. Its where I end my day each night now with my medication that forces me to sleep. So despite where my brain is at, I know the meds will gently get me to sleep and I will have the time to rest, recoup and be refreshed to tackle another day. Bed is my constant, the colourful mess in the background is the noise from life
10/2022
My story
This week we were encouraged to tell our story. I reflected on my journey over the last year. Surviving suicide. Feelings of being reborn and regrowth. I’m alive, I’m well and I’m thankful for that. This was me making piece with that chapter of my life. This is also one of my favourite art creations.
11/2022
I don’t remember the theme of this session. I think I just wanted to depict how crazy my head can get. You will never know it, you see the outside the blacks and whites, but inside I deal with explosions of feelings each day, and I never know what I’m going to be hit with.
11/2022
Butterflies
All I remember from this session is having to draw butterflies. I have no idea why? I’m not really a butterfly kind of artist, but I actually really enjoyed creating this piece. It was also my birthday that day.
10/2022
Halloween
I thought I would include this mid week doodle. I love halloween, always have. I drew this durng the week.
1/2023
I’m more than you see
We were asked to reflect on what people see you as, versus what you see yourself as. I have decided I don’t really care what people see me as anymore, I’m concentrating on my path, what I want. todo and achieve, on my needs without fear of judgement from others. No doubt I’m seen as a teacher? A lighting tech? The Co Chair of the ABTT, but I know myself and I know how much I battle trough to navigate life. Everyone. is far more complex than what they see on the outside. So in my daily interactions I take the time. to remember that. “We are all so much more than we see”. Wouldn’t it all be great if we all remembered that as we went about our daily lives.
02/2023
My strength
This week we were asked. to reflect on our own strength. I immediately thought of cogs of a machine. Despite my own worries and woes and my messy bipolar head, I somehow keep those cogs turning. Not always very fast, and I’m pretty certain I’ve lost a few over the last year or 2! But I will be dammed if things don’t keep spinning in one way shape of form. Maybe thats the production tech in me, stubborn and determined to get that dam show up what ever life throws at me. That day it was hard to keep those cogs turning, and art therapy was on a Monday so it was only day one of the week! But they bloody span around and I got through the day. We need to celebrate any movement, a moving cog is still a moving cog no matter how slow it goes.
I was told that this cog configuration wouldn’t actually spin, I added one to many to make it work. Which made me laugh, I found that quite apt, it kind of makes the picture for me.
02/2023
Untitled
For this session I knew I wouldn’t be back at home for the start time of 6pm. I was on site at Richmond theatre for a fit up, putting in a show. I asked my art therapist to email me the theme. Not sure what it was but I remember doing this on the bus back home. I had such a great day back on the tools, rigging lights, hanging off the pros booms to rig and focus. It was getting back to what I love, simply being a lighting tech. So I let it inspire my art. This s the stage right pros boom, with some mac auras at. the top and some parcans at the bottom.
03/2023
Reborn Mandala
We were asked to draw a mandala, we had too put in the centre or strength. I went with a phoenix, as a symbol. of being reborn. I once opted out of life (not my finest hour), but my biggest strength was getting through it, recovering and rediscovering life. Ive learnt some valuable lessons and hope to advocate and share when I can. In the wise words of Conchita Wurst of Eurovision fame, “rise like a phoenix”
03/2023
Journey
The theme: Your traveling on a bus, where is it going? Where do you want to go? Who is on the bus? The questions went on. I found them all stressful, I was travelling to America the next day and was worried about it. This was my responce. I’m a short term kind of girl, I focus on the here and now, and getting through tha. . At best I look 4/4 weeks ahead and thats it really. Don’t get me wrong I have long term goals, but as my bipolar never guarantees me my mood I have learnt to adapt to change and go with the flow. Ive made peace with that. I know what I’m doing in my focused little bubble., and the rest I will deal with when I get to it.
05/2023
Hyper Mania
I was battling hypermania for a few days. My mind was racing, my mood was elevated, I couldn’t slow it down. It’s frustrating and exhausting! The image I drew I think perfectly depicts where I’m at right now. I actually found it quite stressful & hard to compile & draw. The core of me is a creative mess of fuzz & confusion, but on the surface I’m trying to maintain some order! Yesterday some of it started to bleed through. 😫 Double meds last night to switch my head off & we will try again today. Have a fab day what ever your doing. 🖤🖤
05/2023
Stone Beach
This weeks art therapy we had to do a mindfulness exercise (no I haven’t got any better at them, yes I got anxious & annoyed). Still others in the group enjoyed it & that made it all better. So I didn’t mindfully think about my “safe space” I just thought about it. I always feel calm at the beach. I’ve drawn a few beach scenes in the years I’ve been doing art therapy, so this time I tried to be more specific. My favourite beach is a stone beach. I like the many stones and all there colours and shapes. I also love the sound the stones make when you walk on them, (and the fact I’m not getting sand in every bodily crevice! Sand is annoying!)
06/2023
Untitled
This week we were asked to clear my minds, finding calm, and think about self care. I feel like at the moment I’m doing pretty well to manage my condition, but its a constant balancing act of medication, routine and lifestyle, which is much harder than it reads! Im forever trying to fight back the bad stuff. Things are always peaceful under water, there is no noise. The water mutes it out, which is where the inspiration for this image comes from.
06/2023
Harsh terrain
This week’s one was tough! Gains and losses. Reflecting on different aspects of life, Ive had so many adversities. I found it quite stressful. So instead I focussed on the fact that despite those set backs, despite having so many cracks on my path and my landscape being so hard to inhabit I’m still alive. Alive & flourishing, and along the way I still managed to nurture & have by my side my little girl Chloe. The flower is me, and the bud next to it is Chloe. I’ve made peace with my landscape being tough and hard work to live in, but I’m a stubborn old girl with Irish blood & I will prevail! 💪🏻
06/2023
Structure & Order
Ok this weeks is a tad abstract….
The theme was to think about your best traits, you at your best. What your good at. I started by thinking I’m good at juggling stuff, then I decided I’m good at getting through crap times, in the sense that I seem to eventually navigate a way through. But to be honest I got grumpy while drawing it because I don’t want to be good at dealing with crap, that’s a strong trait but a really rubbish thing to have to do!! It would be good to just not have crap to deal with. So thinking about my best trait made me grumpy, I’m sure that wasn’t the point! What can I say I have a complex brain. So this image is me finding order and structure from the chaos and confusion.
07/2023
Healing isn’t pretty
This weeks theme was “healing energy”. Not gonna lie it made me cry, because I was not in a good place for a couple of days. I didn’t share my picture with the group this week, which isn’t like me, I know I should have. Retreating inside yourself when your down isn’t good. I got upset because I didn’t have the answer to healing energy, especially not right then. Anyway I went with it, and simply drew what I was presented with, which was tears. It was a lovely process I got lost in the detail of trying to make the eye look like an eye. I calmed down. It made me think….. Healing is simply giving in to acceptance. Healing isn’t always pretty, it’s about riding out the tough times. Tears don’t mean defeat. Healing is making peace with the good & the bad, and knowing and trusting that with time, talking & self care it will pass. 🖤
07/2023
Continuity
My last week of art therapy for a while. We were asked to reflect on the 8 sessions. This one I found easier than previous weeks. I drew 8 peaks and troughs with the continuity of a black line. Sometimes my mood is up, sometimes down, but no matter where I’m at I show up. Even when I feel crap, which isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Drawing for me is my version of mindfulness, & for my 2 hour session I just focus on the colours, lines and creativity.
Mig Burgess Walsh 