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Art Dreams realized

Michael Weitzman

Mental Health Peer Activist My Most Important and Biggest SUCCESS Story of my LIFE: I Suffered and Struggled for over 40 years with my Mental Health 25 years I Suffered in Silence and then during the next 15 years I worked on my Recovery but still Suffered and could not Get and STAY Mentally Well.…

Artwork by April Angela Garcia

Our latest featured artist, April Angela Garcia, shares her story of mental health struggles over the years and how she uses art/creative work as an outlet to help manage her mental health symptoms. “My name is April Angela Garcia.  I Am 32 Years old from a small town in Texas.  I have been diagnosed with…

Artwork by LisaDiana Delaney

               Even though, as a child, LisaDiana was happy, witty, creative and compassionate, she spent the last thirty years of her life suffering daily from undiagnosed co-morbid mental illnesses.  Despite many hospital stays, psychiatrists’ visits, therapists’ visits, medications and treatment plans, the medical community never pinpointed what her brain chemistry issues were or created a…

Artwork by Laurel Clark

Our next featured artist is Laurel Clark. She like others, is someone that has experienced trauma related to a family member that was not only mentally ill, but also had a co-occurring substance use disorder. She further explains how artwork was helpful in managing her thoughts/emotions below. “My parent was an addict, but she also…

Events to mark your calendar

https://www.mhacg.org/events The Mental Health Awareness and Creative Arts Gallery at 717 Columbia Street Hudson, NY will be hosting a reception and display of art/recovery books created by students of the “Create a Book” class.  The class began in early June and attracted several artists in recovery from serious mental health issues.  The lead teachers are…

“Peers, Tears and Pages” class with Jesse Sanchez and Brian Karas

One of our artists, Jesse Sanchez, speaks on his recovery from schizoaffective diagnosis and how art and peer teaching of his class “Peers, Tears and Pages” to help others that may be suffering from serious mental health problems through art and recovery principles for the Sisco Crisis Help Radio Show at Read below for a…

Artwork by Kevin Porter Osterhout

Our latest featured artist, Kevin Porter Osterhout, is a reminder to all that serious mental health disorders coupled with substance-use disorders (a common method to self-medicate) can have tragic consequences.  A good support network of recovery resources and proper medication are essential requirements needed to elevate and maintain one’s recovery and their general sense of…

Artwork by John Pucci

My artwork are reflections and reminders of my recovery journey from darkness into the light.

Road to Recovery

My Recovery begins to take shape So, after a series of near fatal setbacks as to my mental health status, I reconciled to move into a community residence for people diagnosed with serious mental health disorders outside Boston, Mass in 2009.  It is here where I slowly cleared my head a bit and connected with…

Artwork by Diane Brackett

The aim of my work is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but to have an inward experience of peace and calm. While working, I entertain memories of my aunt and grandmother who taught me so much in life and who, incidentally, also had agoraphobia. While working on art, my mind stops the…

Metal artwork by Bennett Karas

Hi, I’m Bennett Karas. I work in metal to create chainmaille, jewelry, sculpture and other unique handmade items, inspired and informed by medieval arms and armor. My chainmaille is typically made of stainless steel, titanium or bronze, and in other alloys on request. I use a variety of weaves including Byzantine, European and Japanese variants.…

Brian continues his blog on the topic of “self-medication”

A long list of setbacks while in the throes of “self-medicative behavior” to alleviate my disturbed thought process and a first move towards a recovery environment So, after I finally confided details of my thought process and traumatic memories with my counselor, I was given the diagnoses of schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and schizotypal personality…

Brian Belt personal blog continued

Upon returning to the states after experiencing my first major psychotic break, I was pressured by both my parents to speak with a psychiatric counselor.  I did so but only Very reluctantly-   At the time, I believe I was being fed a strong daily cocktail of antipsychotic medication that slowed my thought process but did…

Photography art by Jordan Thomas

Creativity has been crucial to my well-being.  When I’m manic I’m able to channel my racing thoughts and flight of ideas into my art and turn a negative into a positive. I also suffer from crippling depression at times which makes it impossible to do much of anything, but I’m proud of the work that…

Artwork by Kristen Oles

My name is Kristen Oles and have dealt with the struggles of dealing with Mental Health (Bipolar, anxiety) for over 27 years. One thing that has been extremely therapeutic from the beginning is making art.  It’s very easy to start things, but sometimes it’s extremely difficult to finish and feel self-satisfied.  There has been many…

Artwork by Anja Eide

I have suffered from both serious medical and mental health issues since 1995, but I continue with my recovery efforts one day at a time.  My recovery is most special to me because I have become closer to my children, and I am close to my 4-year-old granddaughter. As well, I am a artist that…

YouTube Videos

Clips from past presentations at Camphill Solaris Richard Fuertes with “Colors” Connecting Ground interview Michael Weitzman with “The Three Amigos” Wake up call with Ed and Paul Following the Yellow Brick Road: The Steps and Obstacles to achieving REAL Recovery from serious mental health diagnoses Set to the backdrop theme of the Wizard of Oz,…

Artwork by James Huff

Art has played a very important part in my recovery journey with my mental state, which is what I’d really like to share. Mental health awareness is a topic that is talked about more now than ever before. I like to think of myself as a mental health advocate, because I’ve lived with my mental…

Artwork by Liz Ortiz

Making Art is meditative for me. I paint to invoke strength and calmness into my life.  That’s the reason why my Art is full of flowing lines and color, just like our lives.

Artwork by William Doan

I’m a visual and performing artist who lives with anxiety and depression. My drawings, performances, and animated shorts spring from that fundamental truth. I make art to build resilience. Drawing as a form of meditation is part of my daily practice. Four years ago, I started My Anxiety Project, launching the first series of drawings…

Artwork by Jesse Sanchez

and its making on You-Tube My art is an expression of who I am. My experience with mental healing and my pursuit of wellness feeds my body, mind, and soul, and thereby my art. Acceptance and encouragement make me happy. Conversely, being judged and criticized does harm. This piece ‘Mysterious Woods’ speaks of the mystery…

Brian Belt personal blog

As many people in the mental health community are aware, there is a positive correlation between substance abuse issues and neurodiverse/mental health conditions.  Many people with mental health diagnoses ranging from depression, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia commonly go through periods where they abuse substances whether it be alcohol, cocaine, heroin, or other inebriants to manage…

Artwork by Jessica Banx from Mobile, Alabama

Hello all.Simply put, Art has saved my life in a multi-faceted manner.I’ve been dealing with mental health problems for practically my whole life and was hospitalized three times along my journey to wellness. Unfortunately, my instability, from either having no medication or incorrect medication led to using hard drugs, jail time, and lifelong repercussions. For…

Artwork by Reuven Wallack

General Attitude Towards the Evolution of my Art: From Start to Present It’s funny. In some ways I’ve made a complete circle regarding my attitude towards creating art. Back in 1998 when I first started painting, my interest in psychoanalysis led me to paint quite quickly and then analyze and find unconscious imagery that came…

Artwork by Nic Freberg Morgan

“I make paintings and drawings that are like observations around a process of inner unfolding. The act of seeing itself holds many relationships between worlds, and I am interested in the boundary lines between them. How figuration relates to and interacts with mood and belief to inform and outline a more cohesive means for capturing…

Artwork by Susan Spangenberg

“My goal in my work, as well as my life, is to heal myself and save the animals and the planet in order to find spirituality through nature.”Susan Spangenberg (NYC, USA) started creating at the age of three. She is an untrained self-taught outsider artist. She prefers to create alone, in self-isolation. She uses art…

Fashion Art/Design by Loki Anthony

Loki is 47 years old, has been married for 23 years and is a father of 3.  He is also a professional Artist, Designer, and Barber.  As an Artist & Designer, Loki has supported many nonprofit organizations over the years through his fashion and art experience- either by being involved with charity fashion shows, fundraiser…

Photography by Adam Hoyt

    Photography & Abstract Graphic Design is something that is both therapeutic and a coping skill for me, it brings me joy when I am out in the world and communing with nature or creating a new design in digital format. I have been working in the artistic field for about five years now,…

Our Vision

              The Mental Health Awareness and Creative Arts gallery’s first gallery space has a variety of artwork on display by those people in recovery from serious mental health issues and serves as recovery and support resource center for the public. This unique gallery space blends artistic work with mental health awareness to eliminate…

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