Art and Mental Health: A Personal Narrative

Abstract

This thesis is a personal account of the relationship between art and mental health. It is a common misconception that being mentally ill is a ticket to creativity. While there is a known and studied phenomenon of mentally ill people being more drawn to creativity, the matter is simply not that straightforward. Mental health issues may impact the art that a person makes, but they also impact the art a person is unable to make, or the art that never becomes fully realized. Photography aids in telling the artist's story, as images of beautiful nature are juxtaposed with the less appealing effects of humans on their environment.