TAKING HOLD

Ink, Tea, Pencil and Dress Making pins on 70 x 50 cm

220 gsm Fabriano Rosaspina 1652 paper

GROWTH

Ink, Tea, Pencil and Dress Making pins on 70 x 50 cm

220 gsm Fabriano Rosaspina 1652 paper

COURAGE

Ink, Tea, Pencil and Dress Making pins on 70 x 50 cm

220 gsm Fabriano Rosaspina 1652 paper

MURKY REFLECTIONS - THE BOOK

Ink, Tea, Pencil and Dress Making pins on 18.5 x 26 cm 20 pages of 220 gsm Fabriano Rosaspina 1652 paper, hardback.

This book contains thoughts from my past. The images I have produced relate to the feelings I had at one time and microscopic versions of black mould which represents my depression and anxiety.

Living with mental health can be very difficult. Creating this book was both painful and therapeutic.

The materials I have used to colour the pages have symbolic meaning. I used tea to stain the pages which signifies all the tea people have made to help me feel better, the dark ink was pressed into the tea to cause a mould effect stain. Dark washes were added to denote the dark days and also the patterns on psychiatrists cards. The pins hold double meaning, firstly how pins are used to hold specimens (such as butterfly samples in a glass case) to be observed and scrutinised; and secondly, pin pointing the problem and realising that there doesn't have to be a reason, some people are just wired that way. The pencil marks represent the emotions and recovery. The repetitive action of making the marks was very soothing, satisfying and therapeutic.