i totally agree with what Malchiodi says in this article and i get to see living proof of this everyday with my work with the homeless population in an art studio. Although a majority of them have one or more mental illnesses that they have been diagnosed with, that does not make them more or less creative in their art work. There are also plenty of individual that have not been diagnosed with a mental illness and their artwork is just a creative. They are simply expressing what they may not be able to say with words alone. Isn't that what is more important? all anybody ever wants is to feel listened to and to be able to communicate with others. why does it matter how they do it?

for writing this piece. i'm an artist who isn't mentally ill (at least...as far a i know!). the corollary is also true: the notion of a so-called connection between mental illness and creativity is so ingrained in the artistic community that those of us who are talented are assumed to be (and treated as though we are) 'socially devalued'. it can be thoroughly frustrating. thanks for your perspective and light.

Cathy -

As an artist, art therapist, and person who happens to have bipolar disorder, I say bravo to your wise words above. I can attest that I create more art and writings when in a hypomanic/manic stage, and that in those times my vision and imagination soar.

However, I am not a "bipolar artist" making art whose "sanity content" waxes and wanes - I'm just an artist (as you so ably pointed out).

By the way, fellow blog readers, if you haven't already - feel free to check out the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore for some truly funky outsider art. My husband and I were married there and felt honored to have our ceremony among all that creative expression.

Cathy,

Thank you for this post. With the disease model of psychology today, we'll soon have a DSM diagnosis for creativity.

Perhaps we are not in touch with our own inner creativity and need to label what we don't understand.

Rashin

Cathy -- Well done! Terrific post. As a creative artist myself (poet) and having dealt with chronic/extreme PTSD for over 25 years I can definitively side with you that mental illness is not, as you put it, sometimes 'a built-in creativity boost' (I was a writer before the trauma). More likely, art is a creative outlet for psychological turbulance. Meaning, the creativity is innate first and not necessarily the genius of a twisted mind so much as the product of the experiences of that mind.

I think too often the outside world does not appreciate the extreme mental strength shown in artists, especially those who are psychologically challenged. Where there are others who are rendered completely unfunctional by mental illness, our greatest artists have used their art to rise above and defy their mental illness limitations.

I wrote about this topic recently on my PTSD advocacy blog, PARASITES OF THE MIND. (http://parasitesofthemind.blogspot.com/2009/01/healing-ptsd-words-of-wis...). From the philosophies of great artists who also suffered varying degrees of mental illness we can all learn so much about how to creatively construct a strong and successful persona.

When we are psychologically challenged we have to work harder to develop and support a functional persona. Developing this through a creative outlet produces interesting artistic results. And so, it turns out, sometimes creativity gets a boost from mental illness, and not the other way around.

Actually, all artist are considered at the very least on the low end of moodiness. they are also called melancholic. They are anxious (emotionally sensitive) and ruminate about their emotions hence bringing about the urge to create. It's important to understand this emotional state and stay in it, for we are vulnerable to depression if hit hard enough by a stressful event.To learn more which every artist should read AGAINST DEPRESSION by the great PETER D KRAMER.

I believe the artist is at the low end of the mood scale,which is not depression. Depression is specific and actually can keep someone creative from creating. When chronic the brain becomes more damaged the longer Depression persists and becomes further damaged when episodes (severe stress) are encountered.If the depressed person abuses drugs especially in these states the brain is damaged at a more extreme rate hence why some need more medicine then others. Psychiatry and art have teamed up for years,especially since the surrealists came to this country. Dali,actually would of been diagnosed with severe depression-his latter years full of horrible work,becoming a hermit,allowing his wife to cheat on him and they continued to live in different residents until her death. Picasso was doing deplorable work as well and i would consider him at least in the moderate range of depression,cheating on women and dying lonely.As a very good artist myself i much enjoy what i am but i am also careful to keep my stress and anxiety low. Chronic depression is hereditary so take inventory of family history.

As a person with a mental illness who is a writer I want to thank you for this post. I am able to write despite depression, not because of it. When I was at my sickest I was either unable to write or unable to comprehend the value of what I had written. I write about mental illness now because it is a phrase I want to take back, to rescue from stigma. (I'm working on a memoir about my quest to learn more about other women in my family who had mental illness).

I love your article! I don't think we should be allowed to judge human expression. I would like to share with you how art therapy has helped me cope with my brothers mental illness (he has schizophrenia). I have set out to raise awareness on the topic of mental illness. To learn more about my cause, please visit my website below, then visit my blog. My art exhibit and posters were created to educate others about the reality of mental illness. I post frequently on my blog about issues that involve mental illness, stigma, art therapy, etc. In the future, I plan to develop educational programs as well as a national campaign. I am a creative director, graphic designer and artist, so I would like to put my skills to good use. I would love to hear what you think. I believe art therapy should be the next big art movement:)

http://gaining-insight.com/
http://gaining-insight.blogspot.com/

Amber Christian Osterhout

Art has been the greatest vessel towards revovery for me. Art has a quality that i have not been able to duplicate through talk therapy or any other form of therapy. Of coarse meds are the frontline but I suggest for the majority of the mentally ill to try art!