The painting began as a way for Greta Rus to deal with pain after a car accident.
“Sometimes the spirit moves you. I bought cheap paper and water colours and started painting flowers,” she said.
She started taking classes at the Canadian Mental Health Centre last fall.
“I learned so much — techniques, how to look at stuff, how to mix colours and choose brushes and paper. And I really liked the teacher. When I paint, I’m in a different world and I focus on what I am doing and forget everything else. I have a lot of peace, which is very helpful to me; it has helped my mental situation,” she said.
Her first painting in the class, Tulip Delight, was selected to be on the posters and invitations for the Awakening the Spirit Art Show and Sale celebrating the creative talents of people living with mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
“It’s very exciting to have my work in the show. I’m just a beginner and everything is new to me and I want to try all mediums. I’m just grateful that I had the opportunity to meet the people at CMHA and I want to take more classes,” said Rus.
She will have four pieces in the show which will feature more than 50 paintings in a variety of mediums from 20 artists — professional artists, self-taught artists and those who have attended CMHA art classes.
“One in five people will have a mental illness during their lives. We will all be touched by mental illness whether we experience it ourselves or have a family member, a friend or someone we work with who does,” said Dianne Hustler, family support coordinator, Mental Illness Family Support Centre BC Schizophrenia Society Vernon.
“Many of the participating artists have described how creating art has been part of the process of healing for them in their recovery from mental illness, an avenue of expression, a means to touch others and also something that brings them enormous pleasure.
“We hope that the art show will help increase awareness about mental illness in the community and remind everyone that people with mental illness live, work and create in our community. We also hope it will remind people of the importance of taking care of their own mental health.”
The Awakening the Spirit Art Show and Sale runs from July 13 to Sept. 11 at the Coat Check Gallery at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre. It will be open during events at the centre, with free public viewings Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. starting July 19 or by special arrangement with Sue at 250-542-3114.
