Kelly Mathews, submitted artwork
Kelly Mathews
Painting
Nutopia
Who I am I am Kelly Mathews, a visual artist from St Joseph, MI, working primarily in encaustic and photography. What I do I create art reflecting my lived experiences with Bipolar Disorder, addiction, rehab, and recovery. Why I do it To promote a better understanding of Bipolar Disorder among people with no experience with the illness, and to give hope to those living with Bipolar from someone who has made it through the worst and come out the other side. Why it matters This is a very lonely, confusing, and isolating illness. The stigma alone will cause many to reject a diagnosis and refuse treatment. Those who accept it are often made to feel broken or damaged. Just showing them that someone else has gone through what they’re feeling and survived can be the first step in giving them hope.
Works
Kelly Mathews, submitted artwork
This Image has been obsessing me for months. My original take was on how it feels to be stigmatized as a person with mental illness. When the Texas abortion law went through it finally clicked and I knew I finally had to do the photo shoot. The medication I take to control by Bipolar disorder is NOT something you can be on and be pregnant. By the time I would know I was pregnant, irreparable brain damage would have occurred.
