Ballarat Mental Health Week art competition

VIEW THE WINNING ARTWORKS HERE!

Welcome to the exhibition of the Ballarat Mental Health Week art competition, where local artists use their creative genius to raise awareness about mental health in our community.

In 2019 we had many wonderful submissions, and expect no less for 2020! This year we are taking the Ballarat Mental Health Week art competition digital. If you want to support our artists make sure to share this page, or the BMHW art competition Instagram, with your friends and family.

Entries are from people making artwork and using creativity to practise and promote positive mental wellbeing. Lend your support for our artists and vote for your favourite work! Artworks that are for sale all have a price detailed in the description. Please contact the artist directly to arrange your purchase.

Bec Woods | The Essence of Colour || Bec Woods currently resides in a community residential unit, which is managed by Melba support services. Bec really enjoys participating in Art and Craft activities. Bec has painted this canvas for her mother. We hope you enjoy Bec’s artwork. Bec spent a lot of time diligently placing a variety of colours onto the canvas.

Claire Clifton | Alive Again 1 || There are times when you are in the midst of just dealing with life, when you open your eyes first thing in the morning and are actually quite shocked that you are still here to see the sun. Alive again.

Claire Clifton | Alive Again 2 || Some of my medications kept me awake. I would sit up in bed and see the moon through the window. Alive again while the world around me slept.

Claire Clifton | Breathe || Sometimes the doorway to a brighter day begins with gratitude for being able to breathe. For me, breathing is blue and it flows and moves. This piece features blue pigment in resin on a textured background painted on an old door.

Claire Clifton | Out of the Desert || You don’t know you are in the desert until it is too late. Suddenly it is hot and dry and barren. No one is there but you. You see your tracks in the red sand, and you start walking. you just keep adding footprints until you are out of the desert. And there is a sunset on the other side.

David Holdaway | Ceiling | $350 || I started using Photoshop at age 16 and I am now 39 years old. I greatly enjoyed art subjects at high school developing digital art and expression. I attended Marietta college where I excelled in the Senior show and graduated with a Bachelor of Art Double Major in Graphic Design and Studio Art. Exhibited at the Mad Gallery in Lancefield. Fields of interest include psychedelic digital art, acrylic painting, life drawing, tablet drawing and photography. I excelled at MHW Art Show last year. I continue to paint, create and think artistically to this day. To purchase, contact David on davidholdaway@icloud.com.

David Holdaway | Red Man | $350 || I started using Photoshop at age 16 and I am now 39 years old. I greatly enjoyed art subjects at high school developing digital art and expression. I attended Marietta college where I excelled in the Senior show and graduated with a Bachelor of Art Double Major in Graphic Design and Studio Art. Exhibited at the Mad Gallery in Lancefield. Fields of interest include psychedelic digital art, acrylic painting, life drawing, tablet drawing and photography. I excelled at MHW Art Show last year. I continue to paint, create and think artistically to this day. To purchase, contact David on davidholdaway@icloud.com.

David Holdaway | Pyramiddle | $350 || I started using Photoshop at age 16 and I am now 39 years old. I greatly enjoyed art subjects at high school developing digital art and expression. I attended Marietta college where I excelled in the Senior show and graduated with a Bachelor of Art Double Major in Graphic Design and Studio Art. Exhibited at the Mad Gallery in Lancefield. Fields of interest include psychedelic digital art, acrylic painting, life drawing, tablet drawing and photography. I excelled at MHW Art Show last year. I continue to paint, create and think artistically to this day. To purchase, contact David on davidholdaway@icloud.com.

David Holdaway | Star Loop | $350 || I started using Photoshop at age 16 and I am now 39 years old. I greatly enjoyed art subjects at high school developing digital art and expression. I attended Marietta college where I excelled in the Senior show and graduated with a Bachelor of Art Double Major in Graphic Design and Studio Art. Exhibited at the Mad Gallery in Lancefield. Fields of interest include psychedelic digital art, acrylic painting, life drawing, tablet drawing and photography. I excelled at MHW Art Show last year. I continue to paint, create and think artistically to this day. To purchase, contact David on davidholdaway@icloud.com.

Graham Edwards | Birthright

Graham Edwards | Edwards Rider

Graham Edwards | Phobiers

Jennifer Burch | Sweet Flowers

Jodi Schembri | Cockatoo || With Cockatoo I wanted to mimic movement of wind with the pattern behind the cockatoo. I feel drawn to circles and texture. I find rounded shapes and spirals calming and hynotic. The subject matter is jovial, I gravitate to cool tones which calm my eye, and glitter to grab my attention. There is childlike innocence in shiny things that captivates me. The lighthouse among the soothing waves. Cockatoo exemplifies my goal in art, to capture nature in moments of personal turmoil to turn those moments into pieces that I find beauty and serenity in.

Jodi Schembri | Fox || Fox is inspired by folk paintings. I was compelled to paint Fox with such vibrant colours, texture and pattern to unleash my anxieties to combat my internal struggle. The result is a chaotic calm harmony. This piece was my first standout artwork with layering the background with many colours and patterns. A distinguishing feature of my paintings is colour, texture, and lack of negative space. I like to feel my paintings, as they become a sensory stimulant for coping. I like them to be full standalone creations of flora and/or fauna; each painting a complete snapshot of life that I can escape to.

Jodi Schembri | Kiara || This is a painting of my niece Kiara. She is Aboriginal. This piece showcases modern day strong independent first peoples. Her Aboriginal family comes from Warrnambool. The blue represents the ocean waves of the family’s hometown. The stars depict the Dreamtime. The blooming wattle embodies the land, new hope and a budding future. I painted this piece to spotlight her beauty and the beauty of her heritage, and for my niece to know she is loved and appreciated.

Jodi Schembri | Sheep || Swirls are captured in the painting within the sheep’s wool with a pearl and glitter finish. The sheeps dons a wattle and gum nut blossom fascinator, as the beauty of rural Australia that I call home. The background also has faint swirls, subtle and calming. This painting represents the humor and beauty of Australian rural life. With this piece I wanted to expand the painting outside of the canvas, inspired by potters working intricately with clay, I used modelling paste to create depth and texture to my sheep’s wool. I found this application of this technique soothing and continue to apply it to some of my newer creations.

Julie Spriggs | Silver Lining | $50 || To purchase, contact Julie on spriggs.j.h@gmail.com.

Julie Spriggs | Withdrawal | $50 || To purchase, contact Julie on spriggs.j.h@gmail.com.

Kaitlyn Weller | Elephant || Each stroke l made wrote sentences l could not speak aloud. To me the elephant represents personal stength and will power. I create artwork of animals that reflect what l need to tap into during that time of my life, or the journey that l am currenlty on. Without finding my inner strenth, l never would have found my voice and let myself be heard. For doing it now, has begun a jouney of self healing, and alot of neccesary inner work. (self love and self kindess). There is no easy way to self discorery, or trying to unlearn all the wrong imposed on you as a child, but if you are passionate about something, and you are able to find a way to express your hurt and pain in a benifical and growth like manner, then it is worth it.

Karen Hodges | Skull 1 | $300 || To purchase, contact 0409 942 707.

Karen Hodges | Skull 2 | $120 || To purchase, contact 0409 942 707.

Alana Scoble | Our Lives Matter || I am 19 years old and I care for my mother and older brother who have mental health issues.

Shani Ritchie || I painted this while having an emotional breakdown during my stay at the Base psychological ward.

Warren Heron | Frosty Morning | $55 || || To purchase, contact Warren at warren.heron2@bigpond.com.

Warren Heron | Kookaburra

Warren Heron | Tropical | $125 || || To purchase, contact Warren at warren.heron2@bigpond.com.

Warren Heron | Waterlillies | $85 || To purchase, contact Warren at warren.heron2@bigpond.com.

Ashleigh Dalton | Sarah’s Roses

Ashleigh Dalton | Rose for Charity

Beck Groten | Amalfi Coast || My name is Beck Groten, I was diagnosed with MS about three years ago. Keeping my stress levels down is a huge part of keeping my symptoms at bay. As part of my stress release I have taken on the BCH art class. Not being able to attend class has been difficult, but I am still trying to do my art therapy whenever I can at home. I am still amazed at how far I have come with my art skills over the years, It’s a great feeling to be able to have others view your art too. Thanks for reading!

Beck Groten | The Lady With the Lamp || My name is Beck Groten, I was diagnosed with MS about three years ago. Keeping my stress levels down is a huge part of keeping my symptoms at bay. As part of my stress release I have taken on the BCH art class. Not being able to attend class has been difficult, but I am still trying to do my art therapy whenever I can at home. I am still amazed at how far I have come with my art skills over the years, It’s a great feeling to be able to have others view your art too. Thanks for reading!

Brook Moorman | Aboriginal Piece || This was done when Brooke was around 28 years old at Brace art group. Brook has dual disability.

Brook Moorman | Yellow Brook || This was done when Brooke was around 28 years old at Brace art group. Brook has dual disability.

Caron Cavalier | A Day in a Life || My objective is to draw attention to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), underlining the seriousness of the disorder, rather than the humorous and trivial nature in which it is often portrayed in the media and popular culture.

Caron Cavalier | Splendid || My objective is to draw attention to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), underlining the seriousness of the disorder, rather than the humorous and trivial nature in which it is often portrayed in the media and popular culture.

Caron Cavalier | Wild Word || My objective is to draw attention to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), underlining the seriousness of the disorder, rather than the humorous and trivial nature in which it is often portrayed in the media and popular culture.

Chris Davies | Balance || My submission is a stripped back portrait in oils of my wife, Megan, deep in meditation. My PTSD, depression, and anxiety over the past year and a half has taken a tremendous toll on her and our relationship. She sent me off to work one day, happy and healthy, and I returned that afternoon broken. Megan has taken up meditation twice a day to keep her mental health in check and to cope with the increased demands my mental illness has placed on her. Meditation helps her to keep balanced, grounded, and centred. I have taken up art, inspired by its ability to help me find my voice at a time I couldn’t find any words. Learning to draw and paint, which I started in November last year in art therapy during a psychiatric hospital stint, has helped me to find balance and keep grounded. This piece is purposefully stripped back, left unfinished and imperfect. It leaves me uncomfortable to send it off like this. It is the recognition that mental illness has stripped off the layers and complications of our life, leaving the core trauma exposed and dominant over our lives. It is also unfinished and rough because I have a problem with burning myself out, obsessing over the little things until they are perfect, and taking up art has forced me to sit with the shame and embarrassment of making something imperfect. And more importantly, sharing that embarrassment with the world. What art critic, Jerry Saltz calls radical vulnerability. I am learning to sit with my trauma and the shame, guilt, frustration, stress, anger, and embarrassment it causes. Through art, I am learning to be okay with not being okay.

Dylan Redlich | Acrylic on canvas #1

Dylan Redlich | Acrylic on canvas #2

Dylan Redlich | Acrylic on canvas #3

Dylan Redlich | Acrylic on canvas #4

Elizabeth Podboy | Tree of life 1 || These paintings were done in order from 1 to 2 to track the progression of my mental health. I then interpreted them. The first Tree of life#1 has roots smaller and not as grounded as Tree of life #2 also the root system gets larger in #2. This can bee seen as now I have more grounding in reality and a much larger support system. Another interpretation is in #1 I am surrounded by colour yet I remain distinct and black despite. In the second one #2 there is new growth buds on the tree and it is integrated into its surroundings symbolising new beginnings, growth and integration of myself back into the world. Thank you.

Elizabeth Podboy | Tree of life 2 || These paintings were done in order from 1 to 2 to track the progression of my mental health. I then interpreted them. The first Tree of life#1 has roots smaller and not as grounded as Tree of life #2 also the root system gets larger in #2. This can bee seen as now I have more grounding in reality and a much larger support system. Another interpretation is in #1 I am surrounded by colour yet I remain distinct and black despite. In the second one #2 there is new growth buds on the tree and it is integrated into its surroundings symbolising new beginnings, growth and integration of myself back into the world. Thank you.

Fay Thistlethwaite | Floral Bouquet

Fay Thistlethwaite | Mother Love

Fay Thistlethwaite | Peace

Fay Thistlethwaite | Springtime in Japan

Francesco Francica | Freedom || These three works are to be presented all together to show a mental health struggle using a face and weather symbols. Music and faith were instrumental in finding freedom.

Francesco Francica | Old ‘n Happy || Old ‘n happy is about our aged care community, finding joy in the light of fear and sadness that seems to be constantly portrayed by some media outlets.

Francesco Francica | Recovery || These three works are to be presented all together to show a mental health struggle using a face and weather symbols. Music and faith were instrumental in finding freedom.

Francesco Francica | Struggle || These three works are to be presented all together to show a mental health struggle using a face and weather symbols. Music and faith were instrumental in finding freedom.

Graeme Pike | Circus Time

Graeme Pike | Dreaming

Jordan Cox | A State of Mind | open to offers || I wanted to reflect my own personal experiences of mental illness in a visual way. At times it can be numbing and you feel a bit lost. That is how I felt for a long time. I felt numbed by medication and depression. To purchase, contact Jordan at jordanreencox@gmail.com.

Jordan Cox | EF Anxiety | open to offers || “I feel like everyone is laughing at me, or staring across the room I feel trapped, judged, suffocating in a tomb what if they all hate me? what if they spiked my drink? why can’t this feeling leave me be, why can’t I think? this always happens, I just wanted one night of fun I can’t breath, I’m frantic, I need to get out, need to run now I’m messaging my friend, I have to know they haven’t left me behind I’m crying as I hit send, I hate these thoughts, I hate my weird mind” EF Anxiety, painting by Jordan Cox, Poem by Mitch Rhook. To purchase, contact Jordan at jordanreencox@gmail.com.

Kira Venes | Bridge | contact artist for price || Bridge was the first painting I had the courage to finish. I spent a long time scrutinising it and wondering what others would think of it, and then I realised that if I enjoyed it and was proud of my work, then it didn’t really matter what everyone else thought. I like this painting because I feel very connected to the colours, I feel they are the colours of my soul. Painting has given me an outlet to express everything I normally keep inside, especially this one, because it was the first one I felt I properly finished. To purchase, contact Kira on kvenes47@gmail.com.

Kira Venes | Lilah Belle | contact artist for price || This piece was inspired by my second daughter, Lilah Belle. Following the birth of my first daughter, I was plagued by anxiety, depression and self loathing. The second time around has been much easier, I feel more confident in my ability as a parent and I feel as though I truly see my children as they are, and they are wonderful rays of sunshine who make my world a better place. To purchase, contact Kira on kvenes47@gmail.com.

Kira Venes | Out of the Darkness | contact artist for price || Out of the darkness represents overcoming inner turmoil, and the feelings of hopelessness and inertia. It’s what I imagine my creative energy could look like. To purchase, contact Kira on kvenes47@gmail.com.

Marcia King | The door you don’t open | $650 || To purchase, contact Marcia on marciakingart@gmail.com.

Marcia King | The mask you live in | $650 || To purchase, contact Marcia on marciakingart@gmail.com.

Michael Coleman | Blue Nude at Beach || A study based on the work ‘Blue Nude’ by Henri Matisse.

Michael Coleman | Child portrait || Mixed media study from photo. Limited palette. Use of colour to emphasise charcoal but bringing colour via glasses into the face for homogeneous reasons. Used David Hockney portraits as inspiration of using two colour background.

Michael Coleman | Dancer || Digital sketch as preparation for future charcoal work.

Michael Coleman | Degas Subjects || Inspired by Degas. Two characters from separate Degas paintings in a new setting.

Ronnie McKeegan | Dry Scape | $800 || To purchase, contact stuy23rdron@gmail.com.

Ronnie McKeegan | The Distance | $900 || To purchase, contact stuy23rdron@gmail.com.

Ronnie McKeegan | Street Lights and Stained Glass | $1100 || To purchase, contact stuy23rdron@gmail.com.

Ronnie McKeegan | Golden Setting | $400 || To purchase, contact stuy23rdron@gmail.com.

Ryan de Silva | Mittree Buddha explaining of Love, Serenity, Begin new life and Fly free | $600 || Since my childhood to now I have created art either academic or abstract. Mix media, Watercolour is the medium I have been using on my paintings. All my abstract painting talking about spirituality or life experience.

Ryan de Silva | Imagination world need’s a help | $400 || Since my childhood to now I have created art either academic or abstract. Mix media, Watercolour is the medium I have been using on my paintings. All my abstract painting talking about spirituality or life experience.

Sharon Keith | Nest

Sharon Keith | Watercolour Roses

Simon O’Neill | Looking out on a summer | $15

Simon O’Neill | Pirates | $15

Simon O’Neill | Rocket Launch | $15

Simon O’Neill | Soldier | $15

Sue Egan | A Little Bit of Haven

Sue Egan | Embrace Different

Sue Egan | I’m Wrapped in Art

Sue Egan | Pandemic Post

Tegan Crosbie | Not a Baddie 1 || My series of three artworks ‘Not a baddie’ explore the Banksia and it’s often bad reputation thanks much to the depiction of the ‘Big Bad Banksia Men’ by early Australian illustrator May Gibbs.

Tegan Crosbie | Not a Baddie 2 || My series of three artworks ‘Not a baddie’ explore the Banksia and it’s often bad reputation thanks much to the depiction of the ‘Big Bad Banksia Men’ by early Australian illustrator May Gibbs.

Tegan Crosbie | Not a Baddie 3 || My series of three artworks ‘Not a baddie’ explore the Banksia and it’s often bad reputation thanks much to the depiction of the ‘Big Bad Banksia Men’ by early Australian illustrator May Gibbs.

Tunde Meikle | Botanica O’Keeffe | $40 || The artworks reflect my attempt at finding playfulness and enjoyment in times of stress. I hope I convey a little joy to observers. Inspiration is everywhere. To purchase, contact Tunde on tzt56@yahoo.com.au.

Tunde Meikle | Tea Cup | $35 || The artworks reflect my attempt at finding playfulness and enjoyment in times of stress. I hope I convey a little joy to observers. Inspiration is everywhere. To purchase, contact Tunde on tzt56@yahoo.com.au.

Tunde Meikle | Tea Pot | $35 || The artworks reflect my attempt at finding playfulness and enjoyment in times of stress. I hope I convey a little joy to observers. Inspiration is everywhere. To purchase, contact Tunde on tzt56@yahoo.com.au.

Tunde | The Gang | $30 || The artworks reflect my attempt at finding playfulness and enjoyment in times of stress. I hope I convey a little joy to observers. Inspiration is everywhere. To purchase, contact Tunde on tzt56@yahoo.com.au.

Justin Hayward

Justin Hayward artist statement