'Brutally honest' artworks explore depression

2 hours ago

Rachel CandlinWest of England

News image — The exhibition explores the realities of living with depression

Nicola Davis An art exhibition with two large pieces, one is a circle made from layers and layers of dozens of medication blister packs, the other, in the background is a multi-coloured textile work with the words 'Love the body you're in' — The exhibition explores the realities of living with depression

A "brutally honest" new exhibition explores the realities of living with depression.

Nicola Davis, a Wiltshire-based textile artist, has collected hundreds of old pill packets for one of her creations on display at The Pound Arts Centre in Corsham until 21 February.

The centrepiece is an installation made from 500 empty medication blister packs, donated by the community.

Davis said: "The piece is about how it's so easy to get put on all these medications, but what everyone should be able to receive is therapeutic support and community help."

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"A lot of the pieces represent the kind of inner turmoil that goes on," said Davis.

"I've got quite a few pieces that are about the brain and all the multi million thoughts I have whirring round 24/7."

Davis had an eating disorder while studying for her A-levels, which prevented her from going to university to study fashion.

She struggled with body image but during recovery, she took part in a fundraising event for charity by painting her first picture.

"I found it helped me challenge myself, as an artist, and more importantly, it felt I had found something that I wanted to paint that actually means something," she added.

She added her brutally honest artwork features mixed media, including silk paintings, batik, collage and embroidery.

Nicola Davis Three artworks, in ascending size from left to right on a plain white backgroud, each with the human body in varying numbers, sizes and colours — Davis said she started painting after fundraising for the UK's eating disorder charity Beat

Art Heals also features work by Trowbridge Service Users Group (TSUG), a mental health support group, which offers art as therapy.

TSUG founder Mark Marshall said he set up the group eight years ago after realising how much socialising boosted his mental health.

"Our projects are quite bizarre and weird - we don't all sit around and do painting by numbers - this month we've been doing candle-making, we've done concrete art and glass-fusing.

"It's about being able to create something in a short amount of time and have something to show for it, even if it's not perfect.

"It's about having a sense of achievement when walking out, and going, 'I did that'," he said.

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