Lived Experience Forum

[Queenie]

So this is a rough pic of a painting I did a few years ago. I miss painting and producing artwork. This one was framed up and sold to a brand new mental health unit in Queensland in 2012. Should I get back into it? I used to paint a lot of nudes from life, if I could get enough models to sit for me. I obviously won't post pics of those because they aren't appropriate here. 

[Mazarita]

Yes! Your art is spectacular! 

[Former-Member]

Even if your art wasn't 'good enough' ( bleh to that concept) to sell, and it obviously is, I'm a big believer in art always.

I have one friend who is an incredible talent equal to the best I've seen.
She spends days or weeks painting gorgeous intricate works, usually about 2mx2m canvas.
Snaps a photo of it, then smashes and burns the painting. (To the distress of many, and despite often a couple of two thousand+ dollar offers to buy them)

And that's her therapy. She says it does her wonders.

So whether for you alone, or for you + profit, i say always.
Art always 🙂

[Queenie]

Thanks @Mazarita and @Former-Member.

@Former-Member I used to create therapy pieces which would be destroyed after I took a photo of them. I stopped doing it because it just got too expensive to keep doing on a tight budget. That's when I decided to do some for sale. I have never made a profit from them, but I figure if I get enough to buy paint, then I'll keep on going. 

Recently however, I discovered some of my best and favourite work has been stolen from my storage facility I had whilst homeless. Devastating, as some of it chronicles my challenges in life... mental health, homelessness, exploring my sexuality and "coming out". I still have photos of them all though thankfully. I need to get started on making my studio up (it's all in boxes since moving house). 

I find the process of producing art rewarding, and I figure it is high time I did something rewarding in my life.

[Kurra]

I think you could find it very helpful @Queenie!

[Former-Member]

I've found both my art and poetry on other sites with people claiming credit, it can certainly be upsetting and frustrating, and put me off creating or posting for a fair while.

But then I decided I lose twice by doing that, and lost a third time by stressing about it.

I guess it would come down to why you might like to do it.
If it's for yourself, Go for it, and don't let the scum of the earth drag us down!
If it's because you think you should, or someone else told you it would help you etc, maybe think a bit longer on it.

We usually put some of ourselves into our art, and personally I've found it a good idea not to put myself into something for the 'wrong reasons', because I almost always end up regretting it.

But we are each our own 🙂 so my pitfalls are not necessarily anyone else's.
All the best what ever you decide.
Xx.

[Mazarita]

The only pitfall I've ever experienced with creativity is not doing it, for whatever reason. Creativity is intimately connected with life itself. Engaging with it gives us more life. There can be lots of bumps along the way, extremely difficult times with it, and periods of not doing it for whatever reason (we are not perfect in relation to art, after all). But the expressivity of it, even when not directly autobiographical, is so liberating (even for a fairly 'tight' person like myself). The biggest block I ever encountered was writer's block. I tried to slog through it for years and then decided I was just writing in the wrong form. It's a journey, a profound and spiritual thing. And there's an everyday, 'in the moment', element that is so important too. Excuse me for raving on. As you can tell, I dig creativity. 

[Queenie]

I can understand that @Former-Member. When I was going through the time period when I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a lot of my artwork and poetry and other intelluctual property of mine was used without my permission at various stages of my recovery. Most of the time, I was too unwell to put up much of a protest. It did indeed leave a bad taste in my mouth, but I had to remember why I produced the art to start with. It was to give me a sense of purpose and give me a sense of joy.

[Queenie]

I dig creativity too @Mazarita 😄

[Kurra]

My art as in music is primarily for me. If it vives other people a sense of pleasure and fulfilment all well and good. I have had recordings 'birrowed permanently' but it's been easy enough to prove dates etc of the original although that proved to be a rather time consuming process.

Go fo it @Queenie but copyright everything and lodge photographic evidence with the appropriate libraries. It's all thoroughly covered by copyright law. Contact the Arts Law Society for further information.
Hugzzz 🎶