Painting to Recovery at Cygnet Hospital Bury

An aspiring artist currently receiving inpatient mental health support from Cygnet Bury Hudson has described how he feels in “seventh heaven” when he paints.

Following a mental health breakdown whilst in prison, David was admitted to Cygnet Bury Hudson where he is still receiving treatment.

David had never been offered the chance to paint or express himself through the arts before. For him, it was life-changing.

“I found my love of painting by chance,” he explained.

“A member of staff gave me some acrylic paint and some canvasses and told me to express myself.

“I was taken aback. I didn’t think I’d get recognised as a painter. After I’d finished my piece, I was congratulated on it.”

David is a service user on Upper East Ward, a 13-bed ward which offers a low secure service for men with mental illness.

Describing how painting makes him feel, David said: “When I’m working on a new painting, I go into a zone where it’s all peaceful and calm and collected. Four hours can pass and I’ve not noticed the time at all. I’ve been in seventh heaven.”

David said his style of painting started out as ‘splash work’, reflecting his mental health at the time.

“My mental state was all over the place and I felt this expressed my state of mind,” he explained.

“The work was very violent and destructive. Now my journey is such that I’ve come through that dark time into a brighter one with a more positive future, which you see in my painting of late.”

David’s artwork is now displayed throughout the hospital, including on the wards and in staff offices. Some other service users, along with staff, have even purchased some of his paintings to take home.

Describing his paintings as “beautiful, brilliant and expressive”, ward manager Mirriam Ssenyonio, said his artwork tells his journey “from the dark side to the bright side”.

“David loves to paint and he’s very proud of his artwork,” she said. “He likes to show people what he has done and you can see how happy it makes him”.

David thanked the team at Bury for the encouragement they have given him to pursue his new found love of painting.

“They have been immensely supportive,” he said.

“They’ve supplied me with paint and canvasses and opportunities to explore my mind. I’m grateful for all they’ve done for me, I wouldn’t have got to this stage without their help.”

Cygnet Hospital Bury, on Buller Street, is a 187-bed hospital which provides a wide range of inpatient mental health services for men and women including specialist deaf services and CAMHS provision for adolescents.

To watch David’s video, go to: https://vimeo.com/984358253