It’s widely believed that mentally ill folk make a special contribution to the creative arts. I have to say I subscribe to that view. :)
Unfortunately the number of communities online, in this particular “space”, are few and far between. More importantly there is always more room for us to help one another, break down barriers, and engage with the world.
There is a site called Divinest Sense that has just launched, which looks like it could fill a good chunk of this vacuum.
The following text is a contribution from Meg LeDuc, the founder and co-ordinator of the site. Please take the time to read it and visit the site.
“I’m creating an online journal/blog called Divinest Sense as a forum for people with mental illness to express themselves through poetry, personal essays, fiction, and graphic art. I believe this site will break down barriers, both between people with mental illness, who are often very isolated, and between people with mental illness and the larger world. In such a forum, I believe we can demonstrate the richness of our lives and our community through creativity, a force people with mental illness so often turn to in order to make sense of themselves, their illnesses, and their place in society. Furthermore, I think that, by starting this forum, I will simply have the great opportunity to showcase some beautiful and profound art.
Contributions will be published on the blog associated with Divinest Sense. That will give writers and artists the immediate gratification of being able to share their work with everyone on the web. I am considering taking the best of the blog and publishing a more traditional online anthology that may come out every several months (provided I get enough contributions). My plans for this journal are still in the early phases.
For those of you with mental illness who have hesitated when it comes to really stepping out into the larger world, this could be the opportunity for you to be a pioneer. I understand the drive to isolate ourselves that we with mental illnesses often feel, but don’t give in. The world will only be enriched by our dynamic presences, by our unique creative voices. Live confidently. Live largely.
For more information on the project, check out Divinest Sense . A full explanation of the project is posted there. There is also information about me. Most importantly, there is also a link to the blog. Check out the first entry! It is a powerful poem by an advocate for people with mental illness who is in recovery from schizoaffective disorder-bipolar type.
So please, write, paint, draw, take photographs, engage in art, and submit the results to Divinest Sense! If you have questions or would like to submit something, contact me at divinestsense.media@gmail.com
- Meg LeDuc”