End//begin - Dialogue

About

Claire Margaret: ‘My practice revolves around psychiatry as a discipline in itself (particularly from an anti-psychiatry stance), inspired by and together with my own personal experiences of mental illness. I consider the various perceptions around psychiatry, enriched by my diagnosis of schizophrenia. The majority of my drawings were undertaken while an inpatient on a psychiatric ward. During this time I really struggled to communicate verbally as my thoughts were very distorted and confusing, yet my artistic practice gave me some much needed clarity. The drawings record my daily experiences and feelings, with one drawing made every day. When placed in sequence, they act as a visual diary that helps trace my emotional journey from day one to my release’ Bobby Baker: Bobby Baker is a woman and an artist acclaimed for producing radical work of outstanding quality across disciplines including performance, drawing and multi-media. Bobby began her Diary Drawings in 1997 when she became a patient at a day centre. Originally private, they gradually became a way for her to communicate complex thoughts and emotions to her family, friends and professionals. The drawings cover Bobby’s experiences of day hospitals, acute psychiatric wards, ‘crisis’ teams and a variety of treatments. They chart the ups and downs of her recovery, family life, work as an artist, breast cancer and just how funny all this harrowing stuff can be. End//Begin presents a selection of the Diary Drawings which were first shown at a cutting edge mental health arts show at Wellcome. Terence Wilde: Terence is a visual artist based in London, he studied at Winchester School of Art, graduating in1986 with a first class degree in textiles. Terence worked as a fashion print designer in the West end for many years before retraining through Croydon’s voluntary mental health services. He currently works within the Occupational therapy Department of The Royal Bethlem Hospital, as specialist instructor in art, textiles and pottery. "I draw as part of an ongoing cathartic journey. Creativity sets me free from anxiety, trauma and obsession. I lose myself, and, in the process, discover who I am. I reorganise experience to express myself, this visual language helps to convey a sense of history, and reality of life, in the present moment. I make a lot of black and white work, particularly pen drawings, ceramics and radical crafts. These are responses to my situation and what I consider to be my life's work."