An Artist’s Take on Mental Health: A Deep Dive into “Mixed Media”
By Brenda Penaloza | Talon Opinions Editor
Mental Health should be prioritized by college students. Studies have found that art allows individuals to process their emotions without judgement.
Tallahassee State College’s Counseling Center held a Mental Health Awareness Art Exhibit featuring art pieces created by TSC students. To zoom into this exhibit is to witness the creation of “Mixed Media” by 22-year-old student Emma Beckman, who aspires to major in Fine Arts at Florida State University.
Beckman’s piece “Mixed Media” highlights the “difficulties of understanding the causes of trauma that may be deep rooted in one’s childhood. Expressed as physical decay with festering maggots taking advantage of the wounded body.”
The painting is a version of a self portrait that shows the skeleton of her upper body.
Beckman said she hopes viewers will connect with her piece and form their own way of resonating with the pain from her art. Art is meant to be interpreted in various ways to fit your one’s personal experiences.
“Some meanings are intentional but misinterpret as much as you want!”
And while stressors are high, especially for college students, what students need more than ever is positive ways to process those emotions. To view Beckman’s piece is to process your own experiences and to find that the piece resonates with you in its own unique way, art has a nature of holding that kind of power.
“Healing isn’t just taking self-care baths and journaling. It’s something you feel bodily…it’s a visceral experience processing emotion.”
To take an inside look at Beckman’s journey as an artist is to witness the struggles that come with creativity.
With the constant demands of her coursework and current job, her art classes are a saving grace. Said art classes at TSC allowed time for Beckman to focus on her illustrations and paintings. If she didn’t have designated time for her art, the long days would probably exhaust her mentally, making it difficult to create.
“You need that brain power.”
Art has a way of understanding you without physical words, a sentiment to be cherished.
Beckman’s piece “Mixed Media” displays her heart actively decaying, almost like it wilted over time. Her painful experience from a breakup that left her picking up the pieces of her own puzzle.
“I got to experience something hard and move forward without self-destructing.”
Inspired by the experiences of those around her, she used art as a means of processing challenges in a way that fostered growth and healing. This piece is the first of a series of paintings that allowed her to work through every emotion felt in her dark time. Her creativity flowed in a way only her canvas could understand, allowing her to grow into a new chapter of her life.
“There are ways to move past things that are creative and not destructive.”
