ART IS THE CURE [twitter.com/artisthecure]

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Without realizing it at the time, art became my cure when I was about 17. Like a lot of people I was going through a very low time and didn’t know how to escape. Also like a lot of people, I wasn’t able to put how I felt into words, I felt trapped within myself. Unable to verbalize my thoughts, I turned to drawing them. I would sit there for hours copying things from comic books, learning how to draw more, then began creating my own characters who I used to tell stories through. They gave me a voice, a platform to get everything out of my system and a realistic escape from everything bringing me down. I taught myself how to colour the drawings in with water colour, then moved on to acrylic, spray-paint, stencils. Pandora’s Box was open and every new form of art I experimented with became a new escape, a new cure.

I used myspace as a stage to show people my paintings and the response I got was overwhelming. People were seeing my story unfold in my work and were beginning to understand me more, all the words I wanted to scream were there for people to see in the form of brush strokes.

The moment I realized how powerful art can be as a cure happened in the summer of 2007; I was contacted by a girl in America who had seen my work on myspace. She asked me about them, why I painted them, what the stories were behind them and I told her how it had helped me. I didn’t hear from her for a couple of days and then got a new message through. She told me her story, how she was battling depression and was resorting to self harming and attempted suicide a couple of times in previous months. After hearing my story she went to the shops, she used all the money she could find and bought paints, brushes, canvases, the lot. She locked herself in her room for a couple of days and painted, getting everything out of her system, experimenting with paint, letting her emotions and pain guide her.

She explained to me how much of an effect the experience had on her, she didn’t feel the need to self harm once as she was using a brush to get it out of her system instead of a razor blade. Painting gave her a new sense of hope and release and the email ended ‘thank you for saving my life’.

Since starting art is the cure in February I have heard dozens of different stories from people who have had similar experiences, all resulting in one conclusion, art saved their life. Its not just painting that people have turned to and its not just depression that art can cure. Creativity in any form can be a cure, from writing poetry and short stories, playing and writing music, drawing, skateboarding, etc. The potential to be creative is endless and everyone has the ability to create something. Art has helped people dealing with depression, addiction, self harming, autism, eating disorders, anger issues, mental health problems, battling cancer and dealing with the loss of a loved one.

The main goal for art is the cure is to inspire people to turn to creativity as a positive release of emotion and use art as your voice. Everyone has the ability to be creative, anybody can become an inspiration and we all have a cure at our fingertips.


To contact me personally about the project with any questions / stories / ways you can help, my email address is artisthecure@hotmail.com
To support art is the cure please post a bulletin with the banner in it or add us to your top friends.
Thank you, Rich


Art really can help people overcome serious problems in life. It is not limited to painting; anything creative can be your art. Your cure can be tailored to your own strengths, passions and talents. You have the ability to overcome anything by finding a positive release and turning your negative energy into something constructive and healthy.
Art is the cure is simply a way to promote this message of creativity helping people to overcome things in life. It is a message of hope and the more people that learn about this project, the more people that can find inspiration to do something positive and find your own cure.


Art is the cure is launching a street team to spread the word about this project and help to build a global community. Some of the things you will be involved with will be...

-Introducing AITC to your local community by getting friends / schools / bands / promoters / press etc involved in spreading the word
-If youre in school / college then try giving talks in classes and assemblies
-Making flyers and posters and giving out promotional material in schools, skate parks, gigs, art galleries, coffee shops etc
-Spreading the word on myspace / facebook / chat rooms / message boards and other social networking websites
-Set up your own myspace page to add local friends and bands and run your own AITC street team for your area
-Keep in touch and let me know how everything's going, how you're spreading the word and what sort of reactions you're getting to AITC

By being part of the AITC street team you will gain first hand experience of promotion and marketing, making new friends and contacts, building your confidence and being responsible for inspiring new people to find a cure through art. If you want to be a part of the street team then email me at artisthecure@hotmail.com with your name, age, location, why you want to be a part of the street team and how you think you can help. Let me know about any experience you have already and I look forward to hearing from you!
Please click here to visit the blog to read more of the facts behind art is the cure




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Keaton Henson is the first featured artist on this new feature for AITC. Keaton is an incredible artist whos unique style has won him a mass of fans and some awesome clients. From doing the album artwork for Enter Shikari to releasing his own line in Topshop, Keatons work is both funny, surreal and thought provoking. Ive been a fan of his style for ages now so I was really glad that he agreed to support AITC by doing a feature and interview.

This will be a weekly feature on the AITC page with a new artists from all different styles and mediums taking part. To read the interview with Keaton keep reading down and to check out his work, click on one of the images of his work.

When did your interest in art start?

for as long as i can remember really, ive always been far more interested in making music and art than literally anything else. ive always been the weird drawing kid.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

i think inspiration is a bit of a redundant term to be honest, i think if you have a specific place you get inspiration, your trying too hard and probably copying someone else. ideas come from everywhere and everything.

How did you develop your unique style of art and what influences you?

i think my style comes from a mixture of the cartoons i watched as a kid, to the books i read and the music i listen to. ive always been into the macabre as a lot of creative people are. but i think all the different elements of my work come from different interests ive gathered through my life.

A lot of people have shared their story about art helping them overcome problems in life, have you ever used art as a form of release or therapy? If so can you share a bit of your story?

well i think its a given that art is a release, being creative can sometimes be the non physical form of punching a pillow, but ive often found myself using art to dwell on issues, and, particularly with songwriting, i can sometimes bring myself down in order to get those emotions into what im doing, so i think you've got to be careful, as depression is a seriously addictive state.

Do you have any advice for young artists who are trying to develop their own style or get their work noticed?

my number one piece of advice is always that you shouldnt be trying to be an artist if it isnt what you would be doing all day anyway. i know that if no one was paying me at all id spend my days doing exactly what i do now. but other than that id just say make sure your work has something to give that no one else's does. and just have patience and try and get it seen in any way possible.

What is next for you? Do you have any projects lined up we should look out for?

well, im taking a few months out to record an album, but i've just finished designing a keaton henson dining table which should be out soon, and was so much fun. and a new season with blood is the new black, and some newtopshop stuff i think. so keep checking my website really, i'm going to stop being lazy and update it more.