College essay
Manifestation
Mental illness and art in my life
A derailed start to a journey can alter a promising destination. After battling mental illness in high school, my dream of earning a degree in visual arts began to fade. Shifting my focus from the IB Diploma program to my mental health sustained that dream. I now cherish my high school diploma as a testament to my resilience, and the gracious support I received from my teachers when I reached out for help. I am happy to revive my dream and pursue a thrilling adventure in a visual arts degree.
Fighting and winning my battle to graduate from high school laid the foundation for my journey into art. The opportunity to study engineering at the University of Saskatchewan straight out of high school broadened my creative reach through problem-solving in chemistry, calculus, and physics. The intellectual rigor of my first-year courses inspired in me the mental strength and freedom to unleash my childhood passion for tinkering with electronics. Immersing myself in the creative and problem-solving processes in these subjects enriched my intellectual confidence.
A health-related hiatus during my second year led to a fresh and exciting journey in the Industrial Millwright program at Mohawk College. This experience brought me closer to my destiny in visual arts. As a millwright, learning about various machinery and their safe operation enriched my skilled trades experience. The hands-on training I received in machining classes on the lathe, milling machine, and bandsaw elevated my appreciation for design, manufacturing, and technology. Adding an art history course to my schedule sparked my curiosity for art and self-expression, revealing my creative potential through visual, oral, and textual means. My proficiency in the millwright program has led to enriching experiences where I applied my skills in the realm of millwrights and beyond. However, these experiences highlighted the looming shadow of an unfulfilled dream in my life.
I credit my journey into digital art-making to my clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia. My art, which explores symmetry, numbers, and color naturally extends from my volatile headspace and curiosity. For example, in a piece titled Manifestation, I explore the value of being your own personal advocate using colorful circles and lines of symmetry. I believe this highly aesthetic and vibrant piece succeeds in showcasing how one’s daily actions in life shape their character and lifestyle. For me, the clinical diagnosis provided the mental health support I needed, and the opportunity to inspire myself and others every time I showcased the poster at an art show.
My artistic process demonstrates my ability to embrace my own identity and create my own structured meaning in life. As I pursue the arts in the future, I’m determined to advocate for all the people who suffer from serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia through posters, film, performance, and music and highlight the great value of resistance to the pressures of adversity and public opinion. Thankfully, as a mental health blogger and art vendor through a website I created myself, my journey into the world of art and mental health advocacy has already started.
Mental illness can extinguish a dream. Experiencing psychosis in high school and again during my second year of mechanical engineering almost obscured my dream of studying visual arts. The possibility of realizing my dream has rekindled my childhood joy.
