Barry
I was in a dark place with my mental health. My asthma nurse Carol told me about a place called Art Matters. I had a look around. It is a place that doesn’t judge you and make you feel so welcome and meet new people and learn about art. I go to Art Matters to improve my mental health and help me get out of my dark place and out of the house.
August 2021.
Caroline
I started Art Matters in 1997.
I had been a client of Wingfield Day Unit, a local Rehab Work Unit run by the NHS. I had learnt printing skills such as litho, block and typesetting in the print room. I also loved my arts and Crafts.
Art Matters was a new studio in 1995. Some of us in the unit were given the opportunity to attend the new Art Studio.
In the early 2000’s Art Matters were producing large scale paintings. I started to learn web design and with my knowledge I produced the first Art Matters website around 2003 including an artists gallery. My passion was to show to the public the art works of my fellow colleagues. It was a very important time reaching out to the community to reduce the stigma attached to mental health. From those days onwards the website developed and grew over the next 20 years plus.
Art Matters has been a big part of my life that gave me respect and helped me gain the confidence I needed.