Chanelle Spence-Biggs

• Course: BA (Hons) Fine Art
• Website: clkart.wordpress.com

Title of Piece: Butterfly

Statement:

I want to develop a deeper understanding into Mental Health by looking into objects deemed simply pretty to look at, then encouraging another view. The main material in my work is real Butterflies. The connection to the butterfly initially stemming from the passing of my Mother in 2017, which is also when my mental health deteriorated. 

I was haunted by nightmares in which the butterfly was key, and addressed the meaning by exploring it through my art. The meaning of the butterfly in many cultures is about change and rebirth, when seen it your dreams after somebody passes, it’s said to be the person telling you they have passed to the other side and are now at peace. I feel mental health is often depicted as all negative however there is a lot of strength within each diagnosis which goes unnoticed. initially struggled to gather no other opinion from her viewers aside from her work being nice to look at and now pushes to make a deeper connection. The question constantly at the basis, ‘If I cannot get people to view butterflies as none other than beautiful, how can I get people to see the strength in mental health?

Over the next 12 months I hope to volunteer and gain work experience in Art Therapy before applying to begin my MA in Art Therapy next September at Derby University.