The judging panel included MHDA executive members, MHDA clinical staff, MHDA Aboriginal staff, peers and people with lived experience and carer representation.
The panel members said they were impressed with the talent from the community and the wide variety of art styles, finding it difficult to select finalists and winners.
“The artworks demonstrate the creativity and resilience of people who live with mental health, drug and alcohol issues and we are grateful they have so openly shared their stories with us in this way,” director of mental health, drug and alcohol Robyn Manzie said.
“We would like to thank every artist for their very personal contribution and for being prepared to tell their story to the wider community in this way.”
The winner of the 2021 MHDA Lived Experience Artwork Competition is Brightness Comes from Dark and Darker Days by artist Amanda Chappell.
The selection panel loved this artwork and the use of colour and form, and felt the piece expressed well what it could be like to experience a mental health crisis.
The following five artworks were selected as runners-up in no particular order.
1) Hope, by Brimo
2) Make a Wish — Dream Big, by Narelle Whitham
3) Manic Monday, by Erin Elsley
4) Hope is Through the Door! by Tracey Hibbert
5) A Mother's Heart, by Laurie Nelson
All works, including others contributed by the community, can be viewed online at https://mhdaexperiences.com.au/lived-experience-art-gallery
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