Gallery an inspiration to those with mental illness

Downtown Cape Girardeau is a welcoming environment for local artists. Galleries feature all types of art, and First Friday receptions give the public a chance to get to know and understand the artists. From paintings to drawings to sculptures, art in any form can be an important creative, even therapeutic, outlet.

With this in mind, Beverly Northcutt runs the Gallery of Inspiration at Bilderbach's Art Plaza on Main Street. The gallery showcases art produced by clients at the Community Counseling Center.

"Part of the gallery is to help fight the stigma of mental illness," Northcutt recently told the Southeast Missourian's Tyler Graef, adding that sales of the works of art can empower the artists.

"A lot of our ... artists have a limited income, so if they sell something, that goes right back to them, and that goes to their day-to-day expenses," she said. "Or they get to buy new artwork with it, and that's a great thing for them. ..."

Northcutt is no stranger to the struggles of mental illness. She said creating art is one of the best coping strategies she has found to manage her own bipolar disorder.

Throughout society, there is an ongoing need for programs and facilities to assist those struggling with mental-health problems. But before everyone is able to get the help they need, we must first accept and understand those who struggle. Through the Gallery of Inspiration, Northcutt and others are bringing the discussion into the open, and for that, we thank and congratulate them. We hope they inspire others to accept their disorders and seek help, unashamed.

To read more about the Gallery of Inspiration and other topics in our mental illness awareness series, visit semissourian.com/mentalillness.