Every great artist is a little nuts in some way—eccentric, aloof, brilliant, it's all anything but “normal.” But for those suffering from an actual mental illness, the reaction from society isn't exactly glamorous—in fact, it's ostracizing. This month's exhibit at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art casts a light on that common besmirchment with “Connect Heal End Stigma,” a collection of works from professional artists who are mental health educators and activists, as well as from artists suffering from a mental illness themselves. The pieces are honest, raw, and beautifully introspective. Throughout the month, OCCCA also hosts a series of free workshops, ranging from painting to printmaking to poetry, centered around mental health awareness as well as stigma and recovery.
Thursdays-Saturdays. Starts: July 6. Continues through Aug. 17, 2013
