About SANE
Art Awards
SANE's Art Awards were established to encourage people with serious mental illness to explore their creative ability. Since it was launched in 1994, the scheme has helped hundreds of artists with serious mental illnesses, including painters, sculptors, craftsmen and photographers. It has uncovered a wealth of creative talent and several of the recipients have since embarked on promising careers in the arts.
At present SANE does not have the available funding to enable us to issue any awards in the 2007/2008 financial year. We hope to continue this scheme next year so please visit this site for further information or contact us.
Bryan Charnley
Diagnosed in 1971 with schizophrenia, a collection of Bryan's paintings explore vividly his deepest feelings whilst undergoing a course of medication for his psychosis.
"My work springs out of the necessity to make something positive out of the impossible situation I find myself in".
John McGuigan
An artist and photographer living in Middlesborough, John's photography captures the seasons throughout Britain and has helped him to deal with his manic depression.
"By using my creative skills as a photographer, I am able to have an outlet for releasing my anxiety, leading to a feeling of contentment and self worth."
Paul Lake
Paul, who died in December 2006, experienced mental illness from the age of 15. Support from the SANE Arts Grant Scheme helped him achieve his ambitions and he became a successful artist. His painting ‘Barmy Days’, a portrait of himself and his fellow patients at the Brookwood Psychiatric Hospital was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery and has been on permanent display at The Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research in Oxford, since February 2003.
"I wanted to show the positive side of the mental hospital and the way it allowed us the time and space to accept our illness," said Paul in 2001. "The sad part of the picture is the little figure on the edge of the lawn. If he crossed into the community he would be lost forever."
To visit Paul’s web site and see more of his work click here.