Based on a poem by Justine during lockdown. 
 
"The cloth can't hide me caving in upon myself, 
Nowhere to go, nobody to see... 
I might as well be naked, dumb, mute. 
Falling backwards into a black hole of daily stats, numbers 
The relentless news of deaths, survivors, tragedies, 
Wrestling with it all in a twilight world 
Each day morphs into the next, 
An unbroken routine, wrenched from the life I knew 
I feel like neither man nor woman 
Only the meagre stool I sit on grounds me 
Angular and awkward, my tired body tries to find some comfort, peace, 
While my mind cannot. 
Even my hands have grown a new dimension 
To cradle my ponderous head 
I despair, 
Yet I still wear my yellow dress of hope.

Yellow Dress

Painted as part of my MA at Coventry University where I was reflecting on moods and emotions. 
Andy Farr

Miranda

Andy painted Zara during lockdown. Zara described herself as a stay-at-home Mum, whose anxiety had started years before lockdown. As their dialogue progressed, she found that her understanding of her own feelings and thoughts changed. Her painting showed her as both puppet and puppeteer, a composition that evolved directly out of our conversations about her anxiety. “it revealed more and more to me about my own situation. I realised that the anxiety wasn't bigger than me…it (the painting) has honestly changed everything about my life at this time - beauty still lies within darkness”.

The Puppeteer

This is the second version of the “Twisted Rose” painted by Andy Farr. It was inspired by “Mac's” story. He suffered childhood abuse, and after therapy describes himself as feeling like “A twisted rose, growing out of the dark into the light, but still carrying the scars of his past”.

Twisted Rose 2

Rachel experienced a traumatic surgical procedure during her labour. It left her feeling disconnected from her baby son and as if she herself had cheated death. For 18 months her days felt like she was living in a silent lonely, grey world, and her nights were plagued by flashbacks of her time in the operating theatre. 
Through therapy, Rachel started to rediscover her old self. She describes opening a door and meeting my old self again. “She's inviting me back to who I used to be”. Outside of the door is dark and shadowy, but once the door is opened it's like opening it to an awesome house party, you feel nervous going in, you start talking to friends again, and you are happy you went. 
Andy Farr

Invitation

Alegria

The painting is inspired by the roller-coaster of emotions that Anna herself dealt with following mental abuse, threats, divorce, and low self-esteem. 
She has been able to overcome these through meditation. One particular image she uses is to imagine herself leaving her body and floating into the universe. Once there she visualises handing over her pain, sadness, and worries to the universe, trusting that the universe will provide her with the right answer.

Cosmos

This painting is another inspired by the meditation journey used by Sharif during lockdown. He would focus on nature, and raindrops falling on a roof, and water, listening to the sea, and seeing the light emerging through the trees in the forest.

Hope

Painted as a response to lockdown the work shows the light above the murky depth of water. With waterlilies floating on the surface. The spiral staircase represents our way up into a new dawn.

Into the light

The peace and solace at high altitude, above the world and its turmoil. Inspired by a mountaineer whose goal was to conquer Mt Everest as well as the other 7 Summits. Ad Pete said "That's my redemption, the ultimate solace”.

Solace No.3

Fun Fair is part of a series of paintings are based on my memories of growing up during the onset of my father's bipolar disorder. “I was 12 and didn't understand how he felt. I just saw and resented how his behaviour impacted on me and my family”. 
 
Swing is based on my discussions with people who are bipolar. I wanted to convey both sides of the condition – areas of yellows and reds to representing “the high”, juxtaposed with looming, billowing areas of charcoal infused darkness.

Fun Fair

Carousel is part of a body of work exploring feelings and memories relating to my father's mental health. He never really talked about how it felt during the mania or depression, however, I have talked with a number of people who are bipolar. They described the euphoria of the mania...

Carousel

Inspired by childhood memories. 
Andy Farr

Visitor

Part of a series of works reflecting on my childhood, that draws upon my memory of visiting my father in hospital. 
Andy Farr

Welcome

Office is a semi-biographical piece inspired by my father's life. My father developed bipolar disorder when I was about 12. At the time, I had no understanding of how he felt, only seeing the impact his behaviour had upon me and my family. He lived with the disorder for forty years ... 
Andy Farr

Another day in the Office

Part of a series of paintings exploring memories, growing up, and mental health.

Westgate

A Carousel horse escaping, galloping away, freeing itself from the shackles of the carousel. This piece was created for an exhibition in Vienna as a sister piece to an earlier work created in 2017. That work was a metaphor for my father's life, this piece is inspired by my own, showing a positive, optimistic outlook. 
Andy Farr

Breaking Free

The inspiration for this painting was a friend's reminiscences of his grandfather. He remembered his hours of silent contemplation in his allotment, where he was visited by his lost comrades. 
 
The title is drawn from Lawrence Binyon's iconic poem “For the fallen” 
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 
At the going down of the sun and in the morning 
We will remember them.

He will remember them

This piece reflects on man's continuing fascination with war games and its never-ending spiral.

Playtime

Emil's trauma relates to abuse he received during his time in Stockholm. It left him feeling empty, lonely, scared, haunted. It is this feeling of alienation and paranoia that Andy sought to capture with an image based on Sergels torg. This is an area next to Stockholm's Central Station which in the 1990s was notorious for the drug trade. 
 
These grey and oppressive streets are then contrasted with a colourful and vibrant image of a couple dancing the Salsa. The bright colours represent the liberation Emil found when he moved to London. Finding freedom amidst the Salsa bars and pubs of South Kensington. 
 
Emil's response was to say: “I love the bright picture in the painting. So colourful and happy! It very much makes me think of that night. It gives hope”.

Salsa

Inspired by Laura's poem, "Let me Feel" 
Let me feel. 
Let me feel that I wasn't to blame, 
can I connect to emotions, 
that aren't guilt or shame. 
 
Read my diary; 
'I left my childhood there, I want it back. 
teddy bears, 
nobody cares, 
broken toys on the footpath.' 
 
Let me feel. 
As I lie still on this hospital bed, 
wounded arms, 
blankly starring, 
at the textured ceiling above my head

Fragments

Based on an original poem by Laura. 
I cope, 
I carry this girl though my body is tired, 
I carry her, 
because I do what's required. 
But I cope, 
and I'm fine, 
and I only hurt, 
from time to time.

I Cope

Resilience. This painting was created during isolation. A solitary tree standing out against the odds. 
 
SOLD

Resilience

Sue is a keen gardener and she likens her recovery to that of a seed which had over the years, been bruised and beaten and denied the sustenance it needed to grow. At times it had gasped for breath and searched desperately for water so that it might at least remain intact, but the environment around it was often barren, and yet somehow it managed to survive all those years in the wilderness.

Little Sue

This painting is about hope and recovery. The lotus flower is symbolic of its beauty, but also for hope and overcoming challenges as they only grow in muddy water – it is a metaphor for facing challenges and troubles – necessary to bloom The vase is inspired by the Japanese art of repairing with gold - Kintsugi

Regeneration

Each artwork in 'Lives' exhibition tells a story of resilience and growth out of adversity. The work is rooted in personal experiences and conversations with people recovering from trauma. The exhibition draws from Andy's MA at Cov Uni and subsequent projects with the IMH Nottingham, With-You and DayOne.

This virtual exhibition is mirrored by a physical exhibition in the Black & White Gallery, part of the LTB Showrooms, 1A, Warwick Row, Coventry CV1 1EX.

Open daily, with access to the public 12-4, including weekends, June 3rd - 30th
The Opening Night 7-9pm Wednesday 5th June
Meet the Artist 2-4pm Sunday, 30th June

Andy is an award-winning Coventry-based artist. He has recently started a PhD at Nottingham University exploring the therapeutic benefits of trauma portraiture.

LIVES, a collection of narrative portraits by UK artist Andy Farr.