| The Emerging Into Light image is the original artwork of Jennifer Osborn, a consumer and young woman of considerable artistic talent. She returned to work after a period of recurrent illness. Jennifer created this image for the CMHA, as a donation, because she wanted to share her story through art. Jennifer worked closely with the CMHA's design firm to create an image that would be distinct, simple and convey the dignity of our ongoing battle against mental illness. The symbol says our struggle is important, far from over and needs to be publicly recognized. By endorsing a common symbol, we can help build public awareness about the importance of mental illness and mental health issues. Making the symbol larger than any one organization helps emphasize the importance of the issue. The classic example is the red ribbon for AIDS. The symbol is universal and not owned by any organization. In just 10 years it has gained worldwide recognition and acceptance. By adopting the Emerging Into Light symbol, we are bringing mental illness out of the dark ages and into our community. We are no longer hiding. [an error occurred while processing this directive] Abstract art is a type of artwork that is original in its own right. By loose definition, abstract art is something which is altered so much that it has little resemblance to the object which it is supposed to portray. The subject matter of abstract paintings usually consists of a variety of colors, shapes, and designs that do not seem to represent a specific item. As opposed to representational artwork which is drawn to represent a specific object, abstract paintings can look like a number of different things all at once or an unidentifiable object. It all depends on the particular artist and specific abstract painting. There are two main types of abstract artwork. The first is objective abstract artwork that has an object as its subject matter but that object is altered so much that it does not exactly resemble it. In other words, the object which the piece of work is supposed to portray looks unrealistic. In objective abstract art, the size, color and/or shape is altered. The second type of abstract artwork is nonobjective abstract art. In nonobjective abstract artwork, there is no object that the painting is supposed to represent and the main composition of the artwork is comprised of lines, shapes, and/or colors. The subject matter presents an idea or a feeling and not necessarily a specific object. Both types of abstract artwork are impressive, whether they represent a specific object or portray a specific feeling to those who view it. Which type of abstract painting an individual chooses is a completely personal choice and one will know which one strikes them more as soon as they place their eyes upon the painting. There are a number of wonderful artists who create abstract paintings. Some of the more famous artists include Wassily Kandinsky, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh and Jackson Pollock. These artists had a predilection for creating abstract paintings and their final collections are absolutely exquisite. |