Fairbridge

ESCAPING to the arts has become a “bit of a godsend” for Jesse Steele and countless other people with mental illnesses. “If I’m having a really bad day, I can pick up my camera and push through the worst of things, sometimes it works and sometimes not,” Ms Steele says.

The Riverside Gardens woman, who struggles with depression, was among 17 Peel photographers to have their work put on display at the Fairbridge Village Art Gallery as part of Mental Health Week.

“This exhibition proves again that many people who live with mental illness are exceptionally talented,” Ms Steele said. “I hope the exhibition will give others who suffer the confidence to know they can achieve really good things in their lives.”

While she doesn’t broadcast her mental health issues to others, Ms Steele is the first to put her hand up if people start talking about it. “Without people speaking out and educating, the stigma will never be completely removed,” she said.

Society has come a long way since she first fought depression more than 14 years ago but having a mental health issue is no longer the socially-isolating experience it once was, she said. “I have lived with it for 14 years and there wasn’t anything in the way of support agencies back then.”

The Brush & Shutter exhibition at Fairbridge featured 33 pieces, from landscapes to cultural pieces to portraits to collages.

Ms Steele’s idea for the exhibition came when she visited Fairbridge Village on South West Highway many months ago to photograph the beautiful heritage buildings that are now used for holiday, conference, group, camp and wedding accommodation.
While there, she had a chat to Fairbridge staff who encouraged her to pursue an exhibition. “I love the heritage setting of Fairbridge…I am in heaven out there, it’s so quiet and tranquil,” she said. “Workers and volunteers there have done some amazing work to restore the cottages. It’s also always interesting to look into the history of Fairbridge – I can picture how it was back then, how people were and how they lived.”