Artist Stormie Mills at a “creative journaling” workshop.

PUPILS at Hamilton Hill’s Port School have joined forces with renowned Perth artist Stormie Mills to create a thought-provoking art exhibition about young people’s mental health.

Showing the end results and creative process from a series of journaling workshops, the exhibition addresses how social media and the pandemic has impacted young people’s wellbeing.

Co-designed by Mills and FORM’S Creative Schools, the two-year project centred on reflective “creative journaling” – remembering, describing, assessing and questioning thoughts and impressions, and using journals to capture these in words and illustration.

Through sharing some of his most intimate belongings – his sketchbooks – with the students, Mills was able to demonstrate that when recording thoughts and emotions, there is no wrong or right, and no need for perfection, just acceptance.

“What I really enjoyed was that they had the opportunity to be free and no matter what mark they made in their journal they were able to feel success, this was the best part of the project,” Mills told the Herald. 

“I enjoyed experiencing the students being present in the room, watching them work, not looking at their phones and the fact that they were really connecting to the idea that there was no such thing as a mistake. 

“This was really rewarding. I always gain a great deal when people are prepared to share their thoughts with me in this way – it keeps you curious.”

A total of 95 young people from Albany Youth Support Association, SMYL Community College and Hamilton Hill’s Port School – an independent for students who have not been able to achieve success in mainstream education – took part in the project, including student Maya.

“I journal because it’s an enjoyable outlet for me and it gets my thoughts down,” she says. “Journaling keeps me occupied and in check with my emotions, thoughts and feelings, and sometimes something that gets on my nerves can be turned into something unique like a new idea.” 

According to a 2021 Beyond Blue study, in any given year one in seven people aged four to 17 experience a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression. They are also less likely than any other age group to seek professional help. 

The exhibition My thoughts laid bare, are like a home without curtains is on June 21–25 at There Is creative space, 49 Stuart Street Northbridge.