Graham Cullis travelled across the UK running creative workshops that help fight loneliness.
English artist and activist Graham Cullis set out on an eight-month journey to visit 33 different communities around the UK coast to help people who are struggling with their mental health by inviting them to contribute to his portfolio of collaborative artworks.
Graham is a British oil painter, content creator and mental health advocate with a mission to help individuals across the country to manage their mental wellbeing.
Documenting his journey, he’s gained a supportive following on his social media platforms, which he calls the Lonely H’Arts community.
Starting in Land’s End, Cornwall, each community was given their own blank canvas to participate in his project, which has led to 33 beautiful pieces being showcased at his exhibition at the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club in East London.
During his trip, Graham set up events filled with holistic activities such as meditation and ecstatic dance for people to connect.
Graham invited people to join his creative process by contributing to the main piece painting: ‘’I invited people that showed up to my events to cathartically release their emotions by splatting a blank canvas. So, the splats behind are all the people that showed up for themselves,” he said.
‘’And then I paint something over the top, sell it for a thousand pounds and donate all the money to Your Art Connect, which is a charity that I’ve been supporting for the whole time.’’
Graham wanted to show people that there are other ways to deal with their mental struggles through interactive workshops.
“Sometimes you can go through struggles and not know what there is available to you other than, like, you know, maybe the doctor might tell you to go on medication,’’ he said.
He has raised £15,000 so far, which he’s donated to Your Art Connect, a non-profit youth art charity co-founded by himself, that sets up art workshops for young people to connect, make friends and engage in art.
‘’The doctor might not tell you that sitting down and doing a painting is great, or trying meditation, or even just going to a little community art club where you’re getting out there and meeting people, simple as walking through nature or going for a sea swim.
“I think that was the point of me doing this tour was to spread the awareness, to show people there are other things. I would be taking people sea swimming; I’d be leading a guided meditation. I did dance and movement with them through the silent disco headsets.”
Early into his tour, Graham began to feel burnt out from extensive travelling across the country. “I was literally in and out of each town trying to hold space for people,” he said.
“It was just too much. So when I got to Cardiff, I was like ‘I’m going to stop now’. Then I just enjoyed the moment more and connected with the community. The people in Cardiff held me; it was just so beautiful.’’
Graham also battled loneliness on his tour. ‘’Ironically, I put myself in the loneliest position. I literally had to start again each week and make new friends. And it was quite lonely at times, you know.’’
There were moments where his trip wouldn’t go to plan, with his van breaking down midway. However, with the support of his community, he managed to raise £3,000 on his GoFundMe page in three days to keep his tour going.
‘’The process was hard. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But the most beautiful and the most rewarding as well. And now I get to celebrate it.’’
Featured image courtesy of Dean Pomeroy.