David Beales
I am 57 years old and I have been painting and drawing since I was a child. I left home at 16 and worked at various office and factory jobs until I was 21 when I was accepted as a student at Croydon Art College. I left during the first spring term and six months later I was admitted to Farnborough psychiatric unit. I became a revolving door patient spending time in hospitals in the south east until I was referred to a rehabilitation ward at Stonehouse hospital. I was discharged into the community. Though I was discouraged from painting and drawing in the old hospitals I believe my artwork has helped me keep out of the hospitals by occupying my mind and diverting my attention away from my illness. My pictures are of the old hospitals, of life in the community, and more recently, concerned with global warming and it's effect on the environment.
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Suburban Roads
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The Road to the Asylum -
A New Admission
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In the old asylums a new admission soon learnt that it was pointkess complaining as all inmates were in the same boat. -
On the Ward
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On some wards the staff were bullies. As a result their wards were tense and, when patients reacted, chaotic. But where the staff treated the patients with respect and kindness the wards were calm and contented. -
Corridor Conversation
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Two nurses and an occupational therapist are looking for a patient who has gone missing. -
The Main Hall
21 x 29.7
On tuesday evening in an old Victorian asylum in the main hall patients met to socialise and play board games. Orange squash was served at eight pm. -
The Day Hospital, Farnborough
21 x 29.7
This picture shows the moment before a patient threw her dinner into the kitchen area of the day hospital. -
Tablet Time
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Patients were often woken up only to be given sleeping tablets. -
Dormitory
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On the ward the kitchen was usually closed so patients made tea from the hot water taps in the washroom. The water from these taps was never boiling to prevent scalding. -
Dormitory
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There was little privacy in the dormitory, often there were no curtains around the beds. -
A Day Room
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In 1980 patients recieved £7 a week. Pensioners were given just £2 pounds a week or in some cases nothing as it was thought that the hospital took care of their needs -
Industrial Therapy
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Patients could make a few extra pounds a week by working in the industrial therapy department. Some preferred this to sitting idly on the ward. -
Corridors 1
25 x 76
Some patients roamed the corridors scrounging cigarettes or looking for dog-ends. -
Corridors 2
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Patients too disturbed to work strayed from the wards to join the scroungers and eccentrics. -
Corridors 3
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This patients shop was in the corridors. In the distance a patient pushes a food trolley. -
Suburban Landscape
56 x 76
In the old asylums most schizophrenics were regarded as harmless. Why should it be any different in the community? -
Town centre 1
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Now that the old asylums are closed the mentally ill have to confront prejudice. -
Suburban Landscape
50 x 76
The peaceful atmosphere of the old asylums is often replaced by hostility. -
High Street
50 x 76
In the community the bigots gossip, obsessed by anyone who differs from their dogmatic views. -
Town centre 3
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Often care in the community patients are isolated. Because day hospitals and centres have also been closed they are left at risk. -
High Street 2
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With access to alcohol and street drugs that would not have been allowed in the old hospitals, some care in the community patients become dual diagnoses patients. -
Town centre 2
print
Many patients become homeless, left destitute on the street. -
Liz Brown
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Liz was an artist and a care in the community patient who suffered from chronic anorexia. -
By the Sea
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The Town Across the River
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Comments
Christine Baker
I agree that there is a big divide from the old asylum system and "care in the community", Having been involved with homeless people, there are a lot of mental health patients who slip through the net and do not get the help they deserve. Your observation and translation into art are a credit to you, and I wish you well.
Cecilia Montague
This collection of paintings provides a clever record of a patient's life in an institution.
Katy Parker
David - I am your sister, Christine's niece. She told me about your work and I must say you have an extraordinary talent and vision. I very much believe that creativity eases the mind and I wish you the very best of luck.
John Pipere
yWould just like to say your artwork is simply stunning, your use of colour and subject matter is (mindblowing) absolutely loved viewing your work