For artist Malcolm Tufnell, the Santa Barbara Mental Wellness Center has been a lifesaver.
“It was a real relief because I already had somewhere to go. I used to be pretty lonely. Painting is usually a lonely thing. Staying at home all day doesn’t do me any good. “I did,” Tufnell said. “So now I can at least draw and I can give my gift to others and show them something.”
Tufnell will be performing at the 28th Annual Artful Mind Arts Fair on Saturday, May 4th, as part of the Mental Wellness Center’s Mental Health Awareness Month initiative this May. He is one of about 60 artists living with the disease.
Originally from Santa Barbara, Tufnell trained at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and specializes in oil and acrylic paintings. Over the years, he has primarily painted delicate and evocative images of ballet dancers.
“I have been captivated by the magic of ballet since I was a young child,” he said. Tufnell says he inherited his love of the art from his father, who is British and attended the Royal Ballet at London’s Albert Hall. Tufnell is currently a state patron of his ballets, and he draws sketches of dancers in charcoal and pencil, which he incorporates into paintings.
Tufnell draws much of his inspiration from the weather, dance, and artists such as painter George Ennis and composer Gustav Mahler. More than 20 of his unique works, which put a modern twist on Impressionist tendencies, will be available for purchase at the Art His Fair.
Tufnell’s involvement with the Wellness Center began after he was briefly hospitalized last year while suffering from depression and anxiety. He learned about the center after his release and immediately joined the Fellowship Club. Through the club, he began attending a wellness center daily and found support, connection, and a space where he could freely paint and help others with their artistic endeavors.
“The positive feedback has been great. We have a lot of different people in the art room at different levels. I’m probably the most conservative when it comes to landscapes and things like that. I’m probably the most representative.” he said. “It’s much better to have human interaction than to sit alone and feel like what you’re doing is hopeless in some way.” In addition to artist exhibits, the fair also features a “Tile Paint Zone” It will also include a community-driven activity where patrons are invited to share their afternoon art by creating colorful tiles as part of an installation called “. The installation will be on display at the Mental Wellness Center (617 Garden St) throughout May.
The fair will be held on Saturday, May 4th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the beachfront across from Chase Palm Park. For more information about the Mental Wellness Center and the annual Artful Minds event, visit mentalwellnesscenter.org.
