Dennis Behr

It was at the age of 18 that I began to experience the symptoms of schizophrenia. I managed to graduate high school and even go on to college, but after three years, the illness got the best of me and I was living on the streets. Delusions and hallucinations were in control of my fate. I thought I was losing myself and attempted to end my life.

Fortunately, I was not successful and my illness was finally diagnosed and treatment started. I took a reborn interest in art, which I had studied in college. I drew to express the confusion and inner conflict I felt. Using violent sparks of color on primarily dark backgrounds; my work was colored with the same gloom as my life and reflected the pain of my struggle with mental illness.

Since that time, my life and art have changed dramatically. Although I still fight a daily battle with my illness, my work shows the progress I have made. My current phase of artistry represents the positive and spiritual in my art. My drawings are intentionally childlike, done in colorfully bright, oil and dry pastels and conte crayon. These mediums serve perfectly to portray the look of rough spontaneity and pure energy in all my works.

My hope is to produce work that is both decorative and expressive. I experiment with simplification of form and the use of signs and symbols to explore the nature of human existence. Bright, intense color and abstract shapes suggest spontaneity and an idyllic world. The world of nature is a recurring theme in my work; often used as a metaphor for life and joy.

I am influenced by my passion for music, literature and the world around me.
I receive much of my inspiration through prayer and spiritual pondering. My creativity is a gift, both for me and for the viewers of my works. I want my art to enlighten others - to help them to see the importance of the unconscious in everyday actions and relationships.