A Kingston artist has described how he turned to painting to help his mental health, as his work goes on display during Mental Health Awareness Week.

Rory Thomas had started a career as an art lecturer when he suffered a serious mental health episode in 2012, throwing his plans into turmoil.

Rory turned to art during his recovery, using paintings to document the personal code he developed to help manage his extreme mood swings.

Now, making art and organising art events is Rory's career and he recently helped out at a Richmond Mind show in Orleans Park, Twickenham.

Rory describes his style as urban expressionism. He uses ink, acrylic and digital collage to create his stunning paintings, some of which are pictured above.

Much of his work features parts of the journals he kept at the height of his illness, as well as self portraits and photography.

"I feel that incorporating my experiences from a severe mental health episode in my art has helped me recover and hopefully will speak to the many, many others who find themselves affected," Rory said.

"I hope my work will touch a common chord with many people who, during lockdown, have tended towards negative introspection and overthinking."

To mark mental health week, Rory's work and that of four others will be shown until Sunday 16 May at Ealing Broadway Pop-Up Gallery.

The gallery is a new initiative by South West London art collective 1of1Design and was launched last month.

It is located adjacent to Tesco at the Ealing Broadway Centre and open from 11am to 5pm daily - except on Saturdays when the gallery stays open until 6pm.

To see more of Rory's work you can follow him on Instagram here: @rorythomasartandmusic

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