Results
Data analysis resulted in four themes that, taken together, illuminate how art making was used by the participants to cope with mental illness and served as a change mechanism in the recovery process. The four themes were: (a) “I connect with my inner self and elicit new insights through art,” (b) “I strive to develop and gain a sense of achievement through art,” (c) “I use art as my motivational force when unwell,” and (d) “I transcend to a psychologically safe place through art.”