Exploring the Transformative Power of AI Art for Mental Health
AI generated art generated with the help of Stable Diffusion, by AI Artist and champion @amli_art
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of mental well-being and explore the various ways that art can contribute to our emotional and psychological health.
At NightCafe, we believe that art is for everyone, and we are dedicated to promoting artistic expression as a means of fostering positive mental practices. In line with this mission, we are thrilled to showcase the works of talented artists, each offering their unique perspectives on the intersection of art and mental health. Our first featured artist is the incredible @amli_art, whose journey in the world of AI art has had a profound impact on her personal well-being.
Best compliment ever :) https://t.co/SRsO0LNCG0
— AmliArt (@amli_art) May 10, 2023
Discovering the World of AI Art
@amli_art shares her story of stumbling upon AI art in early 2022, during a time when the art community was just beginning to embrace this emerging form of artistic expression. Curiosity led her to explore the possibilities of AI-generated art, and she was captivated by the groundbreaking techniques and collaborations taking place within the AI art space.
"I got into it because I was messing around with NFTs and jumped onto Twitter for the first time. In those first couple weeks I saw @delta_sauce and some other creator's stuff popping up and I was just like - I've never seen this before" @amli_art says.
She continues, "I just started asking questions, and people in the community are always so nice and wonderful. They started pointing me in the right direction and that led me to open up Disco Diffusion for the first time. I had a heart attack, opened it up again for the second time, had another heart attack. I think maybe around the fifth time I finally didn't let it scare me, and sat down and actually started working with it. And after your first successful run, you're hooked."
AI Art as a Lifeline
When asked if she noticed any personal mental health benefits from using AI art thus far, Amli agreed saying, "For me, yes - 100%. I think most people are creative people. They might not even know that they are, but just being human, we are inherently creative. And I think bringing creativity into your life is something that really enhances it. Whether that's just through play or singing in the shower - just a little bit of creativity really adds positiveness to anyone's life."For @amli_art, art has always been an integral part of her life, serving as a means of self-expression and coping with the challenges she faced as a disabled artist.
However, circumstances prevented her from pursuing certain artistic avenues, leading to a period of creative stagnation and deep-seated sadness.
AI generated art generated with the help of Stable Diffusion, by AI Artist and champion @amli_art
She talks about how hard that time in her life was, saying; "I was eight-years-old doing plays on stage in Washington DC. I pursued that for most of my young life until my disability (of course) made it hard to do that. I moved to visual Arts to fill that void for me because I needed the creative outlet. In a way, it's almost like air for people like me, and we need it."
Creating AI-generated art became a lifeline, illuminating a path she didn't realize she had lost and allowing her to reconnect with her innate creativity.
AI Art as a Creative Outlet
While @amli_art acknowledges that AI art can be considered therapeutic, she personally views it more as a practice similar to exercise or maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She says, "I relate to it more like I have to create every day in order to maintain a balanced mental health kinda thing."
She recognizes, however, that for many individuals within the AI art community, the therapeutic potential of generative art helps with addressing specific traumas or navigating difficult mental health challenges.
She recollects, "I've run a bunch of contests and have met a lot of people who have said very similar things about AI art being therapeutic, especially talking to veterans and those with PTSD. A lot of people have said how much it's really saved them, to be able to put their experience into words and to see it visually."
@amli_art has witnessed the transformative power of AI art as it helps people give voice to their experiences, even saying she knew of someone using it for that purpose.
"I have a good friend who is a Special Education teacher for autistic children here in Los Angeles. He started using AI Art with them in the middle of last year and actually completely changed his curriculum because he found it so therapeutic for them. They have speech and communication issues, things along those lines, and now they're able to express themselves in ways they couldn't before with AI art."
The journey of @amli_art showcases the transformative power of artistic expression on mental health.
AI art has become a medium through which people can explore their emotions, communicate their experiences, and find solace and growth. And while her personal experience may differ from those who specifically use AI art as a therapeutic tool, she wholeheartedly recognizes its potential for healing and self-discovery.
Through the stories and creations of talented artists like @amli_art, we hope to inspire and foster awareness about the significant role creativity plays in supporting our emotional well-being.