Shawn Thornton is a visionary artist based in Philadelphia, PA. His paintings are highly detailed and symbolic, often taking him years to complete. He had a tumor in his pineal gland that went undiagnosed for six years and during that time began to experience unusual states of consciousness, including invasive voices and episodes of psychosis, energies which can be seen reflected in his visual language. In this conversation, he describes the experience of losing his mind, navigating western medicine and antipsychotic drugs, and finally finding relief in painting and exercise. He hypothesizes on the damage he did to himself as a young artist and shares what it is like to navigate life now with lasting cognitive repercussions and a new awareness and appreciation of his mental health. Find Shawn’s incredible art online at ShawnThorntonPainting.com and on IG @shawn_thornton_paintings. More podcasts where podcasts are found, MauraJames.com and on IG @maurajames.
[“Lost My Head There” - Kurt Vile]