"Body Art" by Joshua Blankinship

artist statement

"I'm mentally ill. That's not something that a lot of people like to talk about, but it's at the core of why I create. Art's not only my passion, but a therapy for me. Through use of palette knives and brushes, I create tactile textures with vibrant color that visually express the highs and lows associated with Bi-Polar Disorder. Each piece I create is utterly unique in that it's a visceral expression of my oft-changing emotions during a specific moment in time." -Joshua Blankinship

about the artist

Joshua Blankinship is a visual artist and mental health advocate from Medina, TN. His art hangs in the homes of notable clients that include the State of Tennessee Governor's Mansion, NBA Superstar Ja Morant, the estate of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Carl Perkins, NFL All-Pro Derrick Henry, Hip Hop Legend Project Pat, NBA All-Star Brandon Ingram, and more. His work has also been purchased for use in various media by Netflix, Paramount +, ESPN, Showtime, the cover art for the re-release of James Cherry's acclaimed novel "Edge of the Wind", and used in various other print and visual media.

His notable awards include a 7 month artist residency in Kinston, NC, several mental health and/or art conference keynote speaking appearances, "Best of Show" and "Fan Favorite" awards for Leonid Afremov's "Art for Peace" contest, and features in multiple solo and group exhibitions within the Southeastern United States. Outside of his work co-founding two art advancement collectives, "The Madison Muse Society" and "Artists on Main--Medina, TN", his latest achievement was being featured in a group exhibition at the distinguished “Frist Art Museum” in downtown Nashville, TN.