John F Gerrard

This is a collection of images mounted on 1/4" acrylic.

John Gerrard is an artist and author living in Mohkinstsis / Calgary, AB. In 2018 he was trained as a peer support worker with the Canadian Mental Health Association, and since then he has blended mental health advocacy with his art and writing practice. Gerrard has collaborated with neuroscientists as a part of the Branch Out Neurological Foundation charity events, and recently had his first international show in Chicago, as a part of the multidisciplinary "SOME PEOPLE"(Every)Body Exhibition examining Global Health through the prism of policy, ethics and the need for stable Public Health infrastructure.

His first book, We Make Clocks, Not Time: My Lived Experience With Psychosis, Creativity, and the Ideas That Have Helped Me was published in 2022. In this book, Gerrad relates his lived experience with paranoia, delusions of grandeur, and other mental health concerns in an effort to humanize these symptoms. While writing about these struggles, Gerrad also explores the philosophical questions he wrestled with in his recovery, dealing with issues such as personal identity and free will.

“Over the past 20 years I’ve been strengthening my muscles as an artist. I’ve drawn and painted a vast array of two-dimensional images, made illustrations and photographic work, as well as, written and recorded musical records. I’m excited to continue to explore my creative voice.”