Award for Best Experimental Novel in 2013 . The novel ’ s cover and many of the pages feature artwork from Mountain , who often used art to portray his feelings about schizophrenia . After Mountain died in July 2015 , Bolstridge found more evidence of his talents .
“ I found over 1,500 files , paintings and sketches that I ’ d never seen ,” she says .
Bolstridge originally published the novel under a pseudonym , Moore Bowen , and changed Mountain ’ s name to Moonway . She later decided to go public with the book . On May 6 , 2016 , Bolstridge held an art show of Mountain ’ s work and a gallery talk at the Wintergreen Arts Center in Presque Isle . The event was part of Mental Health Awareness Month .
Over 125 people came to Wintergreen to hear Bolstridge talk about Mountain ’ s struggles with mental illness . She also sold copies of “ Oppression for the Heaven of It ” and Mountain ’ s artwork . The sales raised nearly $ 3,000 for Wintergreen and Catholic Charities , who split the proceeds equally .
Dottie Hutchins , executive director of Wintergreen , says that the art show drew one of the largest crowds that Wintergreen has had during a First Friday Art Walk . She praises Bolstridge for using her writing and Mountain ’ s artwork to help erase some of the stigma that often comes from talking about mental illness .
“ Alice has a warm , sincere and honest presence about her . She speaks from the heart and makes everyone feel ‘ ok ’ with speaking about mental illness ,” Hutchins says . “ Alice is one of the most brave people I know and one of the most generous .”
Bolstridge feels relieved about finally sharing the novel and her personal memories of Mountain with the community . The novel and his artwork , she says , have gotten great responses from readers and viewers .
“ A number of people have talked to me about mental illness in their own families ,” Bolstridge says . “ I have the sense that me acknowledging and being open about it is helpful to other people who are self-conscious about mental illness .”
She got another chance to share her son ’ s story when she held an art show of Mountain ’ s work at Morning Star Art and Framing in Presque Isle on December 2 , 2016 . That event was also part of a First Friday Art Walk . A silent auction of Mountain ’ s artwork lasted until December 21 , 2016 . Bolstridge donated the proceeds from the auction and sales of “ Oppression for the Heaven of It ” to The Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care .
At the Morning Star show , Bolstridge also read poems from her forthcoming poetry chapbook “ Chance and Choice .” Finishing Line Press will publish the chapbook later in 2017 . The theme of chances and choices runs through many of the poems , according to Bolstridge .
“ We live in a kind of space between chance and choice . In so much of our lives we don ’ t make a choice . It ’ s just chance ,” Bolstridge says . “ And then , on the other hand , we do have to make choices .”
In her own life , Bolstridge ’ s choices have gotten her to where she is today . She took a personal risk when she decided to share her son ’ s story . But because she wrote and published “ Oppression for the Heaven of It ” readers now have an opportunity to think about mental illness in ways that might not have before . Telling those often unheard stories about mental illness is hardly an easy task . Bolstridge ’ s work shows , though , that as long as she writes about what matters to her , she will always have something to contribute to the better world she wants to see .
SPRING 2017 49