I've been helping to teach a photography class over the last month to adults with severe and persistent mental illness. Most of this group has been diagnosed as paranoid- schizophrenic. It has been an incredible experience. One of our first assignments was to create a still life using objects that represent their recovery from mental illness. Everyone talked about the objects they had chosen, then constructed a piece using backdrops and various types of lighting. They've been running around the city shooting landscapes, and this week it's on to portraits.
At the end, the group hosts an "Art as a Part of Healing" gallery opening to display and sell work as a fundraiser.