Battling mental illness with art takes man on a new career path

An man whose artistic talents have been refined through his struggles with anxiety, depression and becoming homeless has high hopes for his dream job.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Oct 2016, 11:50 GMT
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 01:58 GMT
Liam Thompson whose Aspergers' has enabled him to be a creative artist. He has overcome his difficulties and is trying to carve a career in art. Pic Steve Robards SR1631125 SUS-161019-135635001Liam Thompson whose Aspergers' has enabled him to be a creative artist. He has overcome his difficulties and is trying to carve a career in art. Pic Steve Robards SR1631125 SUS-161019-135635001
Liam Thompson whose Aspergers' has enabled him to be a creative artist. He has overcome his difficulties and is trying to carve a career in art. Pic Steve Robards SR1631125 SUS-161019-135635001

Liam Thompson, 24, has been artistic from an early age; it has got him through some of his darkest times.

He said: “I have Asperger’s syndrome and it makes really creative. I’ve always been artistic since I can remember.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I could draw a lot of things but for some reason at age of 11 I just randomly started drawing a pattern at school which is currently hanging up at my Nan’s.

Most Popular

“It doesn’t look amazing, but at the time thought it was and my class and teachers thought it was amazing.”

As he went through his teenage years he abandoned his love of art, but also found his health got worse - until one day he tried it again.

He said: “I was lonely and had a lot of stress and I suffered from anxiety.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I just one day decided to spend all that spare time drawing one massive pattern, to I suppose express myself and get all that energy inside onto paper. I wanted to draw it the way I wished I had drawn it all those years ago. It took me 150 hours to draw and colour.”

It was a piece he called Thompson’s Dream.

But he continued to battle with depression and obsessive thinking.

It got gradually worse until he lost his job and then in February 2014, his flat. He found himself living on his mum’s floor for several months. Last year though, he rediscovered his art once more.

He said: “They say art expresses yourself. They have got more detailed as I got iller. Hopefully I won’t lose that skill. My Asperger’s makes me naturally obsessive and not that, but the stress of life that made me ill.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I’ve been trying over the past few years (to raise my profile). What’s kept me motivated is all the positive responses I get. You see so many things with these kind of designs now.

“There are so many options: home accessories, books, fabric things you can hang on the wall or put the designs on plates. I’m also selling prints. I didn’t think people would buy them but obviously people want to.”

To see more of his work find him on Facebook and Twitter @LiamThompsonArtist or email him [email protected]

Related topics:FacebookTwitter