John Darovitz, artist and owner of ArtbyDarovitz, is using his passion for Pointillism and thousands of colored map pins to combat his struggles with anxiety and depression. Through this custom approach, Darovitz not only finds solace but also raises awareness about mental health.
Darovitz’s journey with pin art began in grade school in Metro Detroit, where he was captivated by Georges Pierre Seurat’s Pointillism technique of applying small dots of color in patterns to create intricate paintings. Inspired by this method, Darovitz experimented with various art styles and mediums until he exclusively focused on Pointillism. He discovered that replacing a paint brush with map pins he could create pointillistic style imagery. Thousands of pins are painstakingly hand-placed, resulting in a compelling image with texture and dimension. It takes Darovitz hundreds of hours and to create one art piece.
Despite his artistic success, Darovitz faces challenges with Clinical Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, mental illnesses that surfaced later in life. Art became his therapy, providing him with an outlet for expression and a means to cope with his mental health struggles.
“I realized that creating pin art was very therapeutic and helped me get through some tough episodes of anxiety and depression,” explained Darovitz. “My mental illness would often stifle my creative process for long periods of time. Producing art has become an integral part of my ongoing recovery.”
Darovitz recently debuted three collections created over the last several years and through several bouts of anxiety and depression. His first series titled ‘Influencers’ features 20 celebrities that have suffered from or are advocates for mental illness such as Taylor Swift, Mark Wahlberg, Madonna, among several others.
Darovitz followed his first series with ‘Right Brain, Loves Trains.’ This two-piece collection featured various images of trains, a life-long interest of Darovitz. His latest series – dubbed ‘Coastal Life’ –reflects the peace and tranquility he has found amidst life’s challenges.
Darovitz’s story resonates with many, as statistics show that mental health disorders affect millions worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability globally, with more than 264 million people affected. Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, affect over 284 million people worldwide.
As part of his commitment to mental health advocacy, Darovitz is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, supporting their mission to improve the lives of those affected by mental illness. Through his art and advocacy, Darovitz is not only battling his own mental health afflictions but also shedding light on an issue that impacts millions worldwide.
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Author’s bio:
John Darovitz is an artist and entrepreneur based in Daytona, FL. His passion for art began in grade school where he discovered Pointillism, a style popularized by Georges Seurat. Over the years, Darovitz experimented with various mediums before choosing map pins as his primary tool.
Diagnosed with clinical depression and generalized anxiety later in life, Darovitz found art to be therapeutic and an ongoing component of his recovery. He dedicated four years to create a 20-piece pin art series called ‘Influencers,’ calling attention to high-profile celebrities who struggled with or advocated for mental health such as Kobe Bryant, Taylor Swift, Eminem, among several others.
In 2023, Darovitz relocated from Michigan to Florida and started a new series, ‘Coastal Life,’ which captures the joyful essence of beach life, reflecting his vibrant new surroundings.
For more information about ArtbyDarovitz or to follow Darovitz’s journey, visit artbydarovitz.com.
