Bipolar 'is not a death sentence:' Art exhibit aims to reduce stigma

CHICAGO - Using gloved hands, artist Kelly Mathews rubs blood-red paint over layers of melted beeswax as "Fire," her painting, takes form. She carefully uses a blowtorch, then a heat gun to dry her work before she can brush on another layer of wax that's simmering in a nearby pan in her makeshift basement studio.

The Logan Square artist said her profession doubles as a sort of therapy. While that's true of art for many, it's especially notable for Mathews, 48, who said she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her early 20s.

"When your emotions are so extreme on both ends, you've got to be able to communicate that," said Mathews. "Art is a wonderful tool for that."

Mathews is