Artist Lottie's Torbay exhibition 'will give hope' in mental health fight

Artist Lottie Bolster is using her skills to to explore the balance between motherhood and mental health.

Her new exhibition is on show at the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust’s HeARTs gallery until April 1.

The visual artist and mental health advocate's exhibition, called Balance, uses a range of media to present human stories which counter stereotype and challenge ideas about ill health.

Since becoming a parent, Lottie’s work has focused on sharing her story of pregnancy, motherhood, eating disorders and mental health. In telling her story Lottie hopes to broaden people’s understanding of eating disorders and those who experience them.

Lottie says: “Weaning works and balance are two projects inspired by my experiences parenting while in recovery from an eating disorder.

“In 2020 I found myself a new mum struggling with an eating disorder. I felt very alone in this, I was misunderstood and at times demonized. I'm adamant however, that mine and my daughter’s story will be different, breaking the generational chain of eating disorders and documenting this journey. I hope to show an alternative narrative, and one of hope.” 

As well as her arts practice Lottie graduated with an undergraduate degree in physiology from Oxford and an MSc in Clinical Neuroscience from Kings College London.

In 2020 she graduated with from Central Saint Martin’s and has exhibited at the CERN (Switzerland), Tate Modern and Somerset House. She now works for the NHS using her experience to improve adult eating disorder services. 

Lottie’s work is on display in the HeARTs gallery in the corridor behind level Four reception at Torbay Hospital until Tuesday April 1. For further information on eating disorders and support available please visit: beateatingdisorders.org.uk