Volume 1, Issue 1: Post-Secondary Mental Health

CoverArtist
Statement
Table of
Contents
Mental health concerns more than just
noticeable disorders or disturbances.
Mental health is about the overall wellbeing
of the mind, a matter that intersects
with almost all aspects of life:
physical health, social and cultural liberty,
and personal and collective identities.
Ideally, mental health recognizes
the complex mingling of sadness and
happiness, stress and serenity, rewards
and struggles, and how they act in the
day-to-day life of people throughout
their life course. Mental health is not
inevitably—or unambiguously— associated
with illness, disease, or disability.
Rather, mental health is rarely static or
set from birth.
The cover image for the inaugural issue
of Minds Matter Magazine aims
to capture the richness of the mind
without concretely depicting its physical
form, the brain. The artist depicts
an interweaving flow of lines, colours,
patterns, and textures that together aim
to illustrate the harmonious reflection
of emotions, thoughts, personality, ego,
and unconscious processes that together
determine our experience of mental
health. The door signifies openness and
acceptance, which is a key to encouraging
mindfulness. The tree represents
the concept of growth, and not only
how we have the capacity to empathize
and embrace change, but also to mature
and become stronger through experiences.
With this image and publication,
Minds Matter seeks to explore the complex,
interdisciplinary nature of mental
health—particularly within the context
of post-secondary education—and allow
its readers the opportunity to engage in
a truly inquisitive, and mindful discussion
on mental health.
Alice Shen, Graphic Designer
Alice Shen is a psychology and physiology
student at McGill University. However,
her connection to UTSC couldn’t be more
telling. She was a student of Mr. Gary
Low who was a student of Doris McCarthy.
Low was the first student to earn an
A+ from Doris McCarthy.
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