Depression's transformation

The mother and son exhibit tells Ann's story, who suffered from depression in the early '80s.

"I listen to my dreams and I dreamt of this exhibit and called my son, who has a photography degree, to help me," said Ann. "It took a few months and at the end there were 14 photos that I loved and the poetry wrote itself around them."

Ann and Jon completed the project in 2001. It traveled for two years around the Bay Area, mostly exhibited in public libraries.

The exhibit, "Depression: A Visual Journal of Healing and Transformation." is supported by the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County along with a generous grant from the Emerging Arts Fund of Peninsula Community Foundation.

Ann is photographed with different facial and body expressions of what it was like for her during her darkest hours. The accompanying poetry goes hand and hand with the photographs, which both display anguish, helplessness and despair.

But it's almost half way through the exhibit where hope, understanding and healing begin to take prominence.

"Art has an ability reach people and teach them in a way nothing else can and the exhibit presents the struggle and transformation process in a way that is unusual, beautiful and engaging," said Ann. "The main things I do about depression is the transformation process and how that process made me whole again."

In 1991 Ann also wrote a book about depression titled "Gift of the Dark Angel: A Woman's Journey Through Depression Toward Wholeness."

"I knew for a while that I wanted to do something else, but until this project I didn't know what," said Ann.

Ann received calls and e-mails from around the world expressing appreciation from both people who suffer from depression and people who just got a better understanding of the sickness.

"I'll never forget a nurse who worked in mental health when after she looked at the work said, 'This is what depression looks like and this is what depression feels like.' I've gotten a great response and feel that this is what I've been chosen to do," said Ann.

Along with the exhibit will be a reception held at the church that also incorporates a stand up comedy show from Brian Wetzel. Although Ann and Wetzel have yet to meet it was brought to Ann and the church's attention that Wetzel has been running a comedy show about depression, something that he too suffered from.

Comedy might be a strange way to address something as serious as depression, but Wetzel said that it is his way of confronting his illness as well as teaching others.

The church's reception invitation states that some of the material may not be suitable for children, something not found often in functions concerning the church.

"I do say a couple of things that maybe children shouldn't hear but I think it's the subject matter as a whole that might not be appropriate," said Wetzel. "I think it's refreshing that the church is letting me do this because depression can't nor should it be sugar-coated. It's something dark and real and if people are to gain from this they should hear how it really is."

The Kieffers' exhibit is running throughout March and April by appointment. The reception featuring Wetzel's performance will be held 7 p.m. March 31 at the Congressional Church of Belmont, 751 Alameda de las Pulgas. A donation of $10 is suggested. For more information call the church at (650) 593-4547 or go to www.keiffer.net/depression.