To honor Mental Health Awareness Month in May of 2017, Derek posted a daily image to his social media outlets that showcased his ongoing battle with Dual Diagnosis, a term for those who struggle with both mental illness and substance abuse. This book, 31 Days In May, is a look at the link between creativity and disturbed mental states, as told through Derek artwork. What started off as self-exploration quickly turned into a personal journey for those among Derek s followers who were dealing with mental health and addiction issues of their own. Topics such as loneliness, relationships, depression and suicide are beautifully and painfully depicted throughout the book with the hope that it not only helps dispel some of the negative stereotypes surrounding mental illness, but also helps to educate readers, and shows others so afflicted that they aren t alone. Along with the 31 images that were originally posted, Derek included additional thematically-linked pieces, resulting in a generous book of over 150 pages filled with stunning art. The book concludes with a gallery of Derek Hess-inspired tattoos (see next page), which fans of his art and message have gotten to help deal with their own mental health issues.
31 Days In May is over 150 pages, hardbound, and contains over 120 Derek Hess images, some never before published, with a foreword by Dr. Joseph Calabrese, Director of the Mood Disorders Program at the Uiversity Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.
Derek Hess unmistakably distinctive, emotionallty charged prints and drawings have been a force in both the music and art worlds for more than 25 years. Derek began creating promo flyers for live rock shows in Cleveland, OH in the 1980s. He soon began producing color silkscreens which gained the attention of a multitude of concert promoters and bands, and which are now in the permanent collections of the Grammy Museum, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Louvre. In addition to countless album covers, apparel designs, and gallery shows all over the world, Derek has been featured on TLC, MTV, Fuse, VH1, Alternative Press, Newsweek and Juxtapoz to name a few. The award-winning 2014 documentary Forced Perspective chronicles his art, life, and struggles with dual diagnosis. Derek has since become an outspoken voice for mental health and addiciton awareness, and has advocated for those who suffer with those issues by founding ACTING OUT!, which sponsors an annual arts festival and professional conference that aims to explore, without judgment, issues that arise in the junctions between mental illness, addiction, and creativity.
