My Why: Corey Chatham

Corey was born in Spotsylvania, Virginia, as the second child. Corey’s always saw the world different, more “unique”, his passion for art began at a young age, farther back than he can remember and, with a mind that never stopped creating, thinking, and innovating his world was always in constant motion, he was “high-functioning” they called it, “AuDHD” was the diagnosis. Corey went on to marry his high-school sweetheart, and have two daughters. Corey and his wife at a young age had faced a number of challenges, from neurodivergent functioning issues and social constraints to  teenage parenthood and marriage. Corey pursued a career in the automotive industry, and other mechanical industries, eventually opening his own automotive repair business.

Corey and his family went on for multiple years owning and operating a thriving business, despite the newly established global pandemic. After a few more difficult years, interpersonal life concerns and personal mental health decline, Corey and his wife separated and he was forced to close his business. During this time Corey began his own “mental health journey” and rediscovered his passion for art and in that  found his ability to express not only a passion but everything he had ever felt inside. Corey began pursuing “free-lance” art requests and spending time in various facets of the Fine arts industry.

Corey continued to expand his knowledge and craft, while also discovering a passion for helping others with mental health. With newly discovered passions, and much thought, Corey made the decision to give up his past career and pursue his passion for art and progressive mental health standards. Corey notes that his choice to make a career change was one of the best choices he’s ever made and, it’s important to him to make a positive and influential impact on the world and believes that the expression of oneself through art truly “paints its own canvas”.

My Why:

My why for me is special, I have gone my whole life with misunderstood feelings, thought’s, and even actions. As a person diagnosed with AuDHD I struggle every day with feelings that others either didn’t understand or they misinterpreted and the worst part of that can be most of the time neither do I! After spending my entire life learning to maneuver in a way “socially normal”, in a world around me that felt like any compromise I needed was too much, I became increasingly good at masking all the while losing myself in the process. It was then I decided something should be done, and realized my art had a much larger voice than I ever did, and I was going to use it to help every unheard voice become powerful again.

Our families, friends, partners, etc. struggle daily left suffering in a silence that if we all listen, that sounds louder than any noise ever could. As a community and as individuals we have the “Obligation” to stand for those who don’t have the ability to stand for themselves.We can make a difference and it starts in our hearts, if a pencil or brush can document the negatives of the past, it has the potential to “draw out” all the positives of the future.