Whatever Happened to That Guy? An Autism, Art, and Recovery Update with Motesem Mansur

Seven years after his original appearance on Mental Health News Radio, artist and author Motesem Mansur returns with an update on his life, his art, and the journey from surviving difficult environments to finding stability, purpose, and peace.

He shares how leaving unsafe situations transformed his mental health, how becoming an artist-in-residence helped him rebuild his life, and why creating art remains one of the most important ways he regulates his mind and emotions. Together, we talk about autism, schizoaffective disorder, creativity, reality testing, faith, healing, family relationships, and the role that art plays in helping us make sense of our inner worlds.

His work can be found through the Intuit Art Museum in Chicago, Illinois, where he donates artwork that is sold to support the museum's mission. Listeners can also learn more about him by searching his name online and exploring his connections with Intuit Art Museum and Sertoma Star Services. This conversation is a reminder that sometimes the biggest transformation isn't becoming someone new. Sometimes it's finally finding a place where you can safely be yourself.

Motesem Mansur was born on January 28, 1986, in Chicago, IL. He was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Motesem developed mental illness at the age of 12. He dropped out of high school at 16 after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Motesem chose art and writing after getting his GED at the age of 17. He describes himself as an outsider artist and an independent writer. He draws from fantasy and sometimes surprises people with captivating drawings, with excellent color schemes and details. He compares them to video and computer games. Motesem's writings are informal and told in his own words.

He graduated from Sertoma Centre's PSR program in 2012. He was a self published author, but his books are no longer in print. He was a guest speaker for Illinois schools from 2011-17. From 2017-22, Motesem was hospitalized 11 times. Motesem talks about being let go from Project Onward, a studio he worked for from 2010-22.

"The place was a rat race and a greed game with very low pay, I hated it. The staff didn't know what they were doing. When the studio that I worked for let me go, it was a blessing in disguise. Things got better. I've been out of the psych ward since 2022. I left an unhealthy environment. My mind is clear now, and I donate to charity and volunteer my time instead. I'm glad I left that horrible studio for good,"

Nowadays, he lives at Lakefront Nursing Home in Chicago, IL. He donates artwork to the Intuit Art Museum in Chicago. He also volunteers his time to Sertoma Star Services, donating raffle items for events. Motesem still fits in the autism spectrum criteria.

Personal website: https://www.artpal.com/moe8628

Intuit Art Museum
756 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
https://art.org
info@art.org

Sertoma Star Services
Alsip,IL
Matteson, IL
https://sertomastar.org

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