TWELVE is a deeply personal and visually striking collection of original collage works, created by Heather Bestel during the first year following her diagnosis of complex PTSD. Each of the twelve pieces represents one month in that first year, capturing the rawness, fragmentation, beauty, and transformation of her healing journey.
This body of work is a radical departure from Heather’s gentle and whimsical pieces. In TWELVE, the materials are raw and evocative: used medication packaging, found papers, distressed textures—woven into layered emotional landscapes that speak of pain, hope, survival, and soul-searching.
The exhibition is located at the permanent exhibition space at Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary.
Artist’s Statement
TWELVE is the most honest work I’ve ever made. Each piece came out of necessity, not for exhibition, but for survival. They were my way of making sense of the dark, of reclaiming meaning and light. It means the world to share them with others who may recognise part of their own story within the layers.
About the Artist
Heather Bestel is a former psychotherapist turned artist, living and working in rural southwest Scotland. Her creative work is rooted in healing, self-compassion, and the quiet courage of the human spirit. TWELVE is her first solo public exhibition of original work dealing explicitly with her own mental health.
