This week I had the privilege of speaking with Brigitte and Chris Norton, parents to the late artist Charles Norton. The Norton family orchestrated an exhibit at the High Line Nine to profile Charles' work called "The Pippins: Dilemma of Colors" which features a collection of approximately 57 Pippin drawings and 21 corresponding poems, each featuring a satirical character known as a Pippin. 

Charles battled with severe depression and mental health issues leading to his death in July 2019 at 24 years old. Despite his young age, Charles left his family with a prolific body of work including drawings, illustrations, sketches, poetry, and paintings.

The show is designed to raise mental health awareness and to support Project Healthy Minds, a nonprofit dedicated to breaking the stigma on mental health and providing access to resources for those who are struggling. Make sure to check out the exhibit before the end of February 2022. 

In this episode, Chris and Brigitte speak about the symbolism of the Pippins and Charles' mental health struggles, how to help someone when they're suffering, how they grieved the loss of their son, and why its crucial to end the stigma surrounding metal health.