Press Release, "Local Artist Pens Book of 'Blackout' Poetry, benefits mental health organizations"

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Local Artist Pens Book Of “Blackout” Poetry
—Sales of the book to support mental health organizations

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, July 24, 2018 — Local artist and poet Michael Nyers recently published a book of “blackout” poetry through Dawn Valley Press, a small publisher based in Beaver, Pa. The book, “Finding Light in the Darkness: a collection of blackout poetry,” features dozens of Nyers’ colorful works, which he created as a way to deal with anxiety, depression, and Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

“Blackout poetry is my passion; my therapy,” says Nyers on his website, fadeintoablackoutpoetry.com. “It has given me a sense of belonging and purpose in life. Through the encouragement and support of so many people, I was able to find the strength to reinvent myself. Now I want to share it with you.”

Nyers defines blackout poetry as “a mixture of poetry and art made by taking any form of printed text and blacking out the unwanted words to create a poem or statement.” In the most basic form of blackout poetry, a person uses a black Sharpie marker to “blackout” certain words or sentences in a book, newspaper, or magazine. The remaining words form a poem or other statement.

Although some of Nyers poems employ this traditional method, the majority are more colorful and intricate, making them more works of art than standalone poems.

Nyers first got into blackout poetry around seven years ago when he was working as an art director/graphic designer/web designer.

“I can’t narrow it down to a particular moment,” says Nyers. “It just seemed that one day my stress and anxiety had started to rise. Overloaded at work, marital issues began to surface and other personal matters were starting to take their toll. Pretty soon, I was in the middle of a divorce, and lost my dream house.”

Nyers says he soon fell into a deep depression, his anxiety was unmanageable, and his OCD tendencies had spiraled out of control.

“I couldn’t focus and concentrate at work and, as a result, was eventually let go,” he says. “I was absolutely devastated.”

Diagnosed with Major Clinical Depression, severe Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and severe OCD, Nyers felt he had hit rock bottom.

“I literally couldn’t function,” he says. “I was at the lowest point in my life.”

That’s when he discovered blackout poetry one day while browsing on the Internet.

Says Nyers, “I found it so fascinating that I immediately ran out and bought a book and a Sharpie marker. I thought I would give it a try and hope that it would hold my attention for at least a couple of weeks.”

Nyers attempted a few poems and then posted them on his personal Instagram account with the hashtag “#blackoutpoetry.”

“All of a sudden, I started getting some likes and comments on them,” he says. “As it turns out, there is an entire community out there revolving around blackout poetry. Not only was this community kind and encouraging, but they also gave me the courage to start a separate account for my work.”

Over time Nyers got more involved in the art form and within the blackout poetry community.

“The support I received was truly amazing,” he says. “People from all over the world were supporting me and becoming my good friends. It was incredible. Blackout poetry changed my life. It gave me a sense of belonging and purpose. Honestly, it saved my life.”

Now, through his book, Nyers is helping others deal with mental illness. He regularly holds blackout poetry workshops, and he is donating a portion of the sales of his book to various mental health organizations throughout the country.

“I decided that I wanted to shift my life focus to helping and encouraging others,” he says. “I wanted to share my love for blackout poetry with everyone — most important, with those suffering from mental health illness or having just a rough time in general. I wanted to help find light within the darkness.”

For more on Nyers’ book, “Finding Light in the Darkness,” or to schedule a blackout poetry workshop, visit .

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Valentine J. Brkich, Publisher
Dawn Valley Press (dawnvalleypress.com)
Email: val@valthewriter.com

Michael Nyers is a designer, mixed media artist, ENFJ, mental health advocate, doer, dreamer, and all around funny guy, from Youngstown, Ohio. Mike’s passion is blackout poetry, which he sees as a look into the subconscious mind that can promote mindfulness and creativity, benefiting overall well-being and mental health.

Fade into a Blackout - Blackout Poetry
40 Erskine Ave
Boardman, OH 44512

MEDIA CONTACT:
Valentine J. Brkich, Publisher
Dawn Valley Press (dawnvalleypress.com)
Email: val@valthewriter.com

This release was published on openPR.