Stephen Dodd uses colour and pattern in his art to express feelings about living with chronic pain.
Mr Dodd, of Raymond Terrace, had been taking a lot of opioid pills to manage the pain.
"I was like a zombie. Now I'm using my art creations for pain management," Mr Dodd, 69, said.
His artwork will appear in Flourish Australia's annual art exhibition in Newcastle on Friday.
"Art has saved my life. It helps with the pain for nearly the whole day. At night-time, it still plays up."
Mr Dodd's pain began after his second knee replacement.
"I woke up and my whole foot was frozen," he said.
"They did say they hadn't done anything wrong, but I had a spinal tap during the operation. They think by putting it in my spine, they maybe disconnected a nerve."
His condition, known as post-surgical neuropathy, caused him severe mental distress - including depression and anxiety - leading to an overdose.
"I feel like my left foot is completely frozen. It's like pins and needles all the time. Some days it aches so much I put a hot water bottle on it," he said.
"One doctor said it would go away after 12 months. Eight years later, it's still there.
"He said, 'why don't you talk to your foot, it might go away'. But I'm not doing anything stupid like that."
The pain in his foot was so intense, he had feelings of wanting to get rid of it.
While in hospital for 12 days with food poisoning, a doctor advised him to get off the opioids.
"When I got taken off the pills, I started coming good," he said.
He now only takes Panadeine Forte when needed.
"I'd rather not take them. They're not good for you all the time," he said.
Since creating art at Flourish in Newcastle, he has turned his life around.
Flourish Australia manager Angus Perrin said "art can be used to express what words can't".
"Art as a therapy is not a talking therapy," Mr Perrin said.
Some people don't feel comfortable or able to talk about their experiences.
"Or equally they have talked about it so many times that it's retriggering to talk about it," he said.
"Art therapy can be used as a way of expanding our capacity for positive emotions."
Mr Dodd loves creating art.
"I'm addicted to it. It's a good addiction," he said.
Mr Perrin said progress had been made in "talking about mental health and illness, but stigma still traps people in silence and stops them from getting help".
"This year's exhibition is about showing that we all have a role to play in busting stigma and harmful stereotypes about mental illness."
The exhibition, to feature 20 artists, celebrates mental health month and shows the "healing power of art".
It runs from 3pm to 7pm.
