The intrinsic benefits of art making may be implicated in how and why people with mental illness turn to art therapy to aid their recovery. In this longitudinal multiple case study adult participants (N = 12) with severe and ongoing mental illness were recruited through their involvement in diverse community mental health art therapy programs. An interpretive phenomenological data analysis revealed that participants utilized art making as a change mechanism and coping tool that encouraged development of flexible and adaptable approaches toward overcoming barriers in their recovery process.