January Article and Thought for the mind.
Titled: Healing with Visual Artso
Some
well known artists dealt with their own health challenges through art.
The process of creating art, as well as the finished piece, helped
make sense of their physical, mental or emotional needs. Healing is
also possible for those who experience the art through observation and
contemplation of the message. It shows us that we are not alone in our
challenges.
Vincent van Gogh
(1853-1890) is one of the most famous artists who struggled with mental
illness. In December 1888, after an emotional disagreement with
painter Paul Gauguin, he cut off his right ear. His bouts of insanity
did not prevent him from creating the highly expressive artistic
language shown in paintings such as The Starry Night (1889).
Auguste Renoir
(1841-1919), impressionistic painter, suffered from severe rheumatoid
arthritis during the final decades of his life. By 1910, he was
wheelchair bound and unable to hold a paintbrush. Using his art as a
coping mechanism, he had the paintbrush tied to his wrist.
Henry Matisse
(1869 - 1954) was one of the greatest painters of the twentieth century
but in the last years of his life he created a new style of art in
paper cutouts. Bedridden after a serious operation in 1941, Matisse
began to develop his cutout technique, when a scissors was an easier
tool than a paintbrush. He wrote to a friend that his work before his
illness and operation "always had the feeling of too much effort." His
work after wards, helped him feel free and detached.
Frida Kahlo
(1907-1954) suffered from childhood polio. Later, in 1925, she was in a
traffic accident that left her in pain for the remainder of her life.
Her famous series of self-portraits enabled her to objectify her
physical sufferings, as well as the emotional turmoil resulting from her
turbulent marriage to painter Diego Rivera.
Keith Haring
(1958 - 1990) had already achieved global success with his personal
caricatures before he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988. He continued to
use his art to raise awareness of AIDS and other social issues. In an
interview in 1988, he said, "Part of the reason I am not having trouble
facing the reality of death is that it's not a limitation, in any way.
It could have happened at any time, and it is going to happen sometime.
If you live your life according to that, death is irrelevant.
Everything I am doing right now is exactly what I want to do.
"Healing Through The Arts Tips by:
Heather Rodale~ Artist
"Play" with art whether active or passive.
As adults we often use the word "play" exclusively with sports. Try
using it with art. It may help you expand your view of recreation.
Whether you actively engage in art by creating pieces or passively by
visiting museums or watching performances, the benefits are endless.
After cancer, I used art to get me out of the house, meet new people,
and have fun at different art venues. I also took classes and attended
lectures to learn new things.
Museums
are a great way to continually be inspired by visual art. They expand
your world by showing collections of art and artifacts that you would
not be able to see unless you traveled extensively. The art also
connects you to other places and other times through the visual
experience. By seeing works of art throughout time, you can appreciate
the talent, the art form, the method of expression, as well as the
affect of color on mood or emotion.In
addition to permanent collections, many museums have traveling
exhibits so you can return and continue to be inspired by new and
different art. They often have events so you can meet the artists,
attend lectures and learn more about the exhibits.
A membership
to museums and theater arts organizations is great way to have the
information come to you about what is going on in your community. If you
join a museum, even at a low cost, you will be notified of the
changing exhibits or events.
For Children,
many museums have a place where they can touch, play and do things
related to art or an exhibit in the museum. With children, when
possible, make shorter visits more often. You can return to see
different things and don't need to see everything every time. Pick and
choose what is best for each day.When
traveling in Italy with my elementary school age children, I wanted to
see more museums than they had the patience to visit. I saved the best
museum for last but on that day, they said "enough" and refused to go.
I found a book on the most interesting pieces of art for children at
that famous museum. We had a scavenger hunt to find those pieces in the
museum and it was one of our best museum experiences.
Learning something new at workshops or art classesF
From Healing through Art ~ - Heather Rodale Note: Monkey Mind Art Studio offers free Art Workshops to individuals in currently in treatment for cancer. Raising money to support this program through it's Membership program.
Sincerely,Monkey Mind Art Studio & Gallery
February Art Article
Advice for Young Artists...Since they asked....
I was invited to a middle school "Career Day".
They asked if I would give advice on how to become an artist.
My initial reaction was not smooth. I laughed. A lot.
Then realized they were serious. Since when did I become an expert on this? How can I tell them, when I’m still trying to figure it out?In a moment of flattered weakness I agreed and immediately regretted it. In theory, I am a huge encourager of young people's dreams. But I don’t want to lie. How do I tell them the truth about becoming an artist and not crush their dreams?
Then my inner Simon emerged. I told "me" to get over myself. If my few comments would be enough to cancel out their dreams, that’s the first clue they aren't going to make it.
I prepared a crude power point (only the second one I have ever done) and practiced what I would say, more or less. I never like over planning. I decided I was making more of it than it was.
I would be chatting with a few students who were considering arts as a career and a few more that could care less, but had to pick something.
We'll gather around my laptop and they'll mock my computer skills. When they discover I am a mime, they will ask how to do "the wall". Everyone always does and I always oblige. It could be fun.When I got to the school student greeters led me to the stage for a sound check.
Turned out I was the only presenter and my audience was 450 students, their teachers and a few parents.
My power point would be on a huge screen for all to see.
Usually when I am on stage it is for a mime performance. After thirty five years I still get nervous, but it is a nervous energy I know how to manage and use to my advantage. That's what performers do. But talking on stage terrifies me.
There is a reason I chose mime instead of theater.When it was clear there was no graceful retreat, I forced myself to do what I always do before a performance. I invite any muses floating around to assist. But this time I wasn't polite. The "invitation" was a command.As I was being introduced, I breathed deep and felt the familiar lift from the muses.
My gratitude almost made me speechless...not the proper response for this situation. For the first two minutes I covered all the basics expected for a school career presentation: study, to go to school, train, find mentors, network.
Then the muses kicked in. I became intense and serious with a light touch of humor. This is what I remember I said... I told them if they had the desire to be an artist and that was the only thing they truly wanted to do, then do it. There really won't be a choice.
They won't be happy doing anything else.
But know they will have to work at it, forever. And it will be hard. They will have to think carefully about what 'success' means to them, because if is to become rich and famous there is a 99% chance they will fail. They’ll have to have other jobs to support themselves while they are working on their art...or see if they can live in their parents basement indefinitely.
I didn’t tell them to find a husband or wife that can support them. They will figure that one out on their own."People in your life will discourage you. Sometimes it will be the ones who care the most about you, your parents and family and close friends. They will worry about you and doubt that you will ever be successful. Their doubts may feed your own."Every time you struggle paying a bill, or get another rejection letter, or a 'Haiti' happens, they will question if there isn't something more practical you could be doing. You may question it yourself.
The simple answer is 'yes', you could do something else and it may be more practical, but if it isn't something you love as much as doing art, you will not be happy."There is no need to ever feel apologetic about being an artist. The arts are always important, but they are more important in difficult times." I told them about the Haitian woman who was trapped for days under the rubble and sang to keep her spirits up and let her family know she was alive. They sang back to her. When she was freed, everyone sang.
I told them about the people who are dancing and drumming in the streets of Haiti celebrating their life and honoring those who died. Because that is what humans do.
"Art is as necessary to being alive as breathing. If you don't believe that, imagine a world without art". On my power point the screen went blank. I managed to insert the sound of a bomb. Nice effect. The subsequent screens each had one sentence: No music. No dance. No movies. No video. No poetry. No rap. No beats. No cartoons. No designer tee shirts. No paintings. No photography. No animation. No books. No stories. Nothing created by human beings to share who we are. The kids started to yell and scream with each sentence. The teachers tried to settle them down. I called out “
Hey! I’m glad you are upset! You should be!” The kids actually got quiet then. “No matter what happens in the world, no matter how bad things get, there will be art. As long as there are humans there will be art. And unless we believe there are no new stories or songs or paintings possible, there has to be new artists creating new work.”Then it got very personal. "I know there is at least one person in this audience who desires with all their heart to be an artist. When I was a child I knew I wanted to be a writer.
My mother found one of my stories when she was cleaning my room. She wrote a note on it: 'Sharon, get out of your dream world.' I stopped writing. I don't know why I let that stop me, but it did. But soon I had another dream. I wanted to be an actress but this time I kept it a secret so no one could destroy it. So I'm not going to ask anyone to raise their hand. But if you are that person, know who you really are in your heart. Learn as much as you can about your art. Gain skills. Take classes. Keep taking classes. Never think you are finished learning. Pay attention to everyone and everything. Listen to people. Try to understand why they think what they think. Never dismiss them as stupid because that will make you ignorant. Y
ou will have missed the opportunity to learn why they think the way they do. Everything you learn in life, you will use in your art. The greater your learning, the greater your art. And know if you have been given the gift to be an artist, the price you pay is giving your art to the world. Nothing comes to us for free.
"At the end one kid asked how you know if you really have talent.
I paused not knowing what to say. I laughed and said that may be the question artists avoid asking. And then “came” this answer “Pay attention to how people respond to your work. If you wanted them to laugh and they do, or you wanted them to feel the sadness and they cry, you may have talent. But if they always laugh when you thought they would cry, reconsider.” That may have been my inner Simon coming out again.
The response from the teachers and students was almost embarrassing, but I can’t take credit or blame because it didn’t come from me. The muses were exhausted by the end. I’m letting them take a short vacation. Very short.
I’m giving the talk at another school next week.
Mimetalker's Blog Febryary 18, 2010
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