Joanne Marchildon, portraitist
Joanne Marchildon, 32, of Saskatoon, finds healing in creating portraits. While going through a divorce six years ago, Joanne felt drawn to a local art school. "I felt I needed something positive," she says. As she sat before the blank white paper, Joanne's first strokes were hesitant. But in just a couple of hours, she became more sure, and by the time she finished her first portrait, her self-esteem had soared. What really boosted her pride and confidence was the knowledge that she had created something with her own hands.
And that's not all. A stay-at-home mother with three young children, and a substitute teacher, Joanne often feels run off her feet. So she heads to her art room -- her retreat, she calls it. "When I'm feeling drained, that's the time when art really works for me. It brings back my energy, and I feel better afterward. I feel lighter and brighter."
Jennifer Lagace, poet
For Jennifer Lagace, 33, of Toronto, writing poetry opens a window of self-expression, allowing her to define emotions and experiences she feels she can't always talk about. Jennifer often puts pen to paper while riding the subway, creating her own quiet oasis among the bustling, jostling activity surrounding her. The act of weaving her thoughts and emotions into colourful imagery and metaphor makes her feel great, she says.
For instance, a poem about sitting contentedly on a veranda in Trinidad and Tobago, where she was born, evokes the beautiful sights, melodic sounds and luscious scents of the tropical island. The word-picture also keeps her in touch with her true self. "Through poetry, I found my own voice that defines who I am, and not who others think I am," says Jennifer.
You, the unself-conscious artist
Whether a woman is undergoing formal art therapy or exploring art on her own, feeling self-conscious is the last thing she needs, although it's unavoidable, says Darlynne Hildebrandt, an art therapist from Saskatoon. To get over feelings of hesitancy, Hildebrandt recommends finding a quiet space, taking your time, trying out different media to see what you feel most comfortable with -- be it paint, pencil crayons, clay or something else -- and gently shoving aside that niggling inner voice of criticism. "It's not about making 'good' art. It's about getting in touch with yourself through creativity." In fact, there are no rules. It's all about spontaneity.
Case in point: Suzanne recently created what she calls a "smoosh" picture. She dipped her hands in blue and red paint, added a bit of black and simply allowed her fingers to swirl around the paper. "Did I create something that I wanted to put on my living room wall? No, siree. It was just good to feel the texture of the paint. It took me back to being a kid. I could just get messy and have fun, and not have to create something spectacular. I could just be in the moment." We all can reclaim that innocence and abandon, she adds. "I do believe we have the power to help heal ourselves, and, for me, art does that."
Page 2 of 3
|
more articles
