Sunday, October 14, 2012

Art as Catharsis.


This is my niece Wendy. You may remember that I blogged about her in Sept. She is spending the months of August, September and October as a resident artist at the Scuola di Grafica in Venice, Italy.

This is a dream come true for Wendy but her joy is tinged with sadness since she is also grieving the loss of her mother, my oldest sister Mary, who passed away 10 months ago. The picture that you see here is posted on the Scuala blog site and a partial quote from that write-up has Wendy saying, “All my self-portraits have been looking in the mirror and drawing on the page at the same time. You are able to capture characteristics coming out that you would not get if you were looking straight on. It’s an interesting reflection process.”

I thought that was an interesting comment, especially in view of my reaction when I took a good look at the portrait. Without her realizing it Wendy had drawn a portrait that seemed eerily to combine all the features that I remember from my sister Mary, her mother and from my mother, her grandmother.



When I brought this to Wendy’s attention she agreed but said she had done nothing intentional to get this effect and I believe that.

Her artistic ability to draw made the picture possible but I also believe it was her subconscious mind that guided her hand … freeing her to grieve in a healthy way by combining the features of these three loving women into one. Truly…catharsis by art.

10 Comments:

Blogger Anvilcloud said...

I agree. I'm pretty sure that she drew her mother without knowing it.

3:52 PM  
Blogger kenju said...

WOW. I sure do see the resemblance, especially that of your mother (and you, although your face is thinner.)

4:11 PM  
Blogger Diana said...

Yes the resemblance is striking. I feel for your niece. I remember going through that first year without mom, it was rough. It's good that your niece is doing something really productive!!
Love Di ♥

5:38 AM  
Blogger KGMom said...

Art does indeed provide catharsis. The same observation you have made about drawing is true for writing and composing.

7:19 PM  
Blogger Beatrice P. Boyd said...

The mind has a way of dealing with emotions even if we are unaware of it at the time. Your niece has created a wonderful tribute to her mother.

7:29 PM  
Blogger ellen said...

She truly has created a tribute to the loving women who came before her. I hope that she feels their loving presence within her.

11:04 AM  
Anonymous schmidleysscribblins,wordpress.com said...

I don't know where you stand on help from the other side of the curtain, but it looks as though someone guided her hand to make this water color. Dianne

12:39 PM  
Blogger possum said...

I, too, can see you in your mother.
How lucky for your niece to be able to study in Venice - AND to be related to YOU!

6:05 AM  
Blogger Tossing Pebbles in the Stream said...

Mind is more than brain. Even the brain is more than just the brain for in involves the who nervous system of the body. Their is body memory. Perhaps her body is guided by here emotional mind in her artwork resulting in her portrait revealing people of her emotional life.

8:17 AM  
Blogger Syd said...

The resemblance is striking for sure. Perhaps the familial traits are so strong that is what she saw. Hard to know but art and music can help with grief. It may take her a while to get over grieving the loss of her mother. She will eventually come to remember her mother with great joy and fewer tears.

6:05 AM  

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