Notes on The Impact of Art

Madelaine Shellaby, Gallery curator

We have all found ourselves moved or changed by an encounter with art-we have felt the impact of art. Memories can be evoked, spirit can be uplifted, a sense of beauty can replace agitation. Additionally research indicates vital signs of patients benefit when art is integrated into medical surroundings. In these settings family is comforted and staff find relief as well. Some artists choose to create work for this particular purpose.

However, there is quite another purpose when artists find themselves confronted with fear, pain, or grief of their own. They can respond, as this exhibition shows, with new bodies of work. In their effort to come to terms with their situation they discover new subject matter, new directions and new expression. In the studio they find healing.

In The Impact of Art, Princeton area artists Anne Elliot, Shellie Jacobson, Sarah Morejohn, and Philadelphia artist Charlene Lutz exhibit work they have created when faced with illness, psychological dissonance or loss. These artists gathered courage to deal with their problems and show courage as they share their artwork with the gallery audience. On exhibit also is work by New York artist Karen Fitzgerald who makes art specifically to inspire a space of contemplation and healing for others, and who has worked on behalf of small groups and large institutions who welcome art as a component to healing.

Gallery curator Madelaine Shellaby works in concert with Dr. Mark McLaughlin who states

“The purpose of opening our office up to art exhibits is three-fold. First, and most important, it provides a comforting, healing atmosphere for our patients who are frightened or apprehensive. Second, it gives local artists the chance to display, promote and sell work. And lastly, through commissions on every sale , it benefits the Spinal Research Foundation-which ultimately benefits our patients and the improvement of spine health care.”

Complete the cycle, return to the original position, or “The wheel has come full circle” an expression said to have been originated by Shakespeare in King Lear (5:3) are all declarations coming to my mind lately. As the Winter Solstice draws nearer in the Northern Hemisphere and the light continues to diminish, inward thoughts and reflections pull to me. Awhile back, I participated in several shows that honored the healing power of art. The Impact of Art, in Princeton, NJ. was one such show. This group show highlighted very different artists, at various stages of life, creating healing art. Each artists work was an interpretation of their situation, an expression of their inner world, a thoughtful and beautiful way to cope and make sense of an event or circumstance.

In recent years, art and healing have become a topic of great research and inquiry. Art therapy in hospitals and mental health facilities has grown and holistic art and wellness personal practices, workshops and online courses continue to expand.

Arts in health, healing, and wellness is a growing policy imperative and national need that is driven by several factors. In the United States, there is an aging population requiring significant long-term healthcare solutions coupled with unprecedented number of service members returning home with severe physical and psychological injuries. The Affordable Care Act is currently inspiring public debate in these areas. The end goal of incorporating the arts into health and healthcare is to provide quality, cost-effective services that achieve positive outcomes for patients, families, and caregivers. [Taken from Americans for the Arts 2012 Legislative Issue Brief: Arts in Health—Strengthening our Nation’s Health through the Arts.]

Trauma and resilience are also supported through art making. Traumatic symptoms place significant demand on individuals’ emotional lives; the persistence and intensity of flashbacks, nightmares, hyper-vigilance, and other challenges can be unrelenting. Repeated images of disturbing aspects of events, difficulty relating to others, and emotional flooding are often seen in survivors. Distortions in reality, a general distrust of others, feeling unsafe, or even varying degrees of psychosis are also indicators that integration of painful material has not occurred. Creating a timeline and understanding of events are necessary components towards healing. Access to creativity may assist in regulating affect while working towards making sense of trauma. Furthermore, trauma affects the brains speech centers and can limit the effectiveness of talk therapy (Girija Kaimal, How Art Can Heal, 2020). Art provides a way to communicate experiences when words are insufficient.

In my own journey of healing through art, perhaps my greatest takeaway has been the shift in perspective-toward myself, my experiences, and the world. Over the course of seven years, I spent countless hours drawing, painting, and writing about my life. In the end, I had nothing to show for it but digital pictures-burning over 1,000 works of art and writing was a necessary part of my healing. The process of creating, releasing and then destroying was potent, important and what carried me forward.

As I come full circle, I hope that my once solitary act of creating art is now a useful tool to support others on their own healing journey.