This artist believes that healing can happen in the Arts in many way. While contemporary Art poses important questions to our society and confronts its public to interrogation, laughter, reflective thoughts, and surprise, Tara Vatanpour also believes that art can be healing.
It is during this period of confinement that contemporary artist Tara Vatanpour finds a meaning within painting and drawing as “a healing practice”.
“Anyone can do it”, assures the artist. Although you have to remember that Art Therapy is a psychological therapeutic practice separated from contemporary Art, painting and drawing can have a very calming effect. Look at kids colouring and drawing and being all focused, it gets all of that beautiful energy out there.
As an adult, some of us have memories that can be hurtful, in which we can feel guilt, that we push away, or that we don’t even acknowledge exist. By awakening our creativity, it is possible to heal some of our traumas as well.
“A new series of workshops, of drawings, of paintings,” announce the artist will be following this thought. The first challenge that the artist sets on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/taravatanpour/ is “Draw your disturbing dreams” for each day. In that practice, we get to acknowledge the dream and not let it have too much power in our minds. Getting it out on paper becomes a healing practice when I consciously look into my own brain, into my own subconscious thoughts and images. It is like being reunited with oneself at a higher level.
On the other hand, paintings can be healing too. Tara Vatanpour sells her paintings at https://taravatanpour.com and believes both that the creator and the buyer can have a therapeutic experience with paintings. For example, “Expressed Anger”, one of her paintings, is part of series that attempts to recreate an artistic representation of the feeling of anger. “Many people have looked at that painting and saw the feelings in it, and could relate.”, shares the artist. Maybe as a daily contemplative experience, contemplating our feelings can help us better process them and understand them, instead of reacting to them or pushing them away.
Finally, a series of healing workshops or maybe Youtube meditations is the goal for this artist. In confinement, we are all confined with our own thoughts. As a result, many have had tumultuous days and surreal reactions to this unprecedented situation. Maybe healing through our creativity is the way through. – Ally Miller
