creating a better learning environment

Healing Through Art: An Exercise
Often, the effects of violence and oppression obscure or destroy a healthy body image. An excellent way of examining this, and an ongoing project of mine, is through self-portraiture. A variety of media can be used for this: masks, clay sculptures, photography, paint and so on. A simple exercise to examine body perception is to sculpt a self-portrait in clay without the use of a mirror. This is accomplished by feeling your face with your hands, and transferring that information from fingertip to clay. Without a mirror, the portrait leaves behind pre-conceptions and expectations of what we look like and who we are. What may emerge from this exercise is a reflection of one's inner spirit that goes beyond surface features; a portrait of the soul. At the very least, this exercise will facilitate new perceptions of one's face. I continue to practice self-portraiture, often placing myself in different contexts and time frames. If such self-portraiture is practiced over a period of time, it can provide a visual diary of one's self-awareness and growth.

The Power of Art
The creative process provides a framework for the world inside to integrate with the world outside. Thus, visual art provides an excellent basis for group interaction. Whether in the production or exhibition of art, a network of women engaged in creative practices engenders a rich mosaic of awareness and growth. In December 1993, I participated in an art exhibition on women and violence in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Through this exhibition, I was able to share experiences with women who had eloquently communicated their pain and strength through a common non-verbal language. During this time, two women in my life were able to verbalize their stories of violence and allow me to transfer their pain and healing into a visual narrative. By utilizing the creative process in a meaningful social context, pain is shared and healing is re-affirmed.

It is my belief that women throughout time have used art for its cathartic qualities as well as for its soul uplifting beauty. The concepts and examples described above reflect what I have learned from being in pain, working through that pain and finding my voice in the process. I have touched briefly on the potential of visual art in dismantling the barriers women face as a result of violence. I hope this has been enough to pique your interest for further investigation.

Patricia Daughton