Beauty is in the Left Eye of the Beholder
I routinely welcome people into the studio who insist they’re not artistic. Some are downright adamant. Many describe themselves as creative, but would never consider themselves artists. Add physical or health challenges to that self-perception and the weight of doubt can be quite heavy.
That’s okay with me. I sometimes stumble over the a-word too.
It is completely understandable for someone faced with illness or mobility issues to have trouble believing he or she can create something beautiful. Imagine having full range of motion all your life, then suddenly losing motor control on one side due to a stroke. Or recovering from bilateral mastectomy, which can make it painful to raise your arms. In those times of transition, it’s easy to focus on limitations rather than potential.
Emerging from my own health journey, I turned to art as a form of physical and emotional rehab. Now I have the great privilege of sharing that experience with others.
At Thinking Brain Arts, we adapt to whatever our bodies need so our creativity can pour out onto our canvases. We make beautiful things. Even the so-called non-artists among us make gorgeous, expressive works of art. Sometimes it takes another pair of hands to assist. Sometimes it means using lightweight materials rather than heavy ones. Most of the time it just calls for diving in and believing in our ability to try.
I love that moment when art emerges from effort. When the artist sees a beautiful canvas in front of her, even with just the one eye that works, she knows she has done far more than simply try. She has succeeded, with glorious flying colors!
Deborah