"Art Therapy"(self portrait) 24" x 24", Acrylic on Canvas, 2009

I have been doing a bit of research on Art Therapy recently and I have used myself as the model in this piece to depict the surge of hope and spark of life that Art Therapy can bring into an Individuals life. This individual may be finding it hard to cope with various negative symptoms and experiences in life, but all of a sudden the individual is able to recover, reconnect and get revived through creating art, self expression and a renewed sense of belief in ones self through creative means.



Most of the strokes in the dark areas of the background in this painting are the negative words and experiences that I personally struggle against, while the calligraphic strokes in the brighter areas are actually positive, motivational and inspirational words that have helped me remain focused in the most difficult times and experiences in my life.

For this whole piece I have used the new Winsor and Newton Acrylic on canvas. I developed this piece with a "sketchful" force and tried to keep that vitality throughout till the end.