Monday, June 23, 2008

Expressive Art

"Oh, My Poor Brain!" (Pastels, 16x20)
This is my brain. Not on drugs, but on pain. Expressive art. Is there any art that is not therapeutic? Can you take the "therapy" out of art? I think not. Even if what you create frustrates you, or the process is frustrating, there is still "release". I actually did this drawing 24 years ago while doing an art therapy internship on a psych ward in a medical hospital.

It's been quite awhile (two months) since I blogged. There have been two unexpected deaths in the family during that time, my stepfather had a serious accident, and the cortisone shot in my hip has worn off. So I've been concentrating on taking care of the people that I love, taking classes at Ohio University, and getting ready for total hip replacement surgery on July 15th. 



"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self." ~ Aldous Huxley

~ellen  

Illustration:  "Oh, My Poor Brain!", pastels on paper, 16" x 20".  Ellen Doerres © 1983.

4 comments:

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Hey there! I really like this piece. Reminds me of the Milton Glaser poster of Bob Dylan I had many many moons ago. Maybe a little Peter Max influence, too.
(man - that ought to give away my age)
I'm glad I stumbled across this page while googling for Chillicothe and that you are doing well.

Ellen Doerres said...

Thanks John, glad you like "My Poor Brain"! I appreciate the comparison to Glaser's 1966 album cover of Dylan, and the reference to Peter Max. I actually met Peter Max, after I did this piece, in Columbus, OH at a Gallery Hop in the Short North. Curious mind wants to know, why were you googling Chillicothe?!

Unknown said...

wow! what was I googling?? That was a month ago! - I can't remember what I had for lunch today... a safe assumption would be that I was getting info for someone else.
I enjoy reading your blogs and check once a week or so to see what's new.
btw -That Dylan album had a full size poster folded up inside the cover - let's see them do that with a CD!