ART AS THERAPY

Everyday life can make it hard enough to maintain your balance without the violence that obliterates the silence and solitude. Despite the way-below-freezing temperatures Wednesday, I found it impossible to stay inside after hearing of the Charlie Hebdo murders. My mind felt like a boom box in an echo chamber, replaying the news events over and over till I had to escape. To me, it wasn't much different than if I or another LBGT author had been targeted for the contents of our books. To shake off the thoughts, I knew it would be better to be surrounded by people, even if I didn't know them. What better choice, then, than to go to a public place that celebrates freedom of expression, freedom of choice and freedom of ideas? As luck would have it, the Art Gallery of Ontario was presenting a show called Art As Therapy. It was made to measure.

Stage One: leaving the house at minus-18 celsius and dropping.

Stage Two: discovering Art As Therapy. And how!

Stage Three: choosing your favourite artists. Van Gogh always tops my list (A woman with a spade, seen from behind.)

I also love Lawren S Harris (Old Houses, Toronto, Winter)

Claude Monet (Charing Cross Bridge, Fog)

More Lawren S Harris (Autumn Forest with Glaciated Bedrock, Georgian Bay)

And Paul-Emile Borduas (3+3+2)

I hope it's not for our wars that we'll be remembered, but for our art.