How Art moved me through the Grieving Process
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- čas přidán 27. 09. 2023
- In recent years I’ve grieved the loss of my father, then my mother (and also 2 pets). I’ve given a lot of thought as to why my Art carried my gently through Grief. In this video I explain what I did to bring my loved ones into my work and why I believe Art or any creative outlet can be so healing while we are grieving. Watch the video and share your experiences of grieving within an art practice so others can heal too.
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My name is Judy Woods and I am an artist and teacher living in New Zealand. Welcome to my CZcams Channel and I hope you find lots of useful and inspiring content that will help you grow as an artist so you can create Your Best Art!
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Thank you for sharing your story, and helping others move thru their grief. I lost my mom in February, and my heart goes out to everyone who watched this video bc they lost someone dear. May you all find your way towards peace. ❤
Thank you Judy so much for this video. As emotional as it is to hear you describe your journey, it brought tears to my eyes, it is a story which echoes my journey. I started my art journey towards the end of my husband’s life two years ago and it has helped me so much in my grief journey. I’m caring for my mum now and through my creating memory books, I have put one together for her so she can reflect back on her 90 years with snippets of memories, letters, cards, her own artwork as well. It’s now all ready for me to have when I inevitably have to go through bereavement again with her loss. Thank you 🙏🏻
How lucky is she to have you do that for her. How wonderful.
I grieved for the loss of 11 members of my family who suffered for long years and died of cancer and now I am grieving for millions of innocent people who are left without food , water ,fuel,electricity , homes,medicine and shelters.
I know.... it's too much.
Thank you so much for this video. My spouse/ life partner took their own life two years ago. I had been a representational painter for many years but within the past year I have discovered mixed media intuitive abstract. It has been very freeing and helps in moving through my grief. Your videos have been so helpful.
I'm so pleased the videos have helped. I'm so sorry for your loss and hope that your art provides you some healing and comfort.
I lost my son four years ago ….. I could not paint or draw for a very long time , such loss affects us all in different ways ( sorry I couldn’t watch your whole video, but understand your meaning ) Death changes us & it often leaves it mark on the work I make now, I’m glad it does, the focus is different & new …
Thank you Judy. I started painting when I lost my husband to COVID in 2020. The hours that I spent painting were the only hours in the day when I could stop thinking of him and how much I missed him. It was those hours when I didn’t feel sad that got me through my grief. They were hours of losing myself -my healing hours.
Oh Mary, I'm so sorry for your loss. And I'm so pleased you found those hours of relief and comfort in your art. Take care.
@@judywoodsart Thank you so much Judy. 💕
Well... this was quite a wonderful healing for ME too. Thank you for always being so vulnerable and authentic. I lost my mom when I was just 32... over 35 years ago. I was an upcoming actress in Hollywood and life had been really fantastic up to this point. We had the most amazing family and I still cherish all of our experiences. I pretty much gave up my career and I started creating with my hands more than ever. A piece of me feels like it went with my mom though. REALLY long story made short... I got married, had 2 children and still felt a bit lost. I dabbled and got distracted by my new families needs. Dad died 14 years ago. He was older and had a really full life so of course it was sad but... I could take it in more. I started painting when I could, keeping it to myself. Kids and husband and life did not support my creativity and I was a CHICKEN. The craziness of my life was ruining Loren. Finally I took an acrylic painting class with an artist Christina Ramos and I was hooked. I bought new paints and brushes and papers and canvases and just gave in to my sadness. In 2020 I had my first one woman gallery show and I am getting ready for 2 others now. I pour myself and my feelings and dreams into my work and my writing. I am sooo very grateful for you and your voice.
Wow - thanks for sharing your story with me. I'm so glad you found your creative outlet in the end. Sometimes it takes a while, but when it's right everything seems to just click doesn't it. So pleased for you. All the best for your upcoming shows.
Thank you, Judy for this valuable, vulnerable video. Your reminder, how our art can be a gateway to a new phase in ones life, accompanied by the loved ones we left behind. Moving forward. 💕🙏
Thank you for sharing your story with us! I find myself having a difficult season of life and putting all that emotion and energy into artwork has been so helpful to get it out of my body and brain, and allow myself to have release
Yes, it's better out than in definitely!
Such a lovely perspective on art as a cathartic approach to processing grief. Thank you for sharing your experience in moving through the transition period. ♥
Thank you so much. I am an adult but an only child. I lost my parents two months apart in 2020 and spent the last two years sorting and parting with their home and belongings. They were very creative makers. I retired early and have been relearning many different mediums (I have a BFA from 15+ years ago that I've never been able to put to use). I feel scared that I'm flailing around this late in life...like what is the purpose of this activity, where will it lead, is it a waste of time...? I feel guilty about spending my days painting now but also, happiness like I've never known. They wanted nothing more than to see me do this, and they planted a tree for me outside my studio. It has become a comforting essence of them in all seasons. I go through waves of emptiness but bigger waves of fulfillment and appreciation that they made my art studies possible. I live for them as they can't create anymore. I sit beside the grief but it doesn't prevent me from moving forward as I only should, and as they would want. I use their art materials and tools, their portfolios and paper, the storage and equipment they left for me, my dad's huge workbench, etc. I don't think any extended family understands what it is like to handle those things on a daily basis, and be alone in my memories that I can't share with any siblings...but I'm glad you get it and spoke about it. I very much related to this video. Thank you and best wishes.
Oh Stephanie thanks so much for sharing your story and journey with grief. I feel for you, it must be so much harder walking that path alone. I'm so pleased you're finding joy in your art though and be assured it isn't a waste of time - you finding your true potential and this I think is life's purpose. x
In 2017 my beautiful artistic son died of cancer at age 38. In Jan 2020 I was diagnosed with treatable cancer. And in the fall of 2021 my mate of 50 years died of cancer. My living son, nature, and making art are helping me to not just survive my profound grief but to once again find meaning in life and to turn surviving into thriving. My grief informs my artistic expression. There is great healing in it. It helps me tend to my grief and continue my bonds with my deceased loved ones. I really appreciate you Judy Wood and you sharing your grief story.
Oh Sally my heart goes out to you. You are a true hero finding a new meaningful life after such loss. Thank you for sharing your story too. x
Thank you for this. We lost our 28 year-old son tragically in early 2021, and some other rather difficult changes have also taken place for me. Ive realized recently that I’m also mourning the loss of my old life. So many things. The last few years have been some of the hardest so far. I’ve cried a lot. I’ve been incorporating pictures of our son into my mixed media work the last few years and watching your video made me realize that what you said is true. Trying to embrace the new in moving forward. Thank you again for the video.
I'm so sorry for your loss - I can't imagine the pain of losing a child, even a grown-up one. I hope you're finding comfort in your art. Thanks for sharing your story. Take care.
Just what I needed to hear Judy. Thank you.
The timing of watching this video has made me comment as today i was cleaning out an old filing cabinet and came across my departed Mother’s notes from the nurse at the hospice and her death certificate. I wasn’t feeling too bad as its been 12 years but then I found the photos from the realtor showing the inside of her house. That’s when the tears came, just the way she made a home a home and all of her beautiful crafts and decorating. I decided then and there that those pictures were going into a collage piece. I did artworks when my Mum, Dad and two brother’s passed and it is definitely helpful. Even though we always have them in our hearts it brings them even closer when you’re doing an artwork from the memories of them. Kia kaha❤
They are never far away are they and I guess in time the sadness is replaced by gratitude - well maybe gratitude sits alongside the sadness and does bring some relief. Kia Kaha to you too. x
Oh wow, what a great conversation about grief. I wish I had a few things from my family members to put into my art. I have two boxes of family photos I got going to my sisters memorial. So maybe from this I wire a family collage. Great idea of taking photos of your dads tool and his butterfly and stamp collection. Love you heartfelt story.
THanks so much. Yes, the family collage sounds lovely.
Thank you for sharing this video Judy, it must have been very hard. It is such a benefit to us all to know how you have managed to cope with the feelings of losing someone close. What you did with taking photo’s is such a great idea, I wish I had thought of doing that when I lost my Mum. I took photo’s of her flat she lived in but never thought of taking photo’s of all her things. I will do this now with things of other people I have lost as I still have items of theirs waiting to be dealt with. Thanks again ❤️
It's funny how when you take the 'things' away from the person you loved who has gone - they do become just THINGS. I love seeing those things in their original context - with the person or at least in their home before they left it all behind. xx
I've been finding pictures of my mom and dad from years ago and after listening to this video and very inspired to copy some of them and start using them in my art somehow as I didn't really process my mom's death at the time it happened instead distracting myself so I didn't process it properly.
so true!
It is a gift!… beautiful words Judy🫶💞
Dear Judy, you are a brave woman placing yourself into such a vulnerable position and sharing your grief journey with us. My father died a year ago and the exact opposite has happened for me. I used to paint when he was alive and now I just can't pick up a brush, knife etc. I don't feel an ounce of creativity - which in itself is like another loss. Time to buy a sketch book and just play I feel. Thank you so much for sharing - I had tears dripping down my face while watching your video - thank you, thank you. I love your work - its just beautiful. Big hug.
Oh Deb, yes you must get yourself a sketchbook and some lovely coloured pencils and pens and just play in there. Do it for as little as 10 mins a day while you watch TV or having a nice cup of tea/wine.... make it time for you. Eventually your creative self will re-emerge. I'm so sorry you lost your Dad and a year is still young in the process of greiving... Thanks for your lovely words and big hug back to you. x
Thank you for your kind words. I've just been out and bought the sketch book - will start this evening. x@@judywoodsart
Dear Judy, your video moved my inner deep emotionally due I lost my parents and l haven't filled theirs loose for years. I have the sensation that the way you transfer images into a new life on your art will help me to go ahead on my paintings. I will tell you about if it works for me as transition. Thank a lot.
It's such a huge adjustment - it takes time. I hope you find some comfort in your art.
Hi Judy and everyone, for me it has been completely opposite. I used to paint professionally from childhood. I used to work in a gallery. I even have an offer of master of fine art from RMIT University, one of Australia's best universities, but I cannot paint anymore due to my grief. I haven't been able to even though a brush since 3 years ago when I lost my dearest dad over covid. I have been devastated. I love painting but I just can't paint anymore. I have a lot of ideas but I just can't paint. I don't know what to do. Everyone says you are so talented you have to paint, but I can't and I am so upset because I can't. I wish someone knew how I could paint again.
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this. My only advice would be to sneak into your creative side very gently and with something new. For example, perhaps you could get yourself a new sketchbook or even just a small art block of paper and perhaps while you're doing something else like watching TV? or having a coffee? or something ... just spend 15 minutes drawing anything - what you see in front of you, your hand, anything.... I'm sure that if you persist a little spark might be reignited and then you can move forward. I think it's important you don't put any weight of achievement or expectation on what you produce as well. It's just an activity, not outcome motivated at all. All the best, and I hope you find your creative side just lurking under the surface.
Maybe you could start by painting a vessel whether crudely or refined, ...a vessel that contains all of your grief. Perhaps it is a vase, a box or container of some sort. Perhaps it is an angry or lethargic animal. Perhaps it is a boat, keeping you afloat. Perhaps you do it reductively...draw out the lights from a fully darkened ground (charcoal, or ink like in monotype printmaking), symbolically finding your real light again. There are lots of ways to invent your own art therapy--I make it up myself but the formal type is out there. Best of luck and grace as you find your way back in your own time.