Expressive Arts Healing Gallery

Art is how we speak without words. Like art, the road to healing can be messy and uncomfortable. But nevertheless, there is beauty beneath it all. See how these survivors convey their emotions as they heal through their artwork.

If you are interested in digitally displaying your artwork, click the button below.

Individual Works

Anonymous

I am a student, an artist, an activist. I am a sister, a daughter, a friend. I have several identities that make me who I am. My assault doesn’t define who I am. I do.

I have loved art all my life. In times of stress or anger, it is the practice I use to ground myself. Most of my art is painstakingly crafted. I spend a lot of time perfecting every detail. However, with this piece, I was able to let go of perfectionism and scribble with pure emotion. I created this at the Expressive Arts Healing Workshop. We were instructed to draw something and then rip up the paper and make something new from the pieces. This art I created is me–I’m not the same after what happened. I’ve reconciled with the understanding that I am neither better nor worse for having undergone a traumatic experience, I’m just different. 

Anonymous

I am a beginner artist with little experience or artistic abilities learning to find healing in art. It has been a little rough at times but I find solace in the fact that no one has to see my art, except for now when I decide to show my work.

This piece was drawn using the shapes created from the lines of a previous work where I scribbled and blended my emotions out onto the paper. It was then ripped up and pasted to create this piece. The fish can be representative of my new experience since coming to university. It’s been an unfamiliar learning process like a fish out of water.

You’re not alone.