Creative arts therapist statement

I drew this artwork in 2023, wanting to capture some of the experiences described by the people I worked with as an art therapist. The bright colours indicate a seemingly pleasant suburban setting, including a white picket fence, trees, sunflowers, a fishpond and a footpath. However, on a closer look: the sunflowers are too large, and one of them has a claw and is reaching for the protagonist figure in the drawing. There is a large wolf like beastly shadow following the figure, a suggestion that fear, danger, and traumatic memories are right there, as close as one’s own shadow, creeping upon the figure.

I held in mind one client’s childhood neglect and abuse, early experiences that followed her into motherhood and lingered with her over decades; a shadowy pervasive fear of abandonment and distrust of others. I thought about another client with a wonderful, flourishing garden. Beyond the beautiful exterior they were facing repeated domestic violence, beginning as a child and continuing into their adult relationships. The ongoing impacts of these experiences can loiter and pounce despite the brightness and normalcy of suburbia. The figure is featureless, faceless, and blue: I wanted to capture the way my clients described losing a part of their identity or sense of self to this shadowy creature lurking. I find visual art to be a powerful way of communicating and promoting understanding of mental health within the wider community, and that capturing post traumatic memories in this way might help to articulate this in a small way.

Looking back on this image now, in 2026, I hold in mind a Jewish colleague and friend as I reflect after the Bondi Beach terror attack. I think about the challenges they have faced in a culture that says the right things about safety in Australian suburbia, and yet allows antisemitism to flourish. If I could encourage anyone experiencing this dark shadow, or encourage the figure in the artwork, I would say this: one foot in front of the other; you will soon find even a glimmer of light is more powerful than the shadows.

Keywords

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), visual art, hope, art therapy