You Don’t Need a Degree in Art Therapy to Know Art Is Therapy

Even though not all of my clients engage directly in art as part of therapy, my practice—which also doubles as a gallery—is filled with artwork by artists who do practice art as therapy.

Because of that, every single person who walks into Art Talk—clients and visitors alike—is surrounded by art that was created in some therapeutic way. That’s intentional.

All of our open calls are tied to prompts rooted in mental health, personal reflection, and the emotional experience of living. So even if someone never picks up a paintbrush in session, they are still immersed in a space shaped by creative processing and meaning-making.

This year, the gallery at Art Talk is built around a three-part exhibition arc:

Awareness • Escape • Integration

Each exhibition explores a different emotional movement we make as humans trying to exist honestly in the world today.

Making Art Alongside the Exhibitions

I don’t always have as much time as I’d like to be creating art—sometimes not daily, sometimes not even weekly. But I always make sure to create a piece for each exhibition I curate. It’s part of how I stay connected to the work I’m inviting others into.

Random, but stick with me—Something I once assumed was normal in my process turned out not to be normal at all. I once had a conversation with another artist who said the hardest part of creating for them was coming up with a title for their work.

I was honestly a little shocked. Because for me, it’s the exact opposite.

I always start with the title. The title gives me the vision. The direction. The emotion behind the art. The clarity I need to begin.

“Day by Day”

For our first exhibition, What’s Going On?, which centers on awareness and how we exist during times like these, one phrase kept repeating itself in my mind:

Day by day.

At first, I tried to dismiss it.

It felt too simple. Too obvious. Too unoriginal.

But then, over the course of that same week, three different clients said the exact same phrase in session:

Day by day.

Which honestly didn’t surprise me.

Because people—really everyone right now—are living day by day.

And that got me thinking:

How different do our “day by days” look across the world?

The only thing that feels certain and shared is this:

The sun rises.
The sun sets.
And somehow, day by day, people keep finding ways to get through with whatever they have.

Looking Up

I started noticing that when I feel overwhelmed by everything happening in the world, I look up at the sky more.

There’s something about it that makes things feel lighter, even if only for a moment—when I let myself actually stay in that moment.

But sometimes that feeling gets overshadowed by grief too. Because I start wondering:

Who else is looking up at the sky right now?

Are they happy?
Are they lost?
Are they hopeful for tomorrow?
Are they not sure they’ll have a tomorrow?

All I know for certain is this:

Life is happening day by day.

This body of work is meant to hold that tension—between uncertainty and continuity, heaviness and hope, individuality and shared experience.

Between the reality that our lives are all unfolding differently…

and the truth that we are still moving through them together.

Day by day.

An Invitation

If this reflection resonates with you, I hope it inspires you to create something of your own connected to this theme.

And if you’re curious to see how other artists responded to it, I hope you’ll join us at the opening reception and experience the exhibition in person.

Opening reception details:

April 25th, 4:30-7PM221 Spring St. Newport

This exhibit features four other local artist’s. Join us for the opening reception on April 25, visit the satellite installation at the Brenton Hotel on April 30, or stop by the gallery on weekends between April 25 and June 20 to experience What’s Going On? in person.

Thanks for being here—

for reading, reflecting, and creating space for yourself alongside me.Until next time,

Angela