I'm roaming around in my head, today.
That’s because I just watched a fascinating short documentary. It’s about an artistic older gay man who is personable but prefers to keep to himself.
But it wasn't the artist that first drew me in to this delightful 9-minute doc: it was his various trompe l'oeil works, which initially fooled me into believing I was seeing something that I wasn't.
In Michael Paul Smith’s own words: "It actually stems from when I was young. I was bullied in school...because I was different...I'm still dealing with that." The physical abuse from other children became so bad that his teacher allowed him leave school 15 minutes early every day so that he could get home safely.
Many times, growing up, Smith wanted to end his life, but a voice in his head told him he'd get through his dark days and make a difference to the world in his own way. He drifted through many jobs, feeling lost. And then he started his hobby, working on "Elgin Park" and taking photographs of each scene in it. He now has a large following of viewers who enjoy seeing his work online, and the many conversations with his fans have encouraged him to continue working on his art.
Smith talks of Elgin Park as a very neutral place: "There's no conflict there."
I interpret this comment as proof that his work is his therapy, his way of dealing with the past. He is creating an alternative universe, and one where perhaps subconsciously he can relive his childhood the way he'd have wished it to be.
Basically, art therapy involves using imaginative techniques—sketching, painting, sculpting, writing poetry and so on—that enable traumatized individuals to express themselves artistically. There are often psychological undercurrents in the pieces they create.
After spending 10 years, myself, writing and eventually publishing my memoir Rag Dolls and Rage about trauma in my own childhood, I can attest to art as a valuable strategy to help deal with the past.
Find something you enjoy doing that is creative. Right now, during this pandemic, we're seeing a lot of rock art in my town: charming painted stones left in parks, on streets, on public benches, or else built-up rocks near the lake. They bring a smile to everyone. We don't have to be a famous painter or a renowned author. Like the creator of “Elgin Park”, doing something we love in our corner of the world can be enough.
And now, sit back and enjoy a few minutes of peace, watching "Elgin Park." I'd love to hear your reactions.
