Visionary art as therapy

What is visionary art? What is art therapy? What the process of the art?

What is visionary art?

In my early twenties a light bold when off for me, as I discovered an art genre. Visionary art. That was exactly the genre I had been unknowingly searching for. Visionary art is art based on the subconscious, dreams, and/or visions from meditations, mystical experiences or other altered states of mind.

“Visionary art is making the invisible, visible, and the unconscious conscious.”

It is a very intuitive art. It portrays a broader spectrum of consciousness and often circles around mystical themes. The genre incorporate and explores socially conscious themes, such as spirituality, environmentalism, humanity, philosophy, but especially esoterics, mythology, cosmology, folklore, metaphysics, ect.

When did the art became healing?

Of all the artforms that makes up Soulsswitch, visual art, drawing and painting has always been a friend in my life, for as long as I can remember. In my adult life I realized, that I have always used art as therapy throughout my childhood, as a way to express my vivid inner world and to find release from my external world. So the answer is, it has always been healing. I have always been healing myself with my artistic introspective moments. I just didn't know it until the therapeutic effect occurred to me one day. That was a turning point, because it changed my understanding of what kind of artist I am.

Art as therapy

Today several scientific studies and experiments have been done on the effects of art on the human mind and body, but especially art-therapy, which are showing a decrease in overall mental and psychical health, a decline in depression, anxiety and instead an increase in self-awareness, self-worth, joy, relaxation, grounding, and most of all, cathartic releases of builded up emotions/energy.

This rather simple act of creative self-expression, that art therapy is, can truly do wonders.

What deciphers arttherapy from other artgenres, is that the focus is not on how it looks and aiming towards a specific outcome, but rather the focus is on the introspective intuitive act. Letting whatever comes through, be without judgment or refinining. Art therapy does not need to be "good art" or "well done" to be effective. The goal is not to make beautiful art, but its about the feelings that occurs in the making and what the imagery is showing. Let me know, have you ever tried art therapy? And what was your experience with it?

The story behind

Visionary art tends to generally cary a theraptheupic aspect within it, but I must say, my work has very much become a mix of traditional arttherapy and visionary art, where the healing aspect is a crucial part that lays the foundation.

As I might have hinted already, there is a deeper story and healing process that's happening on a personal level behind every art piece. Each piece is like a story on its own. With each artwork I make, I go on what feels like a meditative journey that always results in theraphy, and I always come out on the other side, with self and life realisations, a broader perspective, heightened awareness, more joy and meaningfulness to life. Its like each art piece is teaching me something. That is the gifts that art therapy and visionary art has given me. Especially art therapy, I experience as getting a mirror in front of you. Instead of showing you your outer physical appearance, the mirror shows your inner state of being and what's going on in your body, mind and soul.

If you are one who are familiar with endeavours such as self development, personal growth, shadow work, trauma healing or various forms of healing, you know that, it can be a wild ride. It includes both challenging and blissful feelings and experiences, darkness and light. If you are one who has tried meditation or have a meditation practise, you might recognise this feeling: It starts with you being the one who is meditating, but after a while it's like you are BEING meditated by something. That's the feeling I have when I make my artworks. I may be the one who makes the artworks, but the artwork also makes me. Its my hope, that the same healing that Iv'e gained and experienced from the artwork, will effect the viewer as well and work its magic.

It's my dearest hope that to whomever receives my art pieces, that you out there, can sense or feel, perhaps even know, that a deeper journey has gone forehand into making the piece. That each artwork comes with a story and a meaning to it. They are not only a visual experience. Each of my pieces are made with all my love and passion.

The process of my artwork

1.The making of an art piece starts with a vision or sensation from either mediation, a dream or a mystic experience. Then the art therapy session takes place and a small scale associative/automatic drawing is born, like these one:

2. Next step is transferring the drawing into photoshop. This is the experimentation fase. I use a digital tool like photoshop to further build up the artpiece. It brings me a clearer vision of how the artwork is going to look like in physical form. I play with different colours and extra motives, objects and details are being added. Where there once was empty space, is now being filled.

3. Third step: I now upscale the digital photoshop picture, by outlining it onto a large size canvas/wood panel or paper to get the dimension right. Here it is being born into physical form.

4. Forth and final step: I am now ready to properly make the painting. I can now start building it up with colours, wether it be with acrylics, just pencil or my earth materials such as sand, stones or ashes. If you are an artist/painter as well, im curious, how is your process?

I hope you enjoyed this reading.

Love, Huldra Helga