Featured Artist : The healing power of silk paintingBy Shifra Stein

Several years ago, I learned from personal experience that making art could be beneficial to someone suffering from pain and illness. Although I'd been a writer most of my life, a debilitating bout of major clinical depression wiped out my ability to compose a coherent sentence, let alone write a book.

However, in an art therapy class, I found that I was able to pick up a brush, dip it into paint and water, and express myself in a whole new way. As I watched life-affirming yellows, blues, and rosy reds flow together down the paper, I felt the despair lift. The joy I experienced at that moment changed my life forever, and put me on the path to becoming an artist.

Since that time, I've been a firm believer in the deep connection between art and healing. As a member of the Society For The Arts In Health Care, I am part of a growing community of artists, art therapists, hospitals, and health care organizations that have witnessed ways in which art can be used to boost the immune system, promote a healing physiology, and alter pain perception.

Many hospitals are starting to find it prudent to provide an artful setting that is calming for patients, primarily because sick people seem to respond better to treatment when they are more relaxed.

Karla Nichols, Executive Director of Kansas City's Cancer Action organization, believes that art and color can be used to promote feelings of well-being in people with health challenges. The non-profit agency's innovative approach to caring for mind, body, and spirit also includes art workshops for cancer patients. For the past three years my Art For The Health Of It presentations have been offered through Cancer Action and include watercolor, journaling, and creativity workshops as well as silk painting classes.

Yet, when Cancer Action first asked me to do a silk painting session, I hesitated because this kind of class requires a good deal of physical stamina. Frankly, I wasn't sure that the participants, many of whom were recovering from the enervating effects of chemotherapy and radiation, would have enough energy to complete the 2 ½ hour class. Because of the great response for a silk painting workshop, I decided to go ahead with it.

I contacted Dharma Trading to place my order and found their prices on silks and silk paint very reasonable especially when purchased in quantities. My order for Dye-Na-Flow silk paint and cut yards of 8 mm silk habotai and 8 mm 8" x 54" finished scarves was shipped promptly, well before the day of the workshop.

That morning I started off worrying whether the class would be too strenuous for everyone. I was totally unprepared for what happened.

There were 11 women who walked through the door that day, and most were experiencing pain and exhaustion. One tired woman had just come from chemotherapy; another had suffered a stroke the previous week. Both confided to me that they might not be able to sit through the first hour of class.

At the beginning of the workshop, when I was explaining the process of silk painting to the group, everyone was polite, but I could see attention spans wavering. So I stopped talking and started painting.

As they watched me demonstrate how to paint on silk, they seemed to perk up a bit. Then we practiced on some 8 momme silk and that's when things started to get exciting. People seemed energized by the delicate texture of the silk, feeling its supple smoothness slip between their fingers.

They eagerly poured Dye-Na-Flow paint into containers, filled their water pots up at the bathroom sink, and came back to the classroom to practice silk painting. Immersed in this joyful activity they seemed to forget about the pain and fatigue, concentrating solely on the process of creating art.

It amazed me to see them zipping around like energizer bunnies: mixing paints; washing their silks; blowing them dry; hiking to the laundry room to iron their pieces; then repeating the process over again for a finished scarf, happy to be creating something beautiful to take back home.

"I wish I'd had this scarf when I was going through chemo and all my hair fell out," said one woman. "I think I'll give it away to a friend who's going through radiation right now."

Although the workshop was officially over at noon, I was astonished when the entire class refused to leave. The ringleaders of this uprising were the two women I'd spoken to earlier who were sure they wouldn't be able to make it through the first hour.

What else could I do? I pulled out more scarves, opened more jars of silk paint, and let everyone keep on painting. I finally had to leave for a meeting. The group smiled and waved goodbye, continuing to paint, wash, iron, and blow-dry silk like they had all the energy in the world. Cancer Action was very supportive and kept the classroom open that afternoon so that two participants could come back after chemotherapy to finish their scarves.

Once again, I was able to witness the healing power of art in its immeasurable ability to revitalize mind and spirit, allowing the ailing soul, however briefly, to feel whole again.