The art of healing
As human beings, each of us is different, not just in appearance, DNA, or personality. Our life experiences differ vastly, as does the way that we interpret, focus and deal with different events throughout our lives, whether happy, sad, or traumatic. For some, art is a way to express themselves and work through some of life’s experiences.
One DeForest, Wisconsin artist has found creating art not only therapeutic, but philanthropic. Artist and psychotherapist Deseree Nehrkorn, has been painting for the past twenty years, though she shared her artistic inclination started as a child.
“I have always been very artistic, and grew up expressing myself that way,” she said. “I wanted to go to college, but grew up very very poor, like, silly poor.” One of seven siblings that her mother raised on her own, Deseree had experienced the hardship life can throw at you at the age of two when her family’s house burned down. Deseree and her family continued to do the best they could with what they had.
Eventually, as she grew older, Deseree not feeling college was financially attainable, found herself earning an art scholarship. Studying art as an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, she decided on psychology as her major. Eventually, she would earn a MS from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Since then, Deseree has been using her artwork to raise money for different charities. “It's been over 20 years that I've been painting. Well, like, really, more than 40 years if you go back to the beginning as a child,” she said smiling. “I'm very open to whatever cause anyone would bring me. I have held several auctions annually that I would paint for, like Green Acres Boxer Bash. A lot of those events were canceled this year because of COVID. But of course, I am still painting. One of the things that I am cognizant of regarding my artwork is the price. I try not to price it so high that it's out of the price range of typical individuals. I feel it's very important for people to have original art in their homes, and especially pieces that might be meaningful to them in some regard. So, I'm very careful not to price anything that is outside of the range of someone who might want to save for it a little bit, and then purchase a piece.”
Deseree shared that about thirty years ago, she learned very quickly that if she put six months of her life into a painting, even if she sold it for $10,000, that's still not a mechanism for her to support herself. She realized that same amount of money would do infinitely more for a charitable cause. “Being able to donate several $100 at once to the Humane Society or whatever it is, it feels very good. I wanted to use my artwork to make the world a better place. I wanted it to be more meaningful than just an expression of creativity. I wanted it to have a deeper meaning. And it's also very fun to be generous and to have an opportunity to use something like my artwork to allow me the capacity to be so generous. It’s really a beautiful thing for me. It makes it that much more meaningful and motivating.”
The artwork- therapeutic, colorful, creative
Working primarily in acrylic paints, but using oil paint as well Deseree said, “Those are problematic. They take so much longer to dry and the smell is so awful, I tend to utilize acrylics much more. But I also do multimedia- sculptures, glass, and wire. I paint boxes sometimes like into strange and delightful kind of creatures.”
“Content in some of my paintings are related to life experiences and events,” Deseree shared. “Sometimes it's related to some of the struggles that my clients face, or that people in general or humanity faces. It continues to go back to the wisdom of being kind to yourself and others, being open to acceptance and open to all the different ways that people can touch our lives. So, even the darkest most difficult times that I've gone through, have given me insight into how to help others more effectively or connect to others in a more phenomenal kind of level where there are things that as human beings we don't understand until we go through them ourselves, or until we have the experience of having someone close to us go through it.” She continued, “Some of the artwork that I painted, I'm thinking of a piece specifically, it was one that I painted after I had worked at a maximum-security prison doing mental health. I had a very traumatic experience there. After that experience, I did a painting that in my head, my heart, I felt like when the painting was done, I would be healed. I would feel safe again and I would feel connected to humanity again. It was very therapeutic and effective in that way.”
Deseree, having grown up in Wisconsin Dells, spent a considerable amount of her time out in the woods, and incorporates nature in her paintings. “I've always really loved nature and animals, so you see nature and animals in all of my paintings, and a lot of self-reflection and growth. I spent my time growing up in the woods, in the fields, in the water, like outside every day, all day.” She noted even the most abstract pieces have an earthy kind of feel to them and explained the movement that is inherent in her paintings is very derivative of the movement in nature and the change that we get from the seasons. The changes that happen from animals and plants growing, living, and dying.
She also shared that the healing in forgiving others, accepting others and herself, is a theme that radiates through all of her paintings that refers to personal growth, human growth, and development in general.
Having shown her artwork throughout central southern Wisconsin in Madison, Monroe, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, Verona, Columbus, to name a few, Deseree has a current showing at the Upstairs Art Gallery in Sauk City, Wisconsin. “The family that owns the gallery had reached out to me and asked if I wanted to show there. I hadn't had an art opening or gallery showing since COVID had started. So, I was willing to put my artwork out there and not have that formal opening night where we could potentially spread COVID. The artwork will be in that gallery for longer than the month (December 2020). I believe it'll be there through at least the spring.” Deseree added, she may continue adding pieces as pieces are purchased, stressing that she continues to paint every day.
The proceeds from her sales at the gallery will be going to help a very personal cause. This past October, Deseree’s dear friend and Wisconsin Dells Firefighter Scott Holzem passed away. He was very active on the fire department and very passionate about his work,” she said. “He started some different charities that the fire department continues as part of his legacy- donating toys to kids at Christmas and coat drives. To support some of their efforts, the proceeds from this show, for as long as the show goes, will support the Wisconsin Dells Fire Department to continue their charitable efforts in Scott’s name.”
Curious, I asked Deseree what the future might hold for her. Plans of continued art work and growth seemed paramount. “Well, I'm currently working on getting my PhD. and along with my PhD., I am writing a book that essentially will be illustrated by my artwork. It's a book about self-discovery, essentially finding happiness through acceptance, tolerance, patience, generosity, and helping a fellow man, having an open heart and being brave and all of the things that are inside my paintings. They (her paintings) are going to be in this book and be explained in ways that will be hopefully accessible and motivational to the reader.”
I asked Deseree if she had any words of support or motivation to those artistically inclined or not, she had this to say, “Communication, of course, is an amazing gift that we are provided as human beings. Art is just another way to communicate that. Creating something that makes the world more beautiful, or that connects people is another reason to keep creating art. One of the things that I love so much about art, and I tell kids all the time because I do a lot of artwork in session with people is, ‘there's no wrong answers in art’. So, when you may feel insecure or unsure about an ability, a concept or an expression, when you put it to paper, you express it artistically. There are no wrong answers. It's a way for people to give themselves wings.”
Deseree feels as human beings we all go through different things and acknowledges that life is hard for everyone in different ways. She believes being able to support each other and have the vitality and the perseverance to get through whatever life brings to our doorstep, is something that helps one to empower and motivate others. “Essentially, my goal in life is to help as many people as possible, and that is the driving force behind my doctoral program. I will be able to reach more people.”
Having been told all the time that she ‘can’t change the world’, her response, “F*** that. Yes, I can. Every day I do, because you change one person and they change someone else. It's a ripple effect that does change the world. You have to believe in it, you have to keep working towards it, because what happens if you don't? It's kind of like that old adage ‘you know you can't win if you don't play’. So, yeah, you gotta play.”
Deseree said she hopes to be around for a long time, continuing to inspire people, to do good, and to touch people’s lives in a positive way. There is no doubt in my mind she will do just that.
For more information on Deseree’s current showing, visit the Upstairs Art Gallery event on Facebook.
