REGINA COUPAR STUDIO
THERAPY ART
a visual representation of healing
September, 2019
Moving along in my therapy for GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and clinical depression, I have decided to return (at least for awhile) to making art in a tactile fashion. While I love to work directly on a screen I found myself wanting to create tangible work. This, of course, is in tension with my reluctance to 'make stuff,' given the overabundance of things in the world today. As an artist, I don't really know how to resolve that.problem. Maybe, like Scarlett O'Hara, I'll "think about that tomorrow..."
For now, I interested in the mundane - everyday shapes, sometimes coupled with previously painted works. At this stage of life, appreciating the repetition of routine activities, while challenging, has become an important step in my journey towards wellness.
To see more of these images, click here.
Moving along in my therapy for GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and clinical depression, I have decided to return (at least for awhile) to making art in a tactile fashion. While I love to work directly on a screen I found myself wanting to create tangible work. This, of course, is in tension with my reluctance to 'make stuff,' given the overabundance of things in the world today. As an artist, I don't really know how to resolve that.problem. Maybe, like Scarlett O'Hara, I'll "think about that tomorrow..."
For now, I interested in the mundane - everyday shapes, sometimes coupled with previously painted works. At this stage of life, appreciating the repetition of routine activities, while challenging, has become an important step in my journey towards wellness.
To see more of these images, click here.
THERAPY ART is just what it sounds like: creating artworks as a form of therapy. But it's more than just scribbling out whatever's on your mind. That's only the first part. It is an important part because it teaches you to get in touch with and trust your intuition, thus opening wider the door to your unconscious.
The second part is to dialogue with the image over time - let it speak back to you. And listen carefully to what it tells you. This may seem difficult at first but as you learn the language of your unconscious you'll be able to figure out more easily what your images are trying to tell you.
The third part is to share your work. That may not seem important when doing inner (therapeutic) work, but it is important for an artist to share what she creates. Being an artist is a gift we need to learn to celebrate - not always easy when culture tends to ignore or undervalue us. Such misunderstanding about us in the external world eventually takes its toll on our inner life and we may begin to doubt our own worth. But sometimes our contribution to the greater good is simply to share our inadequacies in an honest way.
Below are images that will appear as they are created, with or without a corresponding note.
If you'd like to respond, simply email at [email protected] or click here for the contact form.
Thanks.
Regina Coupar
June 3, 2019
whatever was
is
239
whatever was
is
239
June 2, 2019
subtle edge
238
subtle edge
238
May 30, 2019
no escape
237
no escape
237
May 29, 2019
background radiation
236
background radiation
236
May 28
tenuous connection
235
tenuous connection
235
May 27, 2019
other worlds
227
May 21, 2019
zombie dress
228
zombie dress
228
May 21, 1029
struggle for containment
229
struggle for containment
229
May 15, 2019
rage. rage
against the dying of the
light
231
rage. rage
against the dying of the
light
231
May 15, 2019
closing in
230
closing in
230
May 12
watching
221
watching
221
May 7, 2019
specters
220
specters
220
May 2, 2019
flaming trees
218
flaming trees
218
May 5, 2019
watching
218
watching
218
May 4, 2018
inner turmoil
217
inner turmoil
217
May 1, 2019
fragments
216
fragments
216
April 26
gathering
213
gathering
213
April 23
cycladic gods
209
cycladic gods
209
April 23
fire woman
210
fire woman
210
April 22, 2019
emerging woman
211
emerging woman
211
April 15, 2019
alternate reality
207
alternate reality
207
April 14
event horizon
206
event horizon
206
April 18 2019
confusion
205
confusion
205
April 12, 2019
hidden
204
hidden
204
April 11
black and white thinking
takes over the
colour
203
black and white thinking
takes over the
colour
203
April 10, 2019
worlds coliding
202
worlds coliding
202
April 8, 2018
opening to a different dimension
200
opening to a different dimension
200
April 8, 2019
pink flower
201
pink flower
201
April 3, 2019
the safe place
198
the safe place
198
March 31, 2019
pale primary background noise
197
pale primary background noise
197
March 30
grey matter: random order
196
grey matter: random order
196
March 29, 2019
meeting your inner bird/fish
195
meeting your inner bird/fish
195
March 28, 2019
alone
194
alone
194
March 28, 2019
neurone tree
193
neurone tree
193
March 27, 2019
neutralizing
192
neutralizing
192
March 25, 2019
rescue
191
rescue
191
March 25, 2019
expulsion from the garden
190
expulsion from the garden
190
March 24, 2019
induction
189
induction
189
March 24, 2019
188
188
March 24, 2019
gathering
187
gathering
187
March 23, 2019
pressured
186
pressured
186
March 23, 2019
phoenix
185
phoenix
185
March 22, 2019
redwoods
184
redwoods
184
March 21, 2019
cow deconstructed
183
cow deconstructed
183
March 21, 2019
pink flowers
182
pink flowers
182
March 20, 2019
winter pure
181
winter pure
181
March 20, 2019
vulnerable inner child
180
vulnerable inner child
180
March 19 2019
breakthrough
179
breakthrough
179
March 18, 2019
bubbles
178
bubbles
178
March 18, 2019
sometimes I like to feel
pretty things
177
sometimes I like to feel
pretty things
177
March 18, 2019
inclusivity
176
inclusivity
176
March 17, 2019
circular argument
how I feel when I try to make
a decision
174
circular argument
how I feel when I try to make
a decision
174
March 17, 2019
evil: lurking
sometimes I can't tell
if the evil is inside or outside
173
evil: lurking
sometimes I can't tell
if the evil is inside or outside
173
March 16, 2019
veiled
172
veiled
172
March 16, 2019
nightmare
171
nightmare
171
March 15, 2019
distortion
when I can't tell how I feel
170
distortion
when I can't tell how I feel
170
March 15, 2019
tangle
169
tangle
169
March 14, 2019
ordered infiltration
168
ordered infiltration
168
March 13, 2019
inner critic
conversation
167
inner critic
conversation
167
March 11, 2019
red trees
166
red trees
166
March 10, 2019
blood tree
hanging on amid trials and tribulations when it seems as though everything has been uprooted
165
blood tree
hanging on amid trials and tribulations when it seems as though everything has been uprooted
165
March 9, 2019
opposite day
tension of opposites
each colour is covered by its complimentary colour
164
opposite day
tension of opposites
each colour is covered by its complimentary colour
164
March 9, 2019
dream
snake with fins/wings in water
163
dream
snake with fins/wings in water
163
March 8, 2019
plaques and tangles
screwing with my brain
162
plaques and tangles
screwing with my brain
162
March 8, 2019
half angry
half anxious
half
161
half angry
half anxious
half
161
March 7, 2019
eve's apple showing wisdom in the center
160 - b
eve's apple showing wisdom in the center
160 - b
March 7, 2019
tree of conformity and tree of free expression separated by angel's flaming sword
160
tree of conformity and tree of free expression separated by angel's flaming sword
160
March 7, 2019
angel's flaming sword
separates the garden of eden (dependency) from the outside (wisdom of knowing)
159
angel's flaming sword
separates the garden of eden (dependency) from the outside (wisdom of knowing)
159
March 6, 2019
veiled
158
veiled
158
March 6, 2019
happy colours
157
happy colours
157
March 5, 2019
beneath the surface
155
beneath the surface
155
March 3, 2019
complications
151
complications
151
March 3, 2019
leaving liminal space
150
is this the same struggle Alzheimer's patients feel when they try to gain back conscious reality...
leaving liminal space
150
is this the same struggle Alzheimer's patients feel when they try to gain back conscious reality...
March 2, 2019
night figures
149
night figures
149
March 1, 2019
the dream
147
the dream
147
March 1, 2019
the future
146
the future
146
February 28, 2019
liminal space
my favourite place...
145
liminal space
my favourite place...
145
February 28, 2019
veiled
144
veiled
144
February 27, 2019
I think that I shall never see
a poem as lovely as a tree
Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
a poem as lovely as a tree
Joyce Kilmer
February 27, 2019
nebula: we are stardust
139
nebula: we are stardust
139
February 26, 2019
suppression
suppression
February 26, 2019
blocked
140
blocked
140
February 25, 2019
insights
137
insights
137
February 24, 2019
me and my shadow
136
me and my shadow
136
February 24, 2019
defensive
135
defensive
135
February 22, 2019
sky
sky
February 21, 2019
the voices
the voices
February 21, 2019
oppression
oppression
February 21, 2019
indecision
indecision
February 21, 2019
out of control
out of control
February 21
scorched
scorched
February 20, 2019
emerging
120
emerging
120
February 18, 2019
existential angst
existential angst
February 17, 2019
diminishment
as we age, much in our life diminishes
fades away
diminishment
as we age, much in our life diminishes
fades away
February 17, 2019
worlds colliding
worlds colliding
February 16, 2019
blood line/ life line
blood line/ life line
February 16, 2019
group meeting
members only
group meeting
members only
February 16, 2019
trying to focus
trying to focus
February 15, 2019
no justice
no justice
February 15, 2019
fighting the dark: the struggle
fighting the dark: the struggle
February 13, 2019
strung together
strung together
February 13, 2019
the line between
the line between
February 12, 2019
blue
blue
February 11, 2019
for Trudy:
glimpse of beyond
for Trudy:
glimpse of beyond
February 10, 2019
going down the valley
one by
one
tribute to John's mother, Trudy
going down the valley
one by
one
tribute to John's mother, Trudy
February 9, 2019
veil
veil
February 9, 2019
keeping track
(by fives)
keeping track
(by fives)
February7, 2019
symmetry on a stick
symmetry on a stick
February 7, 2019
dividing line: inside/outside... above/below
dividing line: inside/outside... above/below
February 6
hiding inside
hiding inside
February 5, 2019
order and chaos
order and chaos
February 5, 2019
Losing Hope
Losing Hope
February 5, 2019
the fog
the fog
February 4, 2019
undefined flower
undefined flower
February 4, 2019
February 3, 2019
the liar's graph
the liar's graph
February 3, 2019
alone in a crowd
alone in a crowd
February 3, 2019
vertical flatline
severed connection
to the ineffable
feel
nothing
vertical flatline
severed connection
to the ineffable
feel
nothing
February 3, 2019
dark mourning descending
can see the light
it is distant
can feel the pressing
of the dark
dark mourning descending
can see the light
it is distant
can feel the pressing
of the dark
February 2, 2019
February 2, 2019
stirring
things. moving around
don't know what
is forming
but feel
the stirring
stirring
things. moving around
don't know what
is forming
but feel
the stirring
February 2, 2019
ephemeral
mystery must remain undefined
to remain mystery
ephemeral
mystery must remain undefined
to remain mystery
February 2, 2019
feeling the mystery
feeling the mystery
February 1, 2019
implosion
implosion
JANUARY, 2019
January 30, 2019
going downhill fast
going downhill fast
January 30, 2019
boundaries
boundaries
January 29
on my way home after many days
on my way home after many days
January 27, 2019
January 27
Mermaid by the pool
Mermaid by the pool
January 25
Anxious energy
Anxious energy
January 25
hidden innocence
hidden innocence
January 24, 2019
arrangement in greys i: the kiss
arrangement in greys i: the kiss
January 24, 2019
arrangement in black and white and grey ii
arrangement in black and white and grey ii
January 24, 2019
complexity and distraction
complexity and distraction
January 23, 2019
January 23, 2019
mind the gap
mind the gap
January 22, 2019
patches of sunshine
patches of sunshine
January 22, 2019
arrangement in black and white and grey i
arrangement in black and white and grey i
January 22, 2019
Relaxed tangle
painted on my first day in Cayman
such relaxing colours here
Relaxed tangle
painted on my first day in Cayman
such relaxing colours here
January 21, 2019
indecision
indecision
January 21, 2019
connecting the dots...
connecting the dots...
January 20, 2019
universal light
particles and waves
universal light
particles and waves
January 2019
bubble worlds
never know when they're going to break or float away from you...
bubble worlds
never know when they're going to break or float away from you...
January 20, 2019
breathe in the darkness
transform it into light
breathe out the light...
this makes us the agent of change for alchemy
breathe in the darkness
transform it into light
breathe out the light...
this makes us the agent of change for alchemy
January 19, 2019
just focus on a few things at once...
just focus on a few things at once...
January 18, 2019
boundaries ii
boundaries ii
January 18. 201
boundaries i
boundaries i
January 17, 2019
random order
random order
January 17, 2019
January 17
panic attack
panic attack
January 17, 2019
This really feels like the struggle at the present moment.
I may not be winning, but I'm not losing.
This really feels like the struggle at the present moment.
I may not be winning, but I'm not losing.
January 16, 2019
January 16, 2019
but then I can see all the subtle pastel colours
hidden behind the primaries
but then I can see all the subtle pastel colours
hidden behind the primaries
January 16, 2019
it all becomes subdued...
a blur...
it all becomes subdued...
a blur...
January 16, 2019
all my synapses going off at once
all my synapses going off at once
January 15, 2019
January 15, 2019
January 15, 2019
January 14, 2019
January 14, 2019
January 14, 2019
January 13, 2019
Grieving
Good memories quickly turn painful and I find myself falling into the pit.
I can see the compartments of good memories, but I can't reach them anymore because the darkness takes over.
Grieving
Good memories quickly turn painful and I find myself falling into the pit.
I can see the compartments of good memories, but I can't reach them anymore because the darkness takes over.
January 13, 2019
This is a visual interpretation of Erich Fromm's notion of the difference between 'having knowledge' (as a possession) and 'knowing' which requires a deeper effort. The former he attributes to the consumer nature of our culture the latter is an active response to the process of being.
Eric Fromm, To Have or to Be (New York: Open Road Intergrated Media Inc) 1976/2013.
This is a visual interpretation of Erich Fromm's notion of the difference between 'having knowledge' (as a possession) and 'knowing' which requires a deeper effort. The former he attributes to the consumer nature of our culture the latter is an active response to the process of being.
Eric Fromm, To Have or to Be (New York: Open Road Intergrated Media Inc) 1976/2013.
January13, 2019
January 12, 2019
it seems no matter how hard I try to rise above
the past weights down
like a heavy
blanket.
it seems no matter how hard I try to rise above
the past weights down
like a heavy
blanket.
January 12, 2019
This is what a depression trigger looks like. It starts as a small blob and spreads its feelers outward looking for places where it can nest and lay eggs. If you can remove it as soon as you notice it, before it gets too far, you have a chance of salvaging the day.
This is what a depression trigger looks like. It starts as a small blob and spreads its feelers outward looking for places where it can nest and lay eggs. If you can remove it as soon as you notice it, before it gets too far, you have a chance of salvaging the day.
January 11, 2019
Sometimes there are just too many dots to connect. On the positive side, there are countless opportunities to create different things. On the down side, the number of choices can be so overwhelming it is hard to begin anything. I think it is best to let the patterns emerge from the dots themselves so they don't have to 'be' anything. Hard for a INFJ to do.
Sometimes there are just too many dots to connect. On the positive side, there are countless opportunities to create different things. On the down side, the number of choices can be so overwhelming it is hard to begin anything. I think it is best to let the patterns emerge from the dots themselves so they don't have to 'be' anything. Hard for a INFJ to do.
January 11, 2019
Lots of disconnected stuff, isolated from each other in a black web of goo.
Lots of disconnected stuff, isolated from each other in a black web of goo.
January 11, 2019
Note: These images are created entirely with a computer. This solves one of my problems - as an artist I'm tired of making 'things' that occupy space in the world. This way I can create (using a kid's program I've been working with for years) without adding to the already overcrowded world of consumer goods. I've been struggling with this for a long time and it's hampered my ability to make images (one of the few things that helps me break through depression). They are what they are; they exist only in cyberspace, recreating themselves each time someone clicks on the site. I'm still committed to making 'hard images' for gallery showing, but, for now, this gives me the most pleasure.
Also, for the time being, I am working only with primary colours. The past few years have been a dark time in my life and I don't feel ready yet to venture back among the full spectrum of colour. Hopefully this practice will help me find my way.
Note: These images are created entirely with a computer. This solves one of my problems - as an artist I'm tired of making 'things' that occupy space in the world. This way I can create (using a kid's program I've been working with for years) without adding to the already overcrowded world of consumer goods. I've been struggling with this for a long time and it's hampered my ability to make images (one of the few things that helps me break through depression). They are what they are; they exist only in cyberspace, recreating themselves each time someone clicks on the site. I'm still committed to making 'hard images' for gallery showing, but, for now, this gives me the most pleasure.
Also, for the time being, I am working only with primary colours. The past few years have been a dark time in my life and I don't feel ready yet to venture back among the full spectrum of colour. Hopefully this practice will help me find my way.
January 11, 2019
January 11, 2019
January 10, 2019
Can't tell whether these are clouds or fire. Either way it looks like there is a way through. I just need to find it.
Can't tell whether these are clouds or fire. Either way it looks like there is a way through. I just need to find it.
January 10, 2019
January 10, 21019
January 9, 2019
January 9, 2019
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January 9, 2019
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January 9, 2019
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January 9, 2019
January 9, 2019
This piece reminds me of Dante's awakening in the dark wood. He is helpless to 'get back' and so must move forward with Virgil as his guide. It is interesting that this spontaneous and quick image picks up on the two red strokes I've used earlier to represent Virgil and Dante. It speaks to me of hope in the darkness, but needing guidance to find a new way out, even if, like Dante, it means 'going through hell.'
This piece reminds me of Dante's awakening in the dark wood. He is helpless to 'get back' and so must move forward with Virgil as his guide. It is interesting that this spontaneous and quick image picks up on the two red strokes I've used earlier to represent Virgil and Dante. It speaks to me of hope in the darkness, but needing guidance to find a new way out, even if, like Dante, it means 'going through hell.'
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January 8, 2019
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January 6, 2019
January 6, 2019
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January 5, 2019
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January 5, 2019
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January 3, 2019
January 3, 2019
January 3, 2019
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January 2, 2019
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January 2, 2019
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January 1, 2019
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December 30, 2018
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December 29
December 29
December 27, 2018
December 26, 2018
December 23, 2018