Contributor: Ruth Simmons
Original post

            Engaging with the Healing with the Arts 12-week program allowed me to explore which parts of me required healing and care. Having always connected with painting and visual arts, I naturally gravitated towards this medium in expressing my journey. What emerged was a profound sense of comfort in acknowledging painful moments from my past, as well as a sense of enlightened transcendence supporting my ability to care for myself and others. Inspired by nature, light, and movement, my paintings capture the essence of my experience.

Figure 1: Letting Go of the Inner Critic, 12in x 16in acrylic painting

This painting represents my inner critic and my inner artist coming together in a cohesive image. Influenced by Mother Nature, the image that came to the forefront during the guided imagery was that of a human heart being wrapped in thorns, yet also blooming with wildflowers. My inner critic has the potential to wound just as much as it can yield a bountiful blossom. This imagery illustrated the importance of peacefully embracing and respecting this capability while encouraging positive growth.

Figure 2: Merging the Inner Artist and Healer, 12in x 16in acrylic painting

This painting depicts how my inner artist and inner healer connect. My inner healer came from a place of trauma and uncertainty, leading me to visualize the right-brain, left-brain dichotomy of logical and creative thought. To me, this also represents the art and science of nursing and how both are vitally important in the energy field of nursing. Instead of a harsh line separating the two, a soft blend of colors overlaps in the florals and shapes. My inner artist and healer are experiencing a cohesion, creating a stronger artist-healer overall. This imagery illustrated my journey of accepting uncertainty and acknowledging growth.

Figure 3: The Spirit in Art Healing, 12in x 16in acrylic painting

I met my spirit animal and portrayed it through painting. The guided imagery prompted me to discover the place where I found peace and contentment. When the meditation asked for this scene, I picture a meadow on my property. As it invites the image of a horizon, I see this meadow basked in golden light. This imagery allowed my spirit animal to emerge in this serene setting. The black panther awaits patiently in the shadows yet is illuminated by the sun setting through the cedar trees. The black panther represents the divine feminine, protection, and the power of eliminating fear of darkness and unknown. The waves of grass float effortlessly on the breeze, and I feel a strong pull to sit in the meadow with this spirit animal and rest.

Figure 4: Finding Out What Needs to be Healed, 12in x 16in acrylic painting

This painting depicts what within my soul needs to be healed. In picturing my inner child through the guided imagery, I feel fear, vulnerability and innocence. The image of a fawn sleeping sounding in tall grass emerged. She is vulnerable to predators, small and defenseless, yet she sleeps peacefully and is surrounded by flowers and swathed in a halo of morning light. My inner child needs a place to feel safety and peace to heal and is symbolized in this week’s praxis.

Figure 5: Healing with Visual Arts, 12in x 12x round ash wood with burnt designs

I celebrated experimentation and pursued imperfection with this piece of art. I was drawn to the rough, imprecise edges, and the cracks around the wood’s ring. This resonated with me as symbolizing the beauty of being human, the wildness and freedom from organization and standardization. I chose a wood-burning tool to eliminate the pressure of creating a range of visual colors or textures. I wanted my lines to be permanent, forcing myself to embrace my “mistakes” as intentional artistic empowerment, allowing the lines to exist as were meant to be while they charred into the wood’s surface. What emerged from my design was floral, circular, and flowing. When I took a step back from the piece, I realized it was a sunflower.

Figure 6: Healing with Words, 20in x 20in oil painting

With each of the exercises in this week’s praxis, I felt compelled to create a painting celebrating light and peace. I thought of the words in this chapter often as I pushed through my week, and a moment of insight occurred as I was paddling around the lake. It was sunset, and the light was peeking through the trees as the day gently ended. I knew that was the image I needed to paint this week. There is something magical about the beginning and ending of a day. This painting accompanied poetry created for this weeks’ praxis.

Figure 7: Healing with Music, Digital Image from an iPhone 14

The healing power of music inspired this image. Listening to an intentionally-created soundtrack for this weeks’ praxis, I waited for a song to play in harmony with the concert of nature. The walk filled my heart with joy, and the friendly flora of the trail seemed to sparkle more than usual. As I walked within this enlightened space, I was surprised to find not one, but fifteen railroad spikes along my journey. The trail is a converted railroad bed, and it is rare to find more than one on my walks. As I took the turn back into my property, I laid the spikes in a circle and snapped a picture to commemorate the experience. It’s as though the trail wanted to give me a gift for seeing her so clearly and enjoying all she had to offer, and I gladly accepted.

Figure 8: Healing with Dance and Movement, 12in x 16in acrylic painting

The first medicine art dance in this week’s praxis invited a spirit animal or tree to encourage movement. My mind immediately shifted towards images of sandhill cranes dancing in the Platte River on their migration across Nebraska in the late winter months. They effortlessly float, touching down lightly on the ground only to spring up again with their proudly displayed wings outstretched. The cranes hold their heads up high, their bodies overcome by the movement. There is such freedom to their flow, and I invited the spirit energy of the sandhill crane for this exercise. Dancing as the crane felt like I was embracing intention and freedom.

Figure 9: Finding my Essence, 12in x 16in acrylic painting

My essence is that of a sunflower. It is strong, with broad leaves extending from a solid stem. Golden petals stretch from the burnt sienna disc with wild abandon. One assumes predictability and order when picturing a neat row of sunflowers, yet the dynamic uniqueness of each bloom transcends expectation. Emanating radiance, the sunflower follows the light from dawn to dusk. Symbolizing positivity and joy, this flower also represents loyalty and devotion. In casual searching of its meaning, I also came across sunflowers being a symbol of growth and resilience. This particularly resonates with me in my own life journey and how I am seeking a healing and caring path. Just as the sunflower withstands harsh conditions and perseveres, I am also standing up to the adversity of negative experiences and learning how to thrive.

Figure 10: Experiencing Sacred Sexuality, 12 in x 16 in canvas with watercolor and black pastel

This exercise involved the help of my former partner. We each created a piece of art depicting each other’s sacred sexuality using a medium of our own choice. I utilized watercolors to eliminate a sense of control and an intention to allow movement in the art. My partner at the time chose black pastel to communicate his design clearly, not resonating with a paintbrush. We painted each other facing away from the viewer and facing to the right, wanting to capture strength and maintain a sense of modesty. There is an element of sacred sexuality that remains between partners. Each piece of art celebrated an inner beauty and power radiating through the physical self. It was a humbling experience to look at how my spirit was seen. This exercise promoted a deeper sense of connection and invited a dialogue that continued throughout the rest of the day exploring how we saw ourselves and each other.

Figure 11: Art, Healing, and the End of Life, 18 in x 18 in acrylic painting

This painting honored my grief and love for a special pet friend who passed away during this week’s praxis. While some people may view winter as cold, harsh, and full of death, I see serene beauty in the stillness. There is still sadness for those who are left behind, but unmistakable calmness and peace. The silence of a snowy day basked in the cool tones of purple and blue exist in a state of resting transition. The season of death is like that of winter, where souls are on a journey to find spring once again and be reborn. Trees lay bare, sleeping until they are ready to begin anew in the warmer days to come.

Figure 12: Final Art in Medicine Project

This painting honored several aspects of the Healing with the Arts program. I celebrated my spirit animal by inviting a black cat to play with fireflies as I danced with my inner child. We twirled towards the sun along with the sunflowers, honoring the glowing light of dusk. This final art piece allowed me to fully embrace the process of transpersonal nursing as an ontological nurse, finding transcendence and healing through creative means.

About Ruth Simmons

Ruth Simmons is a self-taught artist and dedicated Nurse with eight years of experience, initially in labor and delivery and currently in a leadership role within the operating room. Residing on an acreage in rural Nebraska, Ruth enjoys nurturing a garden and connecting with her animals. A passionate painter, Ruth works with acrylics and oils to express her creativity. As a PhD student in the Caring Science program at the University of Colorado Anschutz, Ruth collaborated with Dr. Mary Rockwood Lane on an independent study in “Healing with the Arts.” This experience deepened Ruth’s understanding of Transpersonal Nursing as an ontological artist, focusing on self-healing to enhance compassion for oneself and others. Her ultimate goal is to explore resiliency in Nurses through arts-based research.