>> ART IS SOMETHING THAT CAN IMPACT OR INSPIRE US ALL IN VERY
UNIQUE AND INDIVIDUAL WAYS.
OUR CAROLEE MCGRATH SPOKE WITH ARTIST AND ARTS EDUCATOR DEAN
HIMMER TO LEARN ABOUT HIS WORK USING ART AS THERAPY.
>> ART THERAPY WOULD BE CREATING JOY AND ENJOYING THE PROCESS OF
MAKING ART REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU HAVE SERIOUS ISSUES.
IT'S USUALLY REFERRED TO, YOU KNOW, AS A GOOD THERAPEUTIC
METHOD TO DEAL WITH THINGS LIKE PDSD AND TRAUMAS THAT PEOPLE
HAVE.
BUT MY VIEW IS THAT ANY STIGMA THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT IS
COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY BECAUSE ALL ART-MAKING IS THERAPEUTIC,
AND PEOPLE WHO MAKE ART -- THERE IS A JOY THAT GOES WITH IT, AND
THE BENEFICIAL ASPECTS OF MAKING ART ARE THERE FOR EVERYBODY.
>> YOU HAVE HAD QUITE A CAREER AS AN ARTIST, 200 EXHIBITIONS
WORLDWIDE, I BELIEVE YOU TOLD ME.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO USING ART TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE?
>> WELL, THIS IS CREATING ABSTRACT ART.
AS A TEACHER I HAVE EMPLOYED SOME INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL
METHODS OF TEACHING, OF HAVING PEOPLE PAINT BLINDFOLDED, FOR
EXAMPLE, TO GET OVER ANY ISSUE THAT THEY MAY HAVE WITH MAKING
SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT YOU ARE PAINTING AND JUST GO
AHEAD AND PAINT TO MUSIC WHEN YOU ARE BLINDFOLDED.
SHADOW DRAWING, AND MANY EXERCISES THAT HELP PEOPLE TO
GET PASSED THE PROBLEM OF, IS IT ART?
THERE IS SO MANY THINGS THAT STOP PEOPLE FROM MAKING ART THAT
ARE UNNECESSARY.
THE DEFINITION OF WHO IS AN ARTIST, ONE WHO MAKES ART, YOU
KNOW, SO -- >> REALLY?
EVEN WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS SO, SO ACCOMPLISHED, LIKE IF I DREW
SOMETHING YOU WOULD SAY THAT'S ART?
>> MY JOB AS A TEACHER IS POSITIVE ENCOURAGEMENT, AND YOU
KNOW, THINGS LIKE TALENT ARE SO OVERRATED, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE
CLICHES ARE I CAN'T DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE.
WELL, USE A RULER.
>> THERE WE GO.
WE JUST GOT OVER THAT HURDLE.
>> RIGHT OVER THAT.
>> BUT A LOT OF IT CENTERS IN INSECURITY.
IS MY WORK GOOD?
>> TALK A BIT ABOUT OF SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT YOU WORK WITH
BEFORE THE THERAPY.
YOU WORK WITH VETERANS, TELL US HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN
THAT?
>> I TEACH AS AN ADJUNCT BECAUSE I AM ADDICTED TO TEACHING, BUT
AT HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND I TEACH IN THE EVENING AND
THAT'S -- THERE IS MORE ADULTS WHO TAKE THESE CLASSES, AND ONE
OF MY STUDENTS IS A VET WHO HAD VERY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES AS A
COMBAT VET.
I DON'T SET OUT TO TEACH THERAPEUTICALLY, BUT I ENCOURAGE
YOU KNOW, PERSONAL EXPRESSION, AND SO STEVE TOOK BOTH OF MY
PAINTING 1 AND 2 CLASS, AND HE REALLY FELT THAT THIS WAS VERY
THERAPEUTIC.
OFTEN EVEN IN OFFICIAL THERAPY SESSIONS PEOPLE TEND TO WANT A
DESCRIPTION SO WHAT DID YOU GO THROUGH AND WHY, TO ILLUSTRATE
IT.
I WORKED WITH PROJECTS THAT ENCOURAGED THEIR CREATIVITY, AND
I THINK SIMULTANEOUSLY THEY CAN PURGE A BIT BUT ALSO KIND OF GET
OUT OF THEMSELVES.
>> TAKES THEM TO A DIFFERENT PLACE.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PARTICULARLY DO IS CREATE AN
ALTER EGO.
SO YOUR ALTER EGO IS SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T CARE WHAT YOU LIKE
OR NOT.
THEY JUST DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
BUT WHEN YOU CREATE AN ALTER EGO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A NAME OF YOUR
ALTER EGO.
MINE PERSONALLY IS UNIQUE, FREDERICK.
AND PART OF THAT IS TO LET GO OF, YOU KNOW, OF SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT YOU TEND TO FEEL HOLD YOU BACK.
ANYWAY THIS HAS BECOME VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THAT THIS VETERAN
HAS STARTED HIS OWN GROUP WORKING WITH VETERANS, AND DOING
PROJECTS THAT ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY, AND THAT'S REALLY
THE BOTTOM LINE.
>> DEAN HIMMER THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING IN AND JOINING
US AND TELLING US ABOUT JUST THE THERAPEUTIC QUALITIES OF ART,
AND I THINK THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO OVERLOOK THAT, AND WE
APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT WITH US TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.