With the help of volunteer artists, two Western University professors turned a research project on cognitive behavioural therapy for women who had experienced trauma into visual art in an effort to give meaning to what usually becomes numbers in a study.
Through the London Health Sciences Centre, the two professors conducted an intervention study looking at the effectiveness of PATH, a pilot project consisting of trauma and violence informed cognitive behavioural therapy for pregnant women who have experienced violence or abuse.
“When you’re having a baby, there’s a lot of people touching your body and you don’t have a lot of control over it in that situation and if you’ve been through a violent relationship or you’ve experienced abuse that can be challenging and really triggering,” said health studies professor Tara Mantler, who co-investigated the project with nursing professor Kimberly Jackson.
“This intervention gave the women their voices back and it got all the [health care] providers in the room to think about the way they treat women and by that, provide them with more autonomy, so they could better cope with the experience,” Mantler added.
Jackson says the results of the pilot project were positive, but the funding for the program was eventually cut. And while they were able to share their work with researchers, they felt they needed to reach an audience beyond academia.
The art pieces were created with four themes in mind: Deep Dark Corner, Breaking Through the Brokenness, Triggering My Thoughts and Now Perfectly Imperfect. The piece illustrated in this image is from the last theme, which depicts hope and optimism. (Submitted by Kimberly Jackson)
The two professors teamed up with Sheila O’Keefe-McCarthy, a creative researcher at Brock University, who helped them transpose the women’s experiences through the program into works of art.
“The numbers tell an interesting story if you’re an academic, but we found that a lot of the meaning from the journey to recovery for these women was being lost. That’s why we wanted it to be visual,” said Mantler.
Through reading the transcripts of each woman’s experience, O’Keefe-McCarthy created four artistic themes that were developed into poems, which laid the groundwork for visual artists to make ten art pieces.
The opposing colour schemes in the art work represent the before (right) and after (left) of a traumatized pregnant woman’s journey to finding her self worth. (Submitted by Kimberly Jackson)
“It was important for us to have an embodied experience to have a glimpse into what the journey through the program was like for women,” Mantler said.
The art illustrates the women’s transformation from trauma to healing as they went through their pregnancies with new coping mechanisms.
Back in October, the research and artwork was showcased for the general public and the result was very gratifying, according to Jackson.
“We were overwhelmed with how moved people have been when they’ve seen the art, so for us it’s been amazing to bring the voices of these women to light in a very meaningful and powerful way,” she said.
Those interested in seeing the work will still get a chance to do so during the Legacy 2020 research conference at Western University in May, but after that, the art will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to a women’s shelter.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
