Week Word: Catharsis

I am a little late with my week word, but I am happily participating! This week’s word is provided by The Gift Shed, check it out for other people’s take on this word.
The dictionary definition for catharsis is “the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.” This word nestles itself right into the art world. How many artists had to paint that painting or make that sculpture to release their emotion about something??
I will give a personal example. After my father died in 1996, I felt I couldn’t pick up a paint brush. My friend, artist Bill Scott, told me to get any painting that was partially finished and just work on it. It didn’t matter, he said, what I did to it specifically, just paint and see what happens. I took an old watercolor I had started in a workshop and I added some flowers and a background. I realized, one vase had only 1 flower and the other had several. And, the background I chose was black, which I rarely do. It was a colorful joyful painting with a message of longing. I have titled it, “Wish You Were Here”.

wish you were here

Read more at : Week Word, Oh.