<![CDATA[Connecting Artists to the Community with Education, Therapy and Fun

<![CDATA[Connecting Artists to the Community with Education, Therapy and Fun - Linda's Blog]]>Wed, 27 Jul 2011 20:44:18 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Video experimenting]]>Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:12:13 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2010/06/video-experimenting.htmlI was experimenting with the video production and ran across several glitches:
#1, weebly allows for 100 mb of video- with my camera, that amounts to about 1 minute of footage. I did manage to "shrink it down" in size, allowing for appx. 2 1/2 mins to 3 in some areas, but it is still quite disjointed. I will either have to become adept at speed-teaching (lol) or go to Youtube (upload is incredibly slow).

So, bare with me while I figure this out. Below is footage (1st part among several) on a new project I was working on. If you have the patience to play each piece, I hope you find it intersting.

Blessings,

Linda

]]><![CDATA[New paintings and video on the way]]>Wed, 26 May 2010 20:19:34 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2010/05/new-paintings-and-video-on-the-way.html On the home front in personal time, I’ve kept up with painting. This sounds like a no-brainer and something that I do all the time, but not true. It’s taken me years to view painting as a serious endeavor that has spiritual, emotional and monetary value because it just FEELS TOO GOOD! Part of the attitude that makes it “feel” like play is the thing that makes us not take it seriously. It’s taken a while to get past that. (Besides, where did that belief come from that work can’t be fun? Any ideas?)

And past it, I am~ For the past few months I’ve done tons of paintings… tons in respect to the amount of complexity and work that has gone into them, probably not numbers- but the time that’s went into these I could have done 50 one-layered acrylics. The inspiration behind these new pieces have more to do with the appreciation of complexity and ambiguity, facets and relationships.

The idea is that we are different people, not in the multiple personality disorder (Dissociative Identity Disorder) type of way, but realistically within one day. Think of the people you come across throughout a day… are you the same to each person? Is your relationship with your daughter the same as that with your father? Do you appear the same way to a stranger at a gas station as you do your Mom? If you acted the same way with your boss as with your best friend, you’d probably get fired, ha ha.

If we think of ourselves in terms of who we are to the people we come in contact with, and then the different facets they see within us- happy, moody, sad, goofy, irritated, spacey- we are in fact- many people squared. With this thought in mind (or many thoughts in mind) I tried to pull many faces of one person into one painting that has turned out to be, in a way, emotional cubism (think Pablo Picasso). I painted many variations of the same parts of a face in different colors (different emotions) and then tied them together with one line. ßmore on this later.

After getting the piece the way I wanted it (or it wanted itself) on a flat, 2-D level, I built up the painting with clear resin. That stuff can go on thiiiiick ;) In between each layer of resin, I painted something--- and something INTERESTING happened: it looks 3-D!! The more opaque the paint, the closer the object looks… the thinner and disappearing the paint, the further away it looks. Hadn’t expected that~ So not only do we have dimensions on a flat level, it’s also projecting and receding as you can see the other layers of pictures/paint/doo dads under it.

Ah, with anything this much fun, there is the danger of overdoing it, which I did. The thing looks horribly gaudy (but I like it). It was fun, so I just kept going.

The next piece is one that will be simpler, yet as complex in thought. It will celebrate the unity of all of creation into one force as the celebration of all experiences into one person. You are part of all that has touched you (whether you wanted the experience or not) and also of all that you’ve touched. This thought requires as much surrender to accept experiences as it does accountability to what you become part of, as well~ a seeming paradox, but realistic one that follows us throughout our lives.

While doing the inspiration piece, I videoed the process- almost start to finish, just to give an idea of what was going on throughout the process. The only part I didn’t video was the beginning, the part where I just drew a black line all over the canvas. No thought process there, just the faith that God would guide me to creative wisdom throughout the process. I had the faith to show up at the canvas and allow God to move through me, even though I had no forethought or expectation of what was to come.

I showed up, drew the curvy line and waited… and looked at it with an open mind and heart. Soon, ideas started to flow in and I was involved, taking dictation at times it seemed, and then enjoying the process of creation without stress and worry about “getting it right”. I felt that if this piece wasn’t something “sellable” (something the public determines, not me), then it would be something enjoyable and something that would inspire other works that would also have purpose. Remember when the Lord created everything, He was pleased.

And so it is with me too. Why would His creation be any different?

]]><![CDATA[Art with Heart\'s Updates- many!]]>Wed, 26 May 2010 18:28:24 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2010/05/art-with-hearts-updates-many.html Art with Heart is changing faster than the time I have to sit and reflect on the ways. The minute I write what has been going on, something comes along- almost within the same day- to make the first observation obsolete! Wow, what a life~ I write when I can and, thankfully, people are forgiving of my inequities, forgetfulness and seemingly airheadedness. We’ve had shows, plenty of cancellations and some other wonderful and surprising news.

But before we go into that, we have to crow from the top of every rooftop that Art with Heart will have a home base in THE GALLERY of Ocean Springs! Mark Lafontaine has one of the most unique, unifying and harmonious visions for an art gallery that we have seen and we are honored to be invited to be part of his creation. The Gallery itself is GORGEOUS, right off Government St. in Ocean Springs, two doors down from Al Fresco’s (yes, the one on the corner with the mural!). Mark picked a bright yellow front trimmed with black with maroon awnings and white lettering over both windows and the door: one says ART WITH HEART. We are so proud for so many reasons.

Our room is in the back left~ we can have a few classes there and I’m now working on scheduling so I can be there Monday-day, Tuesday, Thursday-day and Wednesday evenings. Since we travel around so much to schools and centers, we have to leave room open for our movable art studio (ha ha) as our rolling stone gathers no moss, but many art students.

I’ll write more as I get it, but for now its been some painting the inside and planting out front, both of which I love to do.

Art with Heart has had something big just about every week: At the end of April, we put on an art show for Essie Chestang, which was a success. We had a small turn out, a wonderful variation of art and artists and plenty of food! We enjoyed ourselves, although I was torn between a skipping CD and chatting with guests. (I’d have much rather been chatting with guests.) What I loved about this art show is that we broke down boundaries between artists’ age and skill level and held everything with equal importance. As far as we know, everyone appreciated the new approach, too.

Between then and now, we have been “pseudo-rained out” for almost every festival. Weather forecasts are the closest thing we have to a crystal ball, and we stayed home on the days the forecasts said we’d have 60% chance of rain/thunderstorms. Guess what?? NO RAIN. We were supposed to bring art from Essie’s Art show to the Moss Point River Jamboree to show, but decided to keep it at home, safe and dry… but no rain. Guess what day we DID get rained out? Mayfest, the day that had only 30% chance. We figured, Whats the chance? We’ve missed out on the festivals and have been dry so far. What a bummer!

We weren’t the only ones scrambling around with our prized creations stuffed under our shirts, Cindy Shafhirt (Makana Art) was right next to us. She opted to stay, however, due to the tough stuff her gorgeous clay works are made from. People to the left and right were soaked to the bone, but their artwork stayed safe, which was the artists’ main concern. Down a little from us was Romy Simpson and Mark LaFontaine with a few more artists, but Mark’s quick thinking kept them dry when he put up his “uber-tent”, ha ha.

In the middle of the chuckle, there is an amount of seriousness involved here: this is the main way we get our funding for our classes and, without the funds from art festivals and face painting, we are hit pretty hard in the knee caps. We still have Kids’ Day at Edgewater Mall and a few other events throughout the summer, so we’ll see.

Gabe McReary has graduated! Gabe is (or was- I should say) a student from Moss Point Highschool who has helped us so much at every festival we’ve been to, with great skill and patience. Besides contributing with his skills as a face painter, he is a gifted anime artist. We are glad that he is a graduate because he can now enjoy full Art with Heart membership benefits of a Membership page, email address, etc, and we are grateful to have his input and companionship. Oh, btw- he graduated as a Mississippi Scholar, what an honor!

New and Old Classes

We’d started an art class at Colorful Creations in Biloxi, through the wonderful support and gifts of Marie Atwood. Surprisingly, within three classes, we were growing in students and need of chairs! We had literally run out of chairs, wow.

Our class is a great deal of fun, with about ½ and ½ technical skill instruction verses creative experimentation~ and we were a success so much so that we had to find a larger building. Unfortunately, it’s taken a great deal of time (in Art with Heart terms) for the Community Center to get back with us about allowing us to use their building with waived fees… with an answer of “no”. So, we are now working on plan C and awaiting communication for our new class, still. This shouldn’t take as long (I pray!) Keep your fingers crossed for us. I’ve contacted Lou Finkle and will contact the community Center on Pass Rd. tomorrow. I’ve had to cancel this afternoon’s appointment with Gulfport Memorial to be on the phone and computer almost all day working out details and contact information so we can get our class’s show on the road.

Besides those things, the computer looked like it was “threatening” to crash today, so all of Art with Heart’s file have been organized and backed up- in between finding and USING the contact info for the class. The art of multitasking! But seriously, talk about my heart going into my throat and skipping beats. It was slow, so I restarted it, it restarts and then goes to “sleep”, like it had lost power. I poked the on button and it picked up where it left off and then blacked out again. The last time this happened, I had a fried hard drive! We lost everything on the computer then. This time, it booted back up after I’d poked the on button again and then I took the cue to back everything up onto external hard drive, just in case. Fool me once ;)

Its taken care of for now, thank God.

Until later,

Linda
]]><![CDATA[Two new series and inspiration]]>Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:57:06 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2010/01/two-new-series-and-inspiration.html Wow, I thought I started a paragraph about the Gospel of Thomas, but can't find it on this blog. Funny- so if you see a sentence started somewhere that makes no sense, thats what its about, haha. Anyway, after watching some documentary on the theory of Jesus having gone to India and studying with Hindu scholars, I was moved to read up on the Gospel of Thomas.

I'm an avid studier of Jesus (and other prophets/mystics) and want to put His teachings in visual form- much is anyway as in my piece The Seed Sower. Throughout this, I'm also working on the Journey into Motherhood series, dedicated to our child-to-be, full of the experiences and thoughts that came into being before our being comes into being :)

Much of the text is confusing--- very cryptic- such as "84. Jesus said, 'When you see your likeness, you are happy. But when you see your images that came into being before you and that neither die nor become visible, how much you will have to bear!' " What could that mean?

I'm thinking the scripture as a whole is ambiguous so people can apply it to themselves in whatever time and situation they find themselves in~ none of the writing is concrete at all. Gotta love that! So much of the scholarly speak hinges on that his teachings were time related and contextual (for the specific people who were dealing with a specific issue), but I don't- I don't believe that he was teaching the present people as much as everyone... that the sermons given at the time is meant to be applied in the particular way you think in your time.

But, going there, the first part is easy-

“When you see your likeness, you are happy...”: when you see someone like yourself/your child/people who look like you/same religion, values, race, gender? “you are happy”. Able to relate to them? Alive? When you see living people alive?

“But when you see your images that came into being before you...: Ancestors? Anthropology? "and that neither die nor become visible...": Angels? Dead people? Bodies? Because they’re already dead? Their spirits? Ghosts? How can you see something that isn’t visible? Could be about bones, anthropology- “how much you will have to bear!” Anxiety, worry… When you see people like you, you’re happy, but when you are faced with having the same outcome of your predecessors, you’re going to get anxious? But then, that’s my interpretation. If it doesn’t “become visible”, its probably mental apparitions, thoughts- possibly?

The text is filled with passages like this- simple, wise, amorphous.

In many places, the 5 major religions might be the topic- the family of 5 quote, in particular.

“16. Jesus said, "Perhaps people think that I have come to cast peace upon the world. They do not know that I have come to cast conflicts upon the earth: fire, sword, war. (OK, having shaken the foundation of their belief system…)

For there will be five in a house: (Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism- “house” as in unity, they are of the same family) there'll be three against two and two against three, father against son and son against father, and they will stand alone." (Stand alone as in solitary? Or lonliness, having lacked something? Kept separate?)

The quote “After all, what goes into your mouth will not defile you; rather, it's what comes out of your mouth that will defile you," should be yelled off mountain tops :)

]]><![CDATA[SAD update- melatonin and light therapy works]]>Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:26:17 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2010/01/sad-update-melatonin-and-light-therapy-works.html In regards to the Seasonal Affective Disorder since the last post, I've tried to take melatonin at night (when I remember and its not too late) to reset my sleep melatonin cycle. Sometimes, the melatonin cycle gets skewed to not "shut off" until mid-day, hence the half asleep feeling SAD sufferers mention.

The daylight balanced bulbs at 5500k were VERY REASONABLE ON EBAY, so do a search on 5500k cfl and see what you come up with. They also set mood, motivation and concentration.

A bit about light and mood: 5500k bulbs simulate noon daylight necessary for mood change if winter blahs are effecting you. CRI- color rendering index- of a bulb should be at least 90... but many daylight bulbs don't have the cri rating listed. For the price and the money saved getting bright screw-in florescents, they're worth getting anyway. Amazon is another good place to find these. Do a search and see what you come up with. Don't hesitate to email me with questions :)

I'm not making any money from this testimony, I honestly feel 100% better. Motivation/energy has returned, and my thinking is no where near as sluggish. It feels so good not to be wandering through thick, mental mud~ I just wanted to be able to function, but I'm happy, too, which is more than I had expected and I'm grateful.

Warning to those in their 20’s and below: Some of these conditions we may be predisposed to starts to rear their heads the older we get- and YES, it will happen to you. No one told me this, this is why I’m relaying some wisdom so you can be prepared. There will come a time, if you’re lucky to live through life’s phases, when issues are no longer shielded by the wonderful buffer of youth. Some issues are inherent from early on: I always thought I had end of semester fatigue in college, but I think it was the cycle starting to poke its way through. Year by year, it'd been growing.

Its a pain to have to get used to the body you live in all over again over and over. But it happens to all of us. Just when you learned and got used to your abilities, its morphed or snatched away all together! That old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be ;)

On that subject, I did a poem on a painting about it: sunflowers without color, just a hard, reflective metallic "shadow" of their usual luminous, sunny transparent glory. The leaves have much yellow and brown, not new growth signifying vitality~ and the sky is a dark weight of cooler colors. It made my mind wander to the way some viewers have hard times with darker pieces- it amazes me how difficult it is to understand forces beyond our control and judge others accordingly. Some will even go so far as to cut off their own painful experiences so much so that they ostracize a painting/artist for expressing theirs. A reaction is much more about the reactor than the catalyst.

In this case, it felt good to get it out and accept it. Wisdom comes from acceptance~ circumstances truly undergo change. Because of the realization, I'm going to take a break from most things from Nov. 1 to when people go back to school/jobs in January- and then, at a slower pace. But not this year, its starting out with a bang. ]]><![CDATA[How are your battles fought?]]>Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:19:58 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2009/12/how-are-your-battles-fought.htmlAfter having a friend stay with us with physical and mental ailments, a busy holiday season and so many different classes and new ventures for Art with Heart, blogging has gone by the wayside for a while. Now that the quiet season is upon us, I'll have more time to write and create.

Today's topic is "how are your battles fought?" This season, some of us are battling issues with finding new jobs, struggling to keep old ones, in laws, sick relatives, sick US, travel, and stress and anxiety dealing with all the above. Besides these normal pressures of our society and the season, some of us have an added weight attached to us, slugging us down and making life more difficult. My particular battle this season is, I truly resign to accept, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). All of us have our own tiny and large issues we go to war with every day, week and month and this one just happens to be mine. Its time for me to take stock, be honest and come clean. I am depressed! Instead of pathologicizing it, what can be done to put it into the context of living? How can it be put into every day life and managed? It happens every year starting some time in late October through November... so...

My battle is going to have to be fought with a Happy Light to paint by starting in October from now on ( and this year when it comes in), endurance- just putting one foot in front of the other (no matter how much I don't feel like it) until it passes, a simple routine (to fore my circadian rhythm to rely upon something more suitable than fleeting sunlight). Starting tonight, taking a pill of melatonin available at any health food store or WalMart at about 9 or 10 pm will put a jump spin on a mixed up system... and then set the alarm for a reasonable 9:30 am.

Finally, part of the battle is to accept it as part of my life. God made me this way, so what is God telling me is natural for me? To take it slow, do what you're supposed to (apparently, paint, thats all I feel like doing) and just be quiet. I've decided to put Art with Heart classes on hold til I can get my batteries recharged (January 4) and next year, our winter break will start at Thanksgiving Holidays. We will not be meeting again til January. This will give time to search for funding options and give teachers and students a much needed break.

In the spirit of acceptance, its also time to stop smacking myself around for not being dressed in red and white with lots of bling and twirling around mistletoe and holly berries with a red and green pair of pom poms. With that acceptance comes a huge sigh of relief~~~ I work awfully hard and love what I do the rest of the year, so it makes sense to just give myself a break at the end of it. But that doesn't mean I don't have to do the obligatory Christmas shopping, etc., as some things will never change.

All of thats fine and good, but how does it feel? Awful. Numb. Duh. Part of the struggle and the awful is that no matter how much better and more "into it" I'd like to be, it just isn't happening. Sometimes its so hard to accept we don't have control of some things... and this is one of them.

On a daily basis, getting out of bed is difficult because of the fatigue- and it doesn't matter how much sleep you get~ everything feels like a struggle- to do dishes, put away clothes, call back clients. Even normal activities take so much energy, like driving to a meeting. The meeting itself is embodied with quiet because all my energy was spent on the driving- ugh.

Christmas cards are annoying because it is a reminder of the ones you didn't have the energy to send out... and the events that would have sounded like fun back in August, like a party, you put on the shelf in trade for solitude and couch potato-ness. Nothing sounds better than being by yourself.

Its hard to do all the things that you know will stave off depression- walk an hour in the afternoon or get out and be with friends when your insides are telling you to go home and just hibernate under the covers. All I want to do is sit home and paint.

Add onto that a well seasoned grumpiness~ I'd like to chase down the creators of Christmas commercials and smack them with a puffy, red stocking stuffed with rocks O:)

How long has it been going on? Every year since college, I noticed a decline in my energy levels usually beginning in October. Every year, I think the same thing: this year will be different, something will happen and the fog won't settle this year... but it always inevitably does. In fact, recently, the energy slump has gotten worse, including a need to sleep 10 to 12 hrs a day and still not feeling awake the rest of the day. In addition to that, not giving two craps about my schedule because the energy isn't there to think about getting dressed, much less make a lesson plan for the rest of the month!

Most of us have energy slumps, but if you're dealing with one that just seems to drag on and last weeks or months, you may want to have a talk with your doctor. SAD is a real issue for people with inflexible schedules- those of us who can't take time off or put things on hold for a while until our brains wake up. In fact, thats most of us!

Some of the facts: 10 to 20% of all people have mild symptoms during the winter, but 2 to 3% deal with its effects on a serious level, having difficulties with work, school and social obligations. While our northern brothers and sisters are usually those effected with SAD more commonly and we southerners enjoy sunshine a little bit more than the those north of the mason/dixon line- that does NOT mean to say that a small portion of us do not deal with the common symptoms of fatigue, lack of energy and apathy that characterize this issue. Our light, at least this year, has been cut even shorter due to the unusual amount of rainy and gray days we've had.

Some of us even have SAD depression in summer- I have summer blues, but its not quite as pronounced. The unrelenting heat and sun gets me. Check out the NY times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/13/health/seasonal-depression-can-accompany-summer-sun.html

Its thought to come from the increase in melatonin, a hormone kicked in gear with darkness, that causes sleep and lethargy. In contrast, our seratonin levels go down, which is connected with energy and alertness.

According to http://www.ei-resource.org/illness-information/related-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder-%28s.a.d%29/ , here are some other findings regarding SAD:

What Causes SAD?

The cause or causes of SAD are not as clear cut as it may seem. Although it would appear to be a direct result of lack of sunlight in winter months, the exact mechanism by which this causes depressive symptoms has yet to be determined. There are of course a few leading theories that at least partially explain what is going on in patients suffering from SAD.

Disruption of Circadian Rhythms
One major theory for explaining SAD involves the circadian rhythms of the body. The term "circadian rhythm" describes the fact that bodily functions seem to follow a set pattern throughout the day as if the body is working to a set schedule or internal clock. It's thought that in SAD this internal clock is disrupted, leading to various biochemical abnormalities and associated symptoms. According to this theory, sunlight acts as a type of synchronizer of the circadian rhythms in humans, and exposure to light can shift these rhythms out of phase. What this means is that the SAD sufferers body may be producing hormones (such as cortisol) and neurotransmitters that promote wakefulness well into the early hours of the morning and then still be producing sleep inducing chemicals such as melatonin until midday. This results in the unlucky sufferer not being able to sleep until past midnight and then not being able to drag themselves out of bed until late morning or later, which is a common situation. It has been found that the timing of light exposure, rather than the amount of light exposure, may have the greatest influence over circadian rhythms, and hence SAD symptoms (5).

To further explain the enormous effect light exposure has on the physiology and functioning of the body, we need to take a closer look at the hormone melatonin. As light levels decrease in the evening, the pineal gland begins producing melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone whose main function is to induce sleep by traveling through the bloodstream and transmitting the sleep message to other body systems. In healthy individuals the secretion of melatonin peaks in the middle of the night during our deepest sleep. At dawn, sunlight shining into the eye triggers the pineal gland to switch off the production of melatonin, thus removing the desire to sleep. Since melatonin travels to all parts of the body in the blood, it has far-reaching effects, as all hormones do. During the hours of darkness and sleep, melatonin influences the secretion of hormones from the pituitary gland, often referred to as the "master gland" of the endocrine system. The pituitary then reduces hormone production from other important endocrine glands such as the thyroid and adrenals. These glands produce vital hormones such as thyroid hormone, cortisol, and adrenaline, which control metabolism and motivate us to action during our waking hours.

Researchers have found that this system is disrupted in people with SAD. When SAD patients were compared with healthy controls, it was found that the SAD patients had consistently higher daytime melatonin levels during the winter months (6). High daytime melatonin levels would be expected to produce the symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness and the lack of motivation and desire to hibernate, that is seen in SAD sufferers. Other research has shown that taking melatonin supplements, which are available over-the-counter in the US, effectively "phase-shifts" the disrupted circadian rhythms (7). What this means is that if you have SAD and you tend to get to sleep past midnight and wake well into the morning or midday, if you take melatonin at say 9-10pm to induce sleep, your sleep cycle will be shifted back to normal and you will be able to wake earlier in the morning.

Serotonergic Dysfunction
Another major theory explaining SAD involves disruption to the way the neurotransmitter serotonin works. Serotonin is an extremely important chemical messenger in the brain and its function has a major impact on mood. Low serotonin function is thought to result in a type of depression characterized by symptoms such as feelings of sadness, worthlessness, guilt, and suicidal thoughts.

The hypothesis regarding serotonergic dysfunction is based on the findings that serotonin levels vary significantly in normal humans across seasons with lowest levels in the winter months. The research that found high daytime levels of melatonin in SAD patients, also found that the serotonin levels of everybody tested, even the healthy volunteers, were lower in winter than in summer (6). The serotonergic dysfunction theory of SAD states, based on research findings, that the receptors on brain cells that are stimulated by serotonin are not functioning correctly, resulting in abnormal neuroendocrine responses and the symptoms experienced in SAD (2).

Serotonin production is also intimately connected with the "sleep" hormone melatonin whose levels we have already seen are abnormal in SAD. In fact, serotonin is actually converted into melatonin. This happens as light levels fall in the evening and the pineal gland signals for melatonin production to increase. In simplistic terms the actions of serotonin and melatonin are opposing with serotonin stimulating us during the daytime and melatonin inducing sleep at night. In SAD, we know that melatonin levels are higher than normal during the day, so sufferers experience sleepiness and other melatonin induced effects, and are also prone to serotonin deficiency symptoms such as negative emotional states.

As a result of the close relationship between serotonin and melatonin, the circadian rhythm and serotonergic dysfunction theories should probably be seen as complementary to each other rather than as totally distinct explanations for SAD.

Genetics
An interesting area of SAD research has focused on genetics and how SAD affects families and populations both within countries and internationally. The issue of how susceptible different ethnic groups are to suffering from SAD has also been looked at.

One particular gene known as 5-HTTLPR has received a lot of attention from researchers as it has been found to be expressed differently in SAD patients (8). The 5-HTTLPR gene is involved with the function of serotonin (5-HT). Researchers have been careful to explain that this gene may not be the root cause of SAD but is certainly involved in the disease process and the production of symptoms. Other research has implicated the 5-HT2A gene, which is also involved with serotonin function. This gene they say is associated with the depressive symptoms of SAD but does not explain the seasonality of the disorder (9). Many of the genetic studies looking at particular genes have also looked patients families and found that, as with most mental illness, there is often a family history of mental health problems.

Intriguing facts have been discovered when researchers have looked at SAD in different populations. The general consensus appears to be that the further north you go (in the northern hemisphere), the greater the number of people there are suffering from SAD. As mentioned in the introduction, a major review of SAD research found that in both North America and Europe, there are more cases of SAD the further north you go. However, it was also found that North America has twice as many cases of SAD than does Europe (4). What this suggests is that the lower light levels at more northerly latitudes are indeed an important risk factor for SAD, but are not the only factor. Perhaps the higher incidence of SAD in North America can be attributed to greater racial diversity than is present in Europe or to other cultural and social factors.

Another piece of evidence suggesting a genetic predisposition to SAD comes from a study conducted at Columbia University, NY, in 2002. This study of 165 SAD patients found differences in symptoms experienced by sufferers of different races, and also the intriguing result that blue eyed people suffered less severe symptoms than those with darker eyes. The researchers stated that "lightly pigmented eyes, in particular, may serve to enhance photic input during winter and allay depressive symptoms in vulnerable populations" (10). Essentially, lighter eye colour allows more light to enter the eye and thus reduce susceptibility to SAD during the dark winter months.

These research findings lend some weight to the assumption that millions of years of evolution and adaptation to the environment have optimized human biochemical and physiological systems for living in equatorial conditions, where light is plentiful and of even intensity throughout the year. Humanity began its migration out of Africa only about 150,000 years ago. This relatively short evolutionary time-span may not have provided enough time for us to fully adapt to conditions in the more northerly areas of the globe that hundreds of millions of us now inhabit (11).

In Conclusion
Although the exact mechanisms by which SAD occurs are not yet clear, the information presented in the theories above provides us with a basic understanding of the factors that contribute to the condition, and help direct treatment approaches (bright light therapy, antidepressants, nutrients, getting outside in the sun etc). It is likely that factors from all the theories discussed are involved with the illness. Further research should fill in the blanks in the coming years.

SAD in Environmental Illnesses

SAD itself could be described as an environmental illness, since lack of sunlight appears to be one of the most important factor in its development. Here however, we'll take a look at the relationship of SAD to the main environmental illnesses we focus on at The Environmental Illness Resource.

SAD appears to be common amongst chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia sufferers. Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, a CFS and fibromyalgia specialist, and author of best selling book 'From Fatigued to Fantastic', addresses the issue of SAD with his patients. Dr. Teitelbaum recommends using a 10,000 lux lightbox for 30-45 minutes every morning if his patients symptoms get worse during winter. He is the only physician to have had the effectiveness of his CFS and fibromyalgia treatment protocol proven by clinical studies (of the kind used to test effectiveness of new pharmaceutical drugs). Dr. Teitelbaum is not the only doctor treating CFS and fibromyalgia patients for SAD, it is common amongst environmentally aware physicians.

The instincts of Dr. Teitelbaum and others is backed up by research that we looked at earlier. If you recall, a study published in 1998 involving 110 CFS patients found that a large proportion had depressive symptoms, and that these, and the typical CFS symptoms not associated with depression, worsened during the winter months (1). Like Dr. Teitelbaum the researchers recommend bright light therapy to improve symptoms of both CFS and SAD during the winter months.

The results from a research study published in 2000 also found a link between multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and SAD. Two hundred and twenty-five subjects, including normal volunteers and patients with previously documented seasonal affective disorder (SAD), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Cushing's syndrome, Addison's disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), completed questionnaires describing their reactions to exposures to various chemicals. Patients with CFS, Addison's disease and SAD self-reported more sensitivity to chemical exposures than normal controls (12). The researchers suggest that these illnesses are linked to chemical sensitivity through the HPA-axis, the body's stress control system, as it is known to be dysfunctional in all of these conditions.

Anecdotal reports also suggest a link between SAD and MCS, and the author has also experienced this. It is often the case that people suffering from MCS also have problems with SAD. The interesting thing is that not only do SAD symptoms abate during the summer but the severity of their MCS symptoms also decreases. They may be able to tolerate larger amounts of chemicals, or reactions on exposure are less severe or prolonged, or both. This all suggests that serotonin is involved with both conditions. We've discussed serotonin's role in SAD, but it could also be involved in chemical sensitivity. A leading theory for MCS involves over-sensitivity of the limbic system in the brain. The limbic system is intimately involved with mood and emotions, and has high levels of serotonin. We could therefore hypothesize that disruption of serotonin function could result in both SAD and multiple chemical sensitivity.

Gut dysbiosis may also be connected to SAD by way of serotonin function. Serotonin is produced from the amino acid tryptophan which we get from protein foods. Unfortunately, it is known that if a gut dysbiosis condition is present, the unfriendly microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast can get hold of the tryptophan themselves before we have time to absorb it through our intestines (13). Without sufficient supply of tryptophan, susceptible individuals are likely to become deficient in serotonin, with the result being various forms of depression, including SAD (14).

There has been little research into a connection between autism and SAD but a report published in 1998 described 2 patients with learning disabilities who showed symptoms of SAD and responded to bright light therapy. The authors suggested more research was needed in this area (15).

_____________________________________________

Oh well, I'm going to go paint about it. Maybe it'll be included in our show-in-the-making about art theapy.

Hint: its called The Season without Sun.

]]><![CDATA[Mt. Kilimanjaro (Mother and Child)]]>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:35:51 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2009/09/mt-kilimanjaro-mother-and-child.htmlThis oil painting is in its infancy and is about the shape the Mother and Child makes and the shape in the mountain behind them. Note the heart shape in the mountain that mirrors the interaction and shape the mother and child makes. This exists in the mountain in reality, was strictly by accident I chose to marry the images and, yet, there it is there in plain site!

I started it as both a quest for subject matter for the Congo festival (I looked up Congo points of interest and Congo dress and found these images) and a personal comment on what is happening in my life, as always. To respect copyright laws, I'm turning it into a piece all mine with changing of the clothes into my own, i.e. the clothes will say what the adult in me wears around... my life experiences, what floats inside my head, etc. Its an inspiration, not a copy!

The child is the child within that carries around questions and comments from the past. The adult is in a loving and accepting form, showing the acceptance of past issues and the caring relationship between present and past. She hears and accepts what the child is and loves him.

Its form will turn into a mixed media oil/collage. As with everything else, more pictures will follow as it nears completion.

Thank you for looking!

]]><![CDATA[Old Woman Wisdom]]>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:09:27 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2009/09/old-woman-wisdom.htmlOld Woman Wisdom started to form while we were doing a clay project at the Steven's Center Women's group as I was overhearing Dianne talk to the group of clients about wisdom, wrinkles and age. As I worked with my little piece of clay, a face started to form and one of our clients said she looked like an owl. How fitting! Owls are some of my "closest" creatures and they are associated with wisdom and, of course, wisdom is associated with age. (Altho sometimes I feel I have none of it but some premature wrinkles!)

The impressions of leaves we had gathered as a group started to form her "hair-feathers" and I watched her morph into a mixture of owl, tree and woman. The stars in her eyes were created with an imprint into the clay with immature fruit plucked off a tree in the Center's yard on the "texture getting" excursion. Much of the lines were made with sticks on the same afternoon, too.

So, as she continues to form, she "told" me she needed a body. And some big roots, later... no rush as she is wise and knows all too well the demands of other life's facets. She will grow, bear fruit and house some animals who will perch on her for shelter- some even breaking off a branch or two and shaping her form. Others will leave their mark and give her wings. Yet others will poop on her, gross~ yes, and give her fertilizer to sprout up stronger.

All in due time.

Note the smile lines and the starry eyes. The jowls were hard won, too. More to come, later.

Blessings,

Linda

]]><![CDATA[The Dragonfly]]>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:50:17 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2009/09/the-dragonfly.html

The Dragonfly is inspired by one of Stephen's pictures of a dragonfly and its silvery wings. The beginning of it was an experiment in texture and layers, now all it needs are some strategically placed lines to give it some form and a little trimming. I'll upload new pics as it grows towards completion.

]]><![CDATA[The Green Faerie]]>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:42:50 -0800http://www.art-with-heart.org/1/post/2009/09/the-green-faerie.htmlThe Green Faerie is an ode to New Orleans~ its mysterie, ties to magical alcohol mixtures (Absinthe), and the difference between who we are in our heads when we drink verses reality.

Much of my art is influenced by either New Orleans or the actual things that influenced New Orleans. Its beautiful mixture of cultures, new art, Art Nouveau, gardens, glitz, gaiety, superstition, , symbolism, Christianity, water, music, wrot iron, dance and "wildlife" (the critters and the parties).

I actually relate to the city in a few ways; I've written before that it felt like home the first time I visited. Neither of us feels the need to toe the line of ultra conservative rules that the rest of the south follows (altho NO is conservative/I am not). I also relate with the "Big Easy" feeling of New Orleans where everyone is accepted and open mindedness prevails. We were born free and maintained that sense, throughout the trials and tribulations of those things that would rob us. We both have empathy from the tragedies that have struck us and threatened to take us down... we both have had to scream loud enough for the rest of "them", sitting in oblivious contentment, to hear. We both have somehow magically maintained some grace and receptivity throughout it all.

We both live in an old house and appreciate its flaws instead of patching them up.

I hope you enjoy,

Blessings,

Linda

This is a closeup of the texture and complexity of The Green Faerie. Much of the piece is made with iridescent media or objects, so the purple is both pink and blue at the same time. I just love something interactive! Its so much more interesting than plain, static blah stuff.

Although the creation process is finished, the finish isn't finished: I have yet to put the epoxy resin on the piece... and I'm deliberating on whether or not to include a second layer into the resin. Maybe, maybe not.... who knows?

Another shot of the layers~ the greens change as they move through time, as does the frame within a frame (within a frame within a frame, lol) of iridescent violet turning both pink and green. Note the glow in the dark New Orleans' bones at the top.

]]>