CHARLOTTE REZNICK, PhD
Art is in my DNA. My grandfather painted murals in churches in Russia, yet when he arrived in New York City he could only find a job as a house painter. Before COVID, I would travel the world either painting in nature or once home, from beloved photos. During COVID I could not travel and had only my imagination left to guide me. My first love has always been the impressionists and post-impressionists so I had to turn to replicas rather than actual paintings or historical spots to inspire me. My own submission this year reflects that. Like one of my child client’s might, I find the experience of connecting to my imagination and playing with color freeing and cathartic. With children and teens, we delve into the mystical world of imagination and intuition. Using tools of art, meditation, and imagery, my kids connect to their true self, not the mask they often show the world. Our goal is to heal the damage that has been inflicted upon them by their inner and outer worlds. Within the safe heart-felt space of my office (and through the pandemic, still sometimes via tele-therapy) kids develop self-compassion, empathy, and intuition, helping to create a more positive future. Seeing from the heart’s eye brings out the artist in most. Whether in drawing, painting, or writing, art has a significant presence in our sessions – as it does in my personal life for my own health and healing.
The Sunrise: Dreaming of Travel after COVID
(Acrylic on Canvas, 12” x 16”)
Although my heart has ached during COVID as my passion for travel has been thwarted, I very much long to return to and explore my favorite impressionists around Europe. The Sunrise represents my imagination’s version of Monet’s Sunrise at Le Havre. Although I cannot be in front of this magnificent and other similar paintings in their homes in Paris, Provence, London, and Amsterdam, just like I teach my precious child clients, imagination can take us anywhere. Soon, a new day will rise when our hearts can be filled with wonder as we travel both within and without... healing to all our Souls.