People who inspire for all kinds of reasons, small or big.
There are folks in my life who have inspired me to be better. They’re my mentors. My teachers. My heroes. They’ve shared their knowledge with me, patiently and gracefully. Some are older. Some are younger. Age doesn’t seem to matter. All are wise and doing what they love. Once in a while, I’ll be chatting with them about what makes them tick and sharing their stories with you. I hope you’ll feel energized by their insights. And, one day, perhaps you’ll be my next featured wanderer. wonderer. creator.
Gail and I reconnecting at a recent art workshop.
Gail and I met a few years ago at an art workshop in Scottsdale. We reconnected at another workshop last month and had a fun reunion together. I also learned a lot more about Gail and her life. She inspired me with her past work as an Art Therapist and is currently using her talents and knowledge to help care for people in need during illness and recovery. I was fascinated with her story and wanted to share it with you! Meet Gail as I ask her some questions about what she does, what inspires her and what she creates with all her knowledge.
(Diane) Hi Gail! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me. Will you tell us briefly about your volunteer work.
Gail Wirtz Costello, MAT, MP, ATR: Retired Licensed Clinical (LCPC) Professional, Art Therapist
(Gail) Actually, I don’t think of my work as volunteer. It is a mission. I have known since I was 18; I was searching for a way to help people express their inner world, conflicts, or thoughts and feelings using art. When I was in art school at Tulane University I took a drawing class. A world I didn’t understand, came out my fingers onto the paper.
(Diane) I've always thought your artwork looked spiritual. Where is this coming from? Did something happen in your life that is presenting itself through your subconscious?
Gail: “I drew this in college. It’s me dying with a spirit guide sitting by my side.”
(Gail) I almost died when I was four. I think that's why I often draw and paint angels and spirits in my art.
(Diane) Wow! Having a near death experience would make me more introspective, too. You know this first hand, being an educated Art Therapist, that making art is a powerful tool for people to use to help release emotions and thoughts.
(Gail) You bet! After years of my own therapy, two master's degrees, (Education and Art Therapy), I can finally say I understand the power of art. If you are reading this you know the healing properties of art and how it can transform your life. This is why three years ago, during Covid, a young talented filmmaker by the name of Justin Cohen, and I, started a non profit called Artistic Healings. We worked in conjunction with Hoag Hospital. Cancer patients with low immune systems needed help communicating with the outside world. They were isolated in their homes.
We helped using video, and pre-packaged art kits. Hoag Hospital sent these to their patients.
Helpers packing art kits.
Our program has grown and we now facilitate hundreds of patients a year at Hoag. We reach out to patients in many different ways.
- Patients receiving Chemo in the Hoag Infusion Center make Gratitude Cards.
- We do symposiums where cancer patients do art.
- Hoag used our video and art kits as part to send to Oncology Nurses around the country as part of their symposium.
- We also work with The Hoag Solmar Drug and Alcohol Program.
If you would like more explanation, please view our web site artistichealings.com. We are a 501c3 and hope to expand our program to help treatment facilities where art therapist are not available.
It's fulfilling work, and fun, too!
(Diane) What a wonderful mission you’re implementing—creating tools to make art with and help people express themselves more freely, without being judged. How do you interpret artwork from a therapeutic perspective? Do you have a system you were taught to use as an art therapist?
(Gail) Yes, there are certainly tests we give like the House Tree Person Test, along with experience in what to look for. I worked with abused children and testified asking for my opinion on certain issues. I would usually make statements like “out of 56 drawings, the child drew 45 pictures with red their genital area." I would state in my experience this is highly unusual.
(Diane) hmmmm…I use a lot of blue; I wonder what that means?
(Gail) It means nothing, unless it means something to you.
(Diane) I guess I’m drawn to the cooler, calming colors. Are you ever surprised at your own artwork? Does it reflect your inner self in unexpected ways?
(Gail) Yes I am still surprised with some of the meaning which comes out my art.
Gail: “After my husband was diagnosed with Lymphoma, I asked God to show me where he was going and to take care of him. I made a series of art pieces from what he showed me heaven looked like. The bottom layer is egg tempera. I used this to create the most amount of depth and to help visualize heaven. “
(Diane) What is your long term goal with Artistic Healings? If it were a painting what would it look like?
(Gail) My head is a bit in the clouds about this. I am knee deep in making this program function. I am also writing a book called “Seeing the Unseen”. It outlines how to help people move forward from one developmental art level to another.
(Diane) Cool. I’d love to read it when it gets published. How is one way a person can move forward to a different developmental art level?
(Gail) You'll have to read the book. lol
(Diane) Of course! :)
(Diane) Do the hospitals keep any of the artwork made by the patients to hang on the walls for inspiration?
(Gail) No, there are strict HIPPA laws so no we don’t display art.
(Diane) I love the video and website you’ve created. How else are you marketing your mission to the world? Do you use social media?
(Gail) I am hoping we can put a video program together to go along with the book to sell to help people put together art programs.
Gail: “You can follow us on Instagram @artistichealings.”
(Diane) If anyone wanted to help (like me) how can we?
(Gail) I think the greatest potential for the program now is branching out to Drug and Alcohol treatment programs. They have the trained staff to handle patient issues but need help designing an effective art program to highlight the specific issues this population faces. Our video and art kits would work well here. I’d love to have you help move this part of the program forward Diane! We would of course need them to help with funding which is nominal compared to hiring an art therapist which most programs can’t afford. The videos are $4000.00 but the program can use them over and over. We would ship putting together individual art kits to parallel the art video and these costs are nominal.
Feedback is positive and affirmative!
(Diane) I would feel honored to help people going through recovery. And, I do have a little experience doing it. In 2009 I volunteered at The Red Cross Detox Center in Dharamsala, India helping a group of men during their recovery. I used many different techniques to give them hope and help focus on their future goals. My favorite project was having them make clay sculptures of what their addiction looked like. And then I had them smash their sculptures and make new ones of what their lives would like like without addiction. It was a fun and insightful project for the guys, and me, too!
(Diane) May people contact you through your website artistichealings.com to offer to help?
(Gail) I’d love that
(Diane) Do you feel comfortable talking about your own artwork? What you’ve learned about yourself through art and where you draw your inspiration from?
(Gail) Each drawing, has a story and a place in my history. I always say, my best art comes when I combine my inside feeling with the outside world. A drawing or painting that is completed with skill and accuracy, that is what I strive for. I plein air paint to improve the accuracy of my observational skills. It’s tough to combine the inside and outside but that’s what I strive to do.
One of Gail's plein air paintings
(Diane) I think that your description of the process of making art is spot on. I know that my own paintings are a combination of what I see in the outside world combined with what I see in my mind. They could realistically look like two different things, which is when I think the painting works the best; it’s not trying to be something it’s not supposed to be.
Thank you Gail for opening up to me about your life, your art and your mission. You inspire me, and hopefully others reading this will feel inspired and want to help, too
And, I encourage folks to explore Gail’s website artistichealings.com to find out more about how you can help people in need by implementing Gail’s mission...
“Individuals who engage in an ‘Artistic Healing’ experience have found purpose, courage and healing in the power of Art. Our team’s goal is to grow an awareness of the healing of art on a national and professional level. We hope that you will join our journey and find your own personal healing.”
