This World Art Day, we meet Doron – who has run art sessions at The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre for the past seven years. He became an art therapist when he discovered the power of art himself.
Doron explains: “After a medical procedure 15 years ago, I was in so much pain that I didn’t know what to do and was in a very bad place. I had always wanted to paint, so joined a local club and found that painting gave me freedom from my pain.”
“I wanted to share that with others so, after teaching art to people with dementia for a little while, I simply knocked on the door at Pickering one day. The team here was very welcoming, so I set up an art class.”
Doron wanted to understand more about the process of art as therapy, so took an art therapy qualification, which he found very useful. Now, he runs an art class at Pickering every other Tuesday morning.
“I honestly see the difference in visitors from when they walk in the door to when they leave. I usually start the class with a little guided breathing session and mediation, after which I invite visitors to paint along with me. Visitors have said that, in addition to escaping for a while, art has given them more confidence.”
Many visitors tell Doron initially that they haven’t painted since childhood or simply ‘can’t paint’, but he says everyone can benefit from art and, over the years, the group has discovered some very talented artists.
Doron adds that some visitors have taken art into their everyday lives.
“If I’m having a bad day with pain, then I’ll take out my sketchbook and draw for a short while. I even wake in the night and do that and, in just a short time, I forget about my pain. One visitor told me recently that she’s started sketching in the evenings and has really benefited.”
While Doron typically works in oils himself, at Pickering he focuses on water colours and sometimes acrylics.
“Water colours are much cleaner and don’t have such a strong smell and, when it comes to art therapy, that’s important to consider,” he says. “Art changed my life and gave me purpose and it’s a privilege to share that as a volunteer here at Pickering and to help visitors ‘escape’ from their illness for a little while.”