A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Gardens in Philadelphia.
Walking through these murals and pathways is simply mesmerizing. The pictures (not even the professional ones in Google) don’t do it any justice. It really is an art that you have to experience and immerse yourself in.
The museum itself was created in 2008, but Zagar has been working on it since 1994 when he found some empty lots and decided to beautify the streets of Philadelphia. After a couple of years, the owner of the lots (who did not live in Philly) demanded a huge amount of money or he would have the work bulldozed. The community, in love with his work, put all its efforts into preserving it and, after a two year legal battle, was able to make it into a non profit organization accessible to the public.
Zagar began to work on mosaics as a way to battle his anxiety and depression. He used materials that he would find in the streets and was inspired heavily by international artists such as Pablo Picasso, Antonio Gaudi and Simon Rodia, and by his three year Peace Corps service in Peru. His work is intricate, colorful, spontaneous, beautiful and so uplifting; there is something that makes you instantly happy about these mosaic murals and its even more special when you walk around the streets of Philadelphia and you randomly spot a wall with his unique style.
Lately, I have been under a significant amount of stress and anxiety for the future; I’m graduating this May and the thought of not being in school scares me. After that day, I was inspired by Zagar and I started painting. At first I was a mess; I was real rusty considering it had been ages since I picked up my watercolor palette. It was making me stressed: I was doing everything wrong! Nothing is pretty! What is this garbage! akfdjalkdj!
But, I took a deep breath and told myself to calm down, to not put so much pressure on myself, to draw in pencil first before using the watercolors, to draw with a light hand, to not worry if it wasn’t perfect, to just focus on what I was doing and how it made me feel, to use bright colors even though it wasn’t realistic, to enjoy the process and immerse myself in it. As I started to relax, I got lost in my own world of paint and, for a moment, I forgot about all my worries, I forgot about the future and the past, I forgot about the world. The finished painting was far from perfect, but it gave me the breather I needed. I may not have beautified the streets of Philadelphia, but I certainly beautified the corners of my mind: thinking of the painting that I did that day makes me happy instantly. And it’s not even that great! (and I promise I am not humble bragging). It just brings me to a time of calm and tenderness.
If you yourself are looking for inspiration, and don’t want to go all the way to Philadelphia (though I really recommend it), don’t forget that the MoMA, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and the Whitney Museum are FREE for Brooklyn College students with a valid id. You can also get a student discount at any Blick Art Materials store, which is better than nothing!
Art is therapeutic, that much is obvious. It is deeply personal and expressive and reflective. When the weight of your stress hangs heavily on your shoulders, it is important to remember to decompress. Your worries won’t go away forever but, it helps to take your mind of them at least for a little while. I don’t want to imply that making art cures everything or that it is the only way to cure anxiety, depression, or stress. There are many ways to address mental health issues and each one is different for each individual. What I do hope is that I inspired you to unleash your inner Picasso or to give painting a shot or to experience art for yourself.
– Alana
The Junction Journal 