#insp

medieval illuminated manuscript nails by pampernailgallery

moon and rainbow at sunrise by mark ham

heaven's preying gaze by comacheese, posted with artist's permission

Rainy day in Kamakura

富士山 Mt. Fuji by Masayuki Nozaki

I read somewhere that humor is born from sadness and tragedy. I don't think that's true in all cases, but perhaps in some degree mine. Our Internal Communication System are Animals. Drawing them since I was a child, I would hide them under a corner of the carpet in my room. Drawing wasn't encouraged and "secrets" had to be kept. They were created and drawn, after the abuse, when we would "leave" and "come back" from our journeys. A technique I could also obtain by rocking or banging my head on my mattress with a monotonous hum to sleep. (Altering the state of consciousness, I've come to learn.) In being alone here, there were always animals or people there, to comfort and help. So we became animals, drawing our life masked in symbols and humor. "We've" been in-and-out of therapy before, and "our help from there" diagnosed us here. (Much to the therapist's surprise and confirmation.) But artwork wasn't understood or used much in therapy and "head banging" was out of the question. So…leaving therapy, going back, being turned away, and not finding much else, we realized traditional psychotherapy just doesn't work for us. And in being the "psychotherapy misfits" that we are, I turned to our own, old resources. Once again we are banging our head (a 24" drum head, that is), drawing, and finding ourselves, our stories, and our help! Mayhem is not on paper and not acted out so much in daily life. I find much humor in our "human condition" (especially when I'm drawing it, and not living it). I thought in sending this, it might help others to see their humorous side, and to know they're not alone. And besides the fact…we don't have carpet anymore. Just hardwood floors! By Noah, MV