Surrender to Healing - a Personal Detox Story

In my search for optional material to use for making art, I wanted to find out what other artists had experienced, and what solutions they had found. I knew Shayla Perreault Newcomb had experienced some ill health effects from art materials. I also knew she had found her way back to a place where she could paint without adverse effects on her health. So, being of inquiring mind, I asked Shayla if she would enlighten us all.

Here is part one of a two part interview with Shayla about her experience. 

"Desire Turns Concrete" 16x20" oil on canvas © Shayla Perreault Newcomb

Shayla, how did you determine that your art materials were a problem for you? What materials were you using that you now know were causing a problem?

I was an art supply junkie and loved the endless supplies and experiments in the mixed media world. Using resins, like Utee, heat guns, alcohol inks, embossing powders, glues, acylics and acrylic mediums and trying out anything new gave my creative practice a rush. The landlord bought us cheap paint from Walmart for my studio walls and that had a nasty impact too.

I wasn’t aware for a long time. I’ve a history of being hard on my body so even though there had been warnings like stomachaches, nausea, headaches, chest pains, sore throats and crankiness after experimenting with mixed media and acrylics, it wasn’t until  those symptoms intensified and were combined with a fatigue so great that I ended up weak, bed ridden, needing help to get up to the washroom, and at the worst of it only awake for

about 1 hour in 24.   My body was so badly in need of healing and detox

that even a pencil set me off once. I surrendered to healing at that point and took it as a cue to take a break from art. The fact that I fought it for so long made it worse.

When you first found out you had to switch materials, what process did you follow to find out what might be a better media for you to use?

After lots of TLC and healing, it was discovery time. I asked around on forums, searched the internet and even made it into the local art supply store and asked the artists there. It ends up being a personal journey because everyone’s body reacts differently. There are some materials that generally don’t cause reactions. Food grade materials, spices like tumeric, natural food coloring (like beets), egg tempera paint, conte crayons, some brands of children’s tempera paint. I would go slowly and not introduce more than one element every few weeks.  I researched ingredients, found all that formerly boring studio safety stuff to be fascinating reading, found that “non-toxic” is loosely defined, doesn’t necessarily mean “safe” and that I needed to be the one to decide that not a manufacturer.  The whole time I made sure my body was well rested to avoid a major setback

The most surprising part of my process was realizing that the whole time I’d had to stop painting, hadn’t been “unproductive.” Even while I thought I wasn’t working, part of me was gathering ideas. Once I got started again, my art blossomed into a whole new level and was stronger than before. It was at this point, that I started getting a lot more recognition as an artist.

Did you ever feel lost or worried that you would not be able to continue your calling as an artist? How did you support yourself in the process of letting go and finding a new path?

Yes, I did get lost and since I used to be a black and white kind of person, the thought of suicide crossed my mind. It never developed into a plan, but it was an unhealthy way to view my situation. I think I saw art as my purpose for living, my identity and was not grateful for even the incredible blessing of breath, the pleasure of breathing. I started a daily gratitude journal. I supported myself with green juices that tasted like life and sunshine, by sitting in nature in the sun with Jennifer Louden’s, “The Woman’s Retreat Book: A Guide to Restoring, Rediscovering, and Reawakening Your True Self — in a Moment, an Hour, a Day, or a Weekend”  and investing any new energy into something that would increase my energy like gentle stretches. I’d always been inspired by stories of people pushing past limitations, like the amazing Frida, but unlike her story, I had the opportunity to heal and now was the time to listen to my boundaries. Thinking about other artists’ experiences with illness such as Matisse, and my friend Elaine Amyot and how they were able to find creative solutions to work within their limitations was the mindset I needed to find my path.

You can find Shayla’s blog here, called Shayla’s Art Diary. Shayla describes herself with the statement

I believe in freedom, imagination, and living a divine and expanding life with joy. My artistic style is 'meditative.' The rhythm of the three shapes prompts us to pause. I found out afterwards that this was also used by the ancient Greeks in a similar way to express what they call  'Kairos' or unmeasured time. When in 'Kairos' time, we're free of the daily rush and time stands still. 

Thank you Shayla! This is the end of Part One. Part Two will be published here next weekend.