By Manda Barger • Photograhy by Matt Johnson
Stop for a moment and be here in the now with me. I recently had the opportunity of interviewing Joan Zehnder, an artist and retired art therapist who has helped generations in the Louisville region to process experiences of pain, grief, and trauma through the power of art, writing, and other forms of expression. She has inspired many with her own art to find comfort and love within the hustle and bustle of schedules, work, and family- something many of us can learn at any age.
Joan was born in 1938 and had a talent for art since the very beginning. While flipping through drawings she created in first grade, she reflects that her whole life has been in the presence of something beyond her and often comes out in her writing and art. While she describes herself as a Pollyanna, there were also times of uncertainty in her childhood. At the age of three, she was in the care of other family members while her parents had to address some of her mother’s medical needs. She would later discover as an adult she had blocked out memories of sexual abuse during that time away from her parents. Like many survivors, there have been moments in her life to address and process that trauma through therapy-and her art. She hopes sharing this allows other abuse survivors to find comfort in their path of healing. “The story of our lives sometimes just holds a beautiful gift of healing- and also a lot of pain,” as she explains.
After Joan graduated from high school, she joined the Sisters of Mercy and taught art at Assumption, Mercy, Holy Rosary, and DeSales High schools. She ultimately received Masters degrees in Art at the University of Notre Dame and in Expressive Therapy at the University of Louisville in 1988. She took these skills to help others at a cancer center, then a sexual abuse center before opening her own practice. Many would say her story is a lifetime of service, but she reflects on her journey with gratitude. She explains, “I remember pain in the job but not fear. [There] was a source of energy and strength and healing. And that was doing even more for me than the people I was helping.”
Whether you were once one of her clients or a stranger, you cannot ignore the warmth Joan shines in her being, her art, and her studio- which contains reflections of her work as an art therapist. From self-help books and materials to make collages to a sandbox and characters for clients to play out stories, you can feel a sense of security to express the mind, body, and soul.
As for her art, Oil paint on canvas has been Joan’s main medium but she also works with mixed media, oil paint on fabric, and writing. Throughout all of her pieces, you see a consistent call of love- not only for the world but also the self. Inspired by shamanism, part of her process involves meditation and expression before stepping back to hear what the piece has to say. This often involves a written piece containing a stream of consciousness with messages of comfort and encouragement. In one of her mixed medium pieces, there’s a card with “In the darkness the light and healing that you long for are already within your very being… Even in the deepest darkness know you were and are never alone. You ARE and will always be held in love.”
Though she is now retired from therapy, Joan continues to encourage and guide others along a path of growth. In a recent show, she featured art inviting others to find the interconnectedness of existence. Much of her work showcases aspects of nature, the Divine Feminine, and time. You can also find this in three books that feature her artwork: Imaginings, Threshold, and Creative Energy. And if you have the blessing of meeting her, she’ll likely encourage you to find a path of expression and self-empowerment.
Needless to say, Joan’s life is as inspiring as her art. It’s a life of expression, healing, and empowerment- all while assisting others on their path for the same. It connects again with a woman who reflects on her own triumphs while processing her pains. When asked what would she tell her six-year-old self who created beautiful drawings in first grade-, she answered, “My love for you will never leave you. Be not afraid, I am with you. I will hold you. I will protect you. I think you are so brave… I’m so proud of you and how you lived this beautiful life that happened.”
Joan’s books Threshold, Imagining and Creative Energy are available online at www.blurb.com