As the summer wears into Fall, I have started studying. Fall is traditionally when classes start, and for me, that looks like studying not just art, but the ancient study of Traditional Chinese Medicine as it pertains to Veterinary Medicine. In another life outside my art, I am a veterinarian. It is interesting to note that traditional Chinese medicine has been around for about 2000 years and shows promise in the arena of pain relief and quality of life as we age. I am interested to see how this new view of the body will influence my practice style. I already note that I am looking at the body in new ways, and beginning to see how the whole works together and not just the pieces by themselves. Featured here is not a torture device, but a slew of electroacupuncture wires. Certainly, the patient seemed to do much better with walking and pain after receiving treatment.
I would like to note that art is not just a hobby, but an escape of sorts from the sometimes difficult world of veterinary medicine. Watching patients decline as they slip into old age, is probably one of the most difficult parts of being a veterinarian. The emotional toll can be great, which is why art is so important to me. It allows me to see the world through the eyes of a child. By playing in the studio, I am able to see the wonderment of the world we live in, and all the creatures that call Earth home. Thus art is both an escape, and a reinforcement of that to which I have devoted my life.
Art and science may seem like separate entities, but to me, they are simply parts of a whole. Parts of the whole picture and different ways to see the lives we lead.
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