![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/The-Mountains-We-Climb.jpeg\")
<\/a>Joaquin first started crafting at an early age with her grandmother. Although influential, her earlier years of crafting played a small role toward her becoming an artist. Her work in this exhibit in particular was driven from her experience at the Victoria Brain Injury Society and observing others in the classes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are all dealing with a similar thing\u2014what does work look like for us? Who\u2019s going to hire us? That\u2019s where I thought about what I could do to help them figure out what they needed to figure out\u2014through art\u2014because many do not see art as a medium of healing,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Due to the difficulties of reading and writing, Joaquin was drawn to visual arts as a way of expression. Searching for ways to relax after cognitive therapy, she discovered suminagashi\u2014a Japanese art form of floating ink on water with paper\u2014as well as printmaking and, before long, started incorporating collage, printmaking, and suminagashi together.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like collage because I could just rip and tear with no rhyme or reason, then as I moved into suminagashi, I could just cut around the shapes and create an abstract,\u201d says Joaquin. \u201cI stumbled into suminagashi in 2013 as a way of relaxing because I had such terrible nightmares I couldn\u2019t sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
The exhibit expresses this journey, starting with Future<\/i> and ending with Bloom<\/i>. The first is a collage of a chaotic silhouette on papyrus paper. Then, there\u2019s suminagashi, and, nearing the end of the exhibit, there are crisp cut-outs of different print and embossment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe exhibit reflects those changes we go through during recovery,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen you look at the first one it is all chaotic within the individual, but as you go through you see The Mountains We Climb<\/i> and see the ups and downs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although her grandmother did not strongly influence Joaquin\u2019s artwork, she did influence her approach to healing. Joaquin has memories of her grandmother putting vinegar on her temples and getting her to rest to treat her headaches. Joaquin\u2019s grandmother also showed patience with her own body rhythm and healing speed.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe uses her body\u2019s instinct to heal and uses rest, for sure,\u201d says Joaquin. \u201cShe taught me to decide my body\u2019s time to heal, not society\u2019s timeline.\u201d<\/p>\n
For many individuals dealing with mental-health issues, living in a busy society can be challenging to navigate. Joaquin\u2019s artwork addresses these challenges for the sufferer and illustrates how art can be used as an effective way of dealing with the challenges of recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith PTSD, I find I\u2019m most comfortable when I\u2019m just inside the house and I\u2019m not with people around,\u201d she says. \u201cThis is why I challenged myself to do a solo show\u2014it\u2019s nerve wracking, and I was terrified, but I feel that by being fearful, I am also fearless.\u201d<\/p>\n