Source: Lauren Saba, used with permission
Since my new book, The art of mourninglaunched on May 16, magical synchronicities have occurred. I told a longtime friend and art gallery owner, Lauren Saba, that I wanted to return to my former hometown sometime this summer and host a book event at her gallery. Shortly after, I got a text from Lauren. She sent me a description of the artist that two judges had just selected as the 2024 Summer Artist at the Gallery of Dreams’ Fort Works Art Gallery:
“Allie Regan Dickerson, creative director and artist, channels her deep grief into her deeply introspective work. After the diagnosis and subsequent loss of her son to stage four lung cancer, Allie’s journey into art took on new depth and meaning. Conceived during long walks in nature while processing this personal loss, her latest series blurs the lines between sculpture and painting, exploring themes of repetition and interruption, brokenness and renewal, beauty and loss of beauty, and fragility and strength. Her work during the Gallery of Dreams Residency reflects her commitment to honoring her son’s memory and documenting her family’s journey through grief. She invites others to share in her story and reflect on their own experiences with loss.”
I thought to myself, “I need to meet and work with this woman who uses her art to express and process her grief.”
A powerful collaboration came about thanks to the Gallery of Dreams, a nonprofit organization in Fort Worth, Texas that “promotes contemporary artists and inspires creative experiences with positive community impact.” Allie Regan Dickerson and I shared how engaging with our respective art forms has helped us navigate our journeys of grief. Our collaboration brought to life the emerging field of neuroart, demonstrating how creative expression can transform our experiences of grief and loss and enable us to access the wisdom of those experiences in new ways.
In Allie’s art studio, we interacted with her captivating artwork through storytelling, dance, music, and voice. This experience highlighted the profound impact art has on processing difficult emotions and demonstrated that when artists work together, they honor their individual stories and create a shared space for others to explore and understand their own experiences of loss. It was a vivid reminder of how the power of art forges connections, brings healing, and opens new pathways to understanding our deepest emotions.
You don’t have to be an “artist” to find ways to express and process your grief through art. Whether it’s a memorial act like looking at old photos, singing a specific song that connects you to your loved one, or celebrating their life with a dance in your kitchen, your art is a powerful tool for healing.
