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The book Art, Creativity, and Psychoanalysis, presents a range of firsthand experiences of 12 practicing practitioners of psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis who also are actively engaged as creative artists. They are painters, photographers, creative writers, and musical and vocal performers. George Hagman, the editor, selected therapists of diverse theoretical backgrounds with “busy and prosperous psychoanalytic and analytic psychotherapy practices for at least ten years… most… have been formally trained in the arts and they maintain studios and exhibit their work in galleries or other pubic venues” (p. xiv). Hagman presents samples of the authors' work, including selections of paintings and photographs, and excerpts of poetry and other writings. Accompanying links provide access to the performing artists' websites and Internet musical shopping sites.
As an editor, Hagman initially raised questions for the writers to address, but found that they preferred telling their stories in their own ways, writing essays “that reflected their own experiences, thoughts and values.” He was “grateful” for this modification, as the essays turned out to be “a rich assortment, sometimes quirky, always honest and thoughtful, invariably unpredictable” (p. xvi).
As a reader, I benefited from meeting these 12 insightful individuals, with rich and fascinating lives to narrate. They provided insights into psychoanalysis, the arts they represented, and the impact this integration had on them, both personally and professionally.
The authors provide nuggets from their artistic experience, enriching my appreciation of their art. Anna Carusi discusses her artistic style, which is evolving over the years, and her excitement when she realized the possibilities opened up by adding the dimension of action to her paintings. Her description of her painting of the running of the bulls of Pamplona is accompanied by her painting, illustrating the powerful movements of the whole scene (p. 129