Wanda Springer
writer, artist, psychotherapist
Write. Listen. Sense.
quotes from the author
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Embracing unknowns and letting go of outcomes are the result of the death of perfectionism.
The unknowns, however, can be treacherous.
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..Memories are liquid. Grief is composed of the salt water of my soul. It seems it is all about the treading…just so I don’t sink quite so quickly to the bottom...
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Poetry is my song, my partner, my teacher, my quiet savior, my way of understanding a world that often makes no sense.
ABOUT WANDA SPRINGER
Of all the ways I could describe myself, I feel most at peace saying I am a poet. I have been writing poetry or prose since I could write. It was just natural to express myself writing stories, humor, or poetry. What started out as a ‘just me’ thing evolved into a survival tool. Writing is a way to make sense of the world: events, situations, relationships, losses, successes, love. Writing and the use of metaphor morphed into an essential method to find meaning in life.
Writing came in handy while in grad school at Boston University but, more importantly, after getting my MSW. Working with clients suffering with addiction and mental health issues, I had to find a way to process the trauma being presented. When I learned about the concept of vicarious traumatization, I realized I was experiencing some of that and turned to the thing that helped me throughout my life: writing. I wrote about my reactions and feelings about this sacred relationship: therapist and client. That process helped me manage the hard work of being a therapist.
While in the midst of my career, my own life-stuff erupted. Memories were triggered, feelings were reactivated. Old stuff came into the light once more. I learned to temper my memories, triggers, and life struggles so I could hold space for others. But when the day was done, I needed to process it all. Some of those writings are in Hawk on Fire.
Creativity is as necessary as oxygen. So I find ways to be embrace it. In addition to writing, I paint abstracts with oils. I use themes such as: Listen, Wait, Survival, Courage, Be, Grief. I look toward an emotion and try to capture it in color, shape, texture, light, energy. Because it matters.
I look forward to your responses and reviews about the topics in Hawk on Fire, a most personal and exciting reveal of parts of my life.
Oils on Canvas
All of my paintings are painted with oils on gallery wrapped heavy duty canvasses. Each canvas is made of heavy weight cotton duck, archival quality, acid free titanium acrylic gesso primed, with a 1 1/2” wood frame profile, with kiln dried beveled stretcher bars. I carry the color scheme of the paintings wrapped around on the 1 1/2” sides of the canvas. This eliminates the need for a frame and gives a clean modern look to the paintings.
