Let Your Right Brain Soar at APA's Annual Meeting

Mark your calendar: APA's Art Association will again be mounting its art exhibit at the annual meeting in May, providing a venue for some of its most creative members.

Even if you don't have artistic proclivities, block out a time to drop by and check out the popular attraction now in its 41st year. The exhibit runs from Sunday, May 17, to Wednesday, May 20.

“San Francisco is a wonderful art city,” said Kenneth Koury, M.D., president of the Art Association, so the APA exhibit should blend in well with the host city.

“I'd encourage APA attendees to visit the de Young Museum and experience California in the Andy Goldsworthy display,” but not before they first drop by at the APA art show, and check out the work of their colleagues, he said.

The artistic talent of many APA members and significant others is quite impressive. Although paintings in an array of media dominate, other media usually include sketches, ink prints, ceramics, glass, fiber, computer art, crafts, graphics, jewelry, black-and-white and color photography, and sculpture and artistically mounted poetry.

“It's fun for the artists because they have the opportunity to show their work and get feedback,” said Koury, who practices psychiatry in Escondido, Calif. “Some people are quite accomplished and have their own following; there are other people who do it for their own personal enjoyment.”

As in years past, all meeting attendees will be able to weigh in and vote on their favorite pieces in each category to recognize some of the most outstanding work.

Christel Lembke, M.D., of Evanston, Ill., is the exhibit coordinator. Already signed up to show his work is color photographer Robert Trivus, M.D., of Pittsburgh, a forensic and geriatric psychiatrist and the incoming president of the APA Art Association. Black-and-white photography by Ira Glick M.D., director of psychiatry and chief of the Schizophrenia Clinic at Stanford Medical Center, will again be on view this year, as will be portraits painted by Wilma Rosen, M.D., of Providence, R.I.

As for Koury, “I'll bring my oil seascapes and landscapes from Southern California.”

Koury has been painting for about 10 years, about a third as long as he's been practicing psychiatry. He describes his artistic medium as literally“ painting outside.”

“Especially over the last 10 years, I have found outdoor painting to be a passionate complement to the joys and challenges of my psychiatric practice,” he said. “It gives a lot of vitality to your work to see all the nuances and light.... It's great fun because you are out in nature.” The challenges, he added, are having to adjust your technique to allow for paint that dries faster outdoors and having to cope with bugs and unpredictable shifts in weather.

Final exhibit entry information from participants must be received by May 8. Works described on entry forms received after that can still be exhibited, but late entries may not be listed on the exhibit ballot for judging.

The registration form for APA's Art Association's art exhibit is posted at<http://psych.org/MainMenu/EducationCareerDevelopment/Meetings/APAAffiliatedPrograms/APAArtAssociationSchedule.aspx>. Forms should be sent to Kenneth Khoury, M.D., President, APA Art Association, by mail at 125 South Grape St., Escondido, Calif. 92025-4406, or fax at (760) 743-1040. More information is available by phone at (760) 743-1205 or e-mail at [email protected].▪