Healing with Hot Rods
Below is a paper that I wrote for a holistic health class back in college (2009). Although short and not terribly complex, it has been one of my favorite writings from my time in college. I decided to publish it the way I wrote it just to keep the authenticity. Even the title I gave it is a bit cheesy, but it conveyed the point that I was trying to make. So I apologize that it reads like a college research paper written by a college kid. Because it was. It's a perspective on the custom car artform that is not fully understood by those who are outside of it. The passion, creativity, innovation, self-expression, constant learning, hard work, honoring of those who came before you, and the ability to share it with everyone around you is the entire purpose.
Healing with Hot Rods
For many collector car restorers, restoration is about keeping the car as original as possible while improving its condition. But for many others, restoring a collector car is about one’s personal touch or complete customization with a little bit of original touch. For these restorers, custom hot rods are an art form and a means for self-expression. Hot rods are a form of art therapy.
Art therapy uses creativity to express emotions and help people cope with physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual issues. According to Artashealing.org, “art heals by changing a person's physiology and attitude”. A person’s physiology changes from being stressed, fearful, and anxious to being relaxed, inspired, comfortable, and creative. This change in physiology changes a person’s attitude. One begins to have more confidence, greater self-esteem, and uplifted spirits. Art changes a person’s brain waves, which has an effect on a person’s neurotransmitters, nervous system, and hormones.
Creativity brings everyday stressors to the surface and releases them into a work of art to promote healing. This belief serves as the basis for art therapy. The American Cancer Society art therapy “helps people express hidden emotions; reduces stress, fear, and anxiety”. The ACS also says that creating self-expressive works of art provides a sense of freedom. This is displayed by home-built hot rods everywhere. Joy rides on a sunny weekend with all the windows down and spending a day enjoying a creation that is a small piece of oneself emits a great feeling of freedom and accomplishment. Expressing emotions that are bottled up inside always gives a sense of freedom. Held stress turns into tension makes a person feel trapped. Self-expression frees a person from the stress that has trapped them.
Because art therapy is a non-verbal form of self-expression, it seems to help with trauma and abuse victims. Sarah Podolin, Maternal Addiction Treatment Education and Research (MATER) research director, allows women to connect to their feelings in a non-threatening manner (“Trauma and Abuse”, 2004). Art therapy allows these victims to explain what happened in a non-verbal way because many victims do not have the words to describe it. In art therapy exercises, the patient may be asked to portray sadness, happiness, fear, and anger. Kate Vandegrift, MATER program director, explains that the women they treat “use metaphors in their art work to express their fears” (“Trauma and Abuse”, 2004). For example, many women do not use mouths in their art as a metaphor for not having a voice. An example of portraying anger in art is Rat Fink, a cartoon rat painted on many hot rods today. Rat Fink was created by legendary car builder and artist Ed Roth to show his disgust for the popular Mickey Mouse. Rat Fink is a symbol of rebellion and hatred for conformity.
Art therapy was once only used in mental health hospitals and schools but is now growing in popularity and used in private therapy sessions (Barker, 2006). Research is finding that art therapy may affect more than just attitude. On study at Thomas Jefferson University was conducted on women with cancer. They found that women “who sculpted and sketched experienced less pain, insomnia, and overall stress” (Baker, 2000). Another research study at Northwestern Memorial Hospital showed that cancer patients had increased appetite and less pain and drowsiness (Baker, 2000). Art therapy allows a patient to concentrate on positive things and allows the patient to have control. The patient has control over the art and anything in it. In a street rod, paint gives the feel of control, but making the engine your own gives an extraordinary feeling of control. The engine itself is a moldable sculpture. Some decide on a small, quiet, and subtle car whereas others want to cut a hole in the hood for their engine to stick way out and show the world that they are loud and proud.
Often times, art therapy is directed by an art therapist, who is highly educated in this healing modality. According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapists have a master’s degree in art therapy or a field that is related. Art therapists acquire knowledge in a wide range of areas. Art therapists have studied counseling, art therapy, psychotherapy, creative development, assessment and evaluation, etc. Art therapists are also “skilled in the application of a variety of art modalities (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other media) for assessment and treatment” says the American Art Therapy Association.
However, healing with art does not always have to be directed by an art therapist. A person can express himself on his own. Artashealing.org says to begin by seeing oneself as an artist and choose a medium of self-expression. In order to select the proper art form, Artashealing.org recommends asking yourself: “Have I ever wanted to create something and been afraid or too busy to do it?” For many, the answer is a one-of-a-kind street rod that turns every head on the way by. With a hot rod, a person doesn’t pick just one medium. Customizing a car incorporates several creative arts including, but not limited to, sculpture, metal working, and most importantly, painting. The paint job is the part of the car that is noticed the most. Some stick to a simple paint job with one, two, or maybe three colors that appeal to the builder. Others take the paint scheme to a whole new level of creativity.
Art therapy lifts spirits, provides a boost of self-esteem, allows a person to express feelings that cannot be explained in words, and brings a sense of freedom. Art therapy has been found to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and patients with other diseases and emotional issues. An art that has give many men and women a sense of freedom, control, and confidence is car restoration and customization. For years, people have been tearing down cars and rebuilding them as their own, adding his or her own style to their custom street rod. Many build the car from top to bottom, inside and out on their own. It is a moving, controllable sculpture of self-expression. A street rod is a blank canvas that becomes whatever you make it. A street rod is a medium for art therapy and healing oneself.
Sources:
American Art Therapy Association, About Art Therapy Retrieved April 24, 2009, from http://www.arttherapy.org/aboutart.htm.
American Cancer Society, Art Therapy Retrieved April 24, 2009, from http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Art_Therapy.asp.
Art as a Healing Force, How Art Heals and Healing Ourselves with Art Retrieved April 24, 2009, from http://www.artashealing.org/.
Art therapy helps women with history of trauma and abuse.. (2004, November). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, Retrieved May 5, 2009, from Health Source - Consumer Edition database.
Barker, E. (2006, November). the artist within.. Natural Health, 36(10), 98-99. Retrieved May 5, 2009, from Health Source - Consumer Edition database.