“Diana Mihalakis was pursuing a sculpture degree at San Jose State University when she learned that her 18-year-old son, Mike, had died in Baghdad in 2003, the day after Christmas.

The loss was so traumatic, she put a hold on her educational plans. Three years later, too sad to make art, she enrolled in a poetry class on campus. The pieces she composed and recited for class helped her explore her pain and loss, eventually transitioning her back into sculpture. As a testament to the power of the poetry, she created accompanying sculptures of metal and glass that grew out of individual poems.”

View a video of Diana describing her artwork and poetry here.

For more information on this exhibit in San Jose, CA, running from June 3rd — 11th please check the Milpitas Patch here and here.

“Art therapy and narrative are both useful techniques for helping individuals traumatized by life experiences process memories and channel emotions through a healthy outlet,”