Observations: On Art and On Life

Having to experience the reality of being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer personally and the fact that art was already a part of her daily life, led to her interest in using ‘Art Therapy’ to help others. Recognizing the benefits it reveled in her life, it seemed to be a natural progression to integrate it into the process as she worked with cancer patients and their families. Following this lead she filled some of her intern requirements with the American Cancer Society, and then on a pilot program in which she worked bedside with cancer patients at the Johnson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA.

Needing a practice closer to home she opened her private practice in Woodland Hills. She facilitated art therapy groups on women’s issues at Pinegrove Psychiatric Hospital in Canoga Park. She led support groups in the Thousand Oaks Senior Center for seniors who had lost their spouses and she continued this work until the onset of Parkinson’s disease that caused her to stop her group work.

Now in retirement, Marjory is enjoying working on some books she has had in mind for a long time. The first book, In My Mind’s Eye, is an illustrated autobiography in which she uses words and pictures to share memories connected with memorabilia found in her home and studio. She hopes her second book, Observations, about similarities in art and life will be entertaining, thought provoking, informative and fun. She’s hoping it will bring out the art in your everyday life.