Finding strength through expression

EDMONTON Brad Ponicappo said his artistic gift found him about 25 years ago when he was going through a difficult period in his life. He found his connection to drawing again during a two-month stay in hospital in hopes of inspiring others.

The 56-year-old Indigenous artist created five paintings as an in-patient at the Royal Alexandra Hospital while he was recovering from an infection in his finger, Po ni cap po said Tuesday with his work on display behind him.

“It takes my mind off of problems and gives other people something to look at,” he said during a one-day art show at the hospital titled The Art of Healing. “If people can look at an artwork and forget all their problems for a couple of minutes or a couple of days, then that’s my payday. I achieved my goal .”

The idea was brought to Ponicappo by hospital recreational therapist Chloe Hodgson to give him a way to endure the long-term stay and combat loneliness.

“I think it started to give him a purpose while he was here in the hospital,” Hodgson said. “We believe his story is something that deserves to be celebrated widely.”

Inspired at different times during the day, Hodgson said the gifted artist was spotted at all hours of the night painting away.

Ponicappo said his artistic ability — which he attributes as a gift from the Creator — was given to him during a time of isolation in prison and it is now his role to share it with oth- ers. He donated one of his paintings to the hospital’s addiction recovery and community health department and it will be displayed prominently in the supervised consumption service space.

“I’ve been forced to deal with alcohol and drugs all my life and for me to still be able to do this and put it out there ...” he said. “If you can abuse drugs and realize you got a problem, then there’s still hope for you.”

Although his stay in the hospital ended Friday, Hodgson said the team will look to help Ponicappo setup his own exhibition and share his work with a wider audience.