The Spirit Bear and the Woman: A Story of Healing Through Art

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez

Every time one of my art pieces finds its way to someone who feels connected to it, I'm reminded that art has a way of bringing us together in the most meaningful ways.

Because every brushstroke has a story, I thought I'd share with you the creation story behind my painting of Spirit Bear. The painting shows the almost invisible silhouette of a bear standing in the river surrounded by beautiful trees, and mountains in the background, with a woman rising from the water inside of the bear. For me the bear represents strength, both the physical power of the animal itself and the deeper spiritual strength tied to my Native American heritage and the symbol of the bear as a protector and a guide.

The woman in the river is me and it's you, receiving that strength. She is scarred, textured, marked by life, just like we all are. Those textures in the painting are intentional and took layers upon layers, patience in waiting for the next layer, and they symbolize the scars, struggles, and jagged edges we carry. Reminders of what we've been through in life.

But the shimmer in the water tells another part of the story: That even in the hardest seasons of life, beauty and goodness still flow into our lives. Like any river, it is always changing, always moving, never the same. When we learn to see it, that beauty becomes part of our healing. This piece is meant to be felt, not just seen. It’s textures inviting you to run your hand across the surface. By touching the painting, you connect with those layers in a physical way, because healing isn’t just something we think about, it’s something we feel in our entire body.

Upon a closer look, you’ll find hidden within the mountains and river small hearts, symbols of love, hope and the importance of having people around us who lift us up when we cannot stand on our own.

For me, creating Spirit Bear was an act of healing. Not just my own, but for the new owner of this piece as well. I often turn to nature and spirit animals for guidance when my own strength feels too small. This painting became a reminder that even when we feel weary, strength can come from sacred places outside of us, from the earth, from our loved ones, from the spiritual world, and that strength helps us reclaim our journey to health and wholeness.

It is my hope that you find ways to let creativity be part of your healing process, a way to express your story.  Because your story matters and your voice is important.

Read my other blog post to learn more about the research behind art and healing.