Meet Helen Kagan

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Sed ut perspiciatis unde.

We were lucky to catch up with Helen Kagan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Helen, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

WOW. It’s a really loaded question! :) You know what? I truly think it could be anything. After many years of studying various traditional and non-traditional sciences, modalities, approaches, working in many different fields, having innovative ideas, developing various Projects, having a lot of rejections and refusals, having some small and big successes as well as small and big failures – yes, I can say that really, it can be just anything that can lead you to success. Most people would probably say – No, it’s not right, it’s not how it is! You must work hard, be determined, have initial capital to invest, etc. etc. Others would say – you don’t need to work hard; you just have to work smart! Others – you don’t need to work hard or smart, you just do a lot of gratitude, prayers, believe that you’re going to be successful, visualize it, and all your manifestations will be there soon! Well… I think it could be a million things that you’re doing right, making your work an utmost priority, attending tons of webinars, reading lots of books about success, working 24/7, and you’re still not at your desired level of success. You are still not satisfied with the results of your big efforts… Or you might not even do much, having other priorities rather than work, having fun, living happy, and bam! – all of a sudden you got an irresistible offer, or a grand idea, or a Sponsor or Investor came out of nowhere, and you could just get lucky one day, and… voilà – you become a story of big success. I guess, second scenario is what almost everyone is wishing for, right? :)

I honestly never done the second one – so can’t say much about the miraculous manifestations of your dreams and desires, sorry! Wish I could do it for myself and for you. But… I can share with you my quick yet fundamental and practical, 7 “lifestyle tweaks” I believe will support your Journey to Success.

1. Recognize that Life is happening FOR us and not TO us.
2. Find your Vision, define your Mission, live on Purpose.
3. Discover what you are good at. Follow your Dreams.
4. Create positive daily routines, regardless your occupation or lifestyle.
5. Embrace that Self-love is not selfishness. Practice it daily.
6. Remove clutter & chaos. Make clarity. Stop procrastinating. Just do it!
7. Find what makes you happy. Express yourself!

For example, for me as a Visionary Healing Artist it is important to have a strong and unique message I communicate to people through my art. A message that can touch people’s souls, uplift their spirit, and warm their hearts. A message so important and meaningful that people would want to have that special piece of my HealingArts in their space, they would want to keep coming back to it to meditate, to recharge, to relax, to find your strength, to get inspiration, love, gratitude, perhaps - to even find themselves? They would want to experience something magical when they look at this piece, and not only because it is beautiful, but because it directly or subliminally speaks to their Heart & Soul. This is how I understand the Purpose and Mission of my unique art, which hopefully is also my Journey to Success.

Helen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hello! I am Helen Kagan, PhD, a healing artist, and a creator of my unique multi-dimensional concept “HealingArts”. A Scientist, Psychologist, Engineer, Clinical Supervisor, Director, Program Developer, Healer, Internationally published best-selling Author, Teacher, Coach, Artist (not necessarily in this order…), I consider myself a healing artist. I am a creator of several unique multi-dimensional concepts, both in the field of holistic therapy and healing practices as well as in Fine Art and Art for Healing. These include a few Internationally known Mental Health & Substance Abuse Programs I developed in NYC for various client populations groups, my own energy healing practice I’ve been successfully running for years, and finally arriving to the junction where I’ve realized that I won’t survive without creating. Art.

Around 2005 I started to create more healing artwork – first, for my own healing process as a person suffering from Complex PTSD which had become quite activated due to multiple challenges – immigrant reality, language barriers, family difficulties, working 3.5 jobs in NYC – all had its tall. I had to create my own tools for healing… This is how my HealingArts™ began its Journey. Since then, I’ve continued to work on my unique healing modality while creating art for healing and communicating my healing “message” to people and communities in need. All this time I wanted to ensure that my “HealingArts” is communicated consistently and compellingly to galleries, curators, collectors, various art venues and organizations, Hospitals, Medical Centers, Corporate venues & facilities, Hotels, and other audiences. Why? Because I believe it has a big future. My art has been touching hearts and Souls of basically everyone who saw, or rather experienced it somewhere – either in Galleries, Shows, Exhibitions, online on my websites, or having it in their environment as originals, giclees, prints, or even just as flyers or postcards, and now – in a unique new form – as Wearable HealingArts™ designer clothing and homeware.

For over 15 years my HealingArts™ has been a “one-person” enterprise, and I’ve been an owner/founder and a key member/entrepreneur all of which brings quite a bit of challenges!
Of course, there were struggles along the way (still are), both personally and professionally, through the various chapters of my life – which all brought me to the most grateful place and a healthy mindset I am at “here and now” today.
One of the big challenges of course, was coming to this country as a refugee from the Former Soviet Union bringing with me only my Jewish heritage, 3 graduate degrees, zero English, a $100, 2 small suitcases and an unending thirst to explore the World and its meaning. The next challenge was coming to NYC and trying to start my professional career there, with minimal English and being considered overqualified to any position I applied for. It’s been there and then I’ve decided that I have to invent, create, develop and implement my OWN ideas and enterprises. The next challenge was trying to build my Dream Project – which at that time was a network of International Healing Centers integrating multiple healing modalities including art and art therapy of course, to help people heal. I did not build resort-style healing Spas due to lack of financial support from anywhere, but… I did develop 3 culturally competent Clinics in NYC (which was not easy either!), successfully ran them for years, and was even featured on a front page of Metro Section of NYTimes with a big article about my Program H.E.L.P. at the Educational Alliance, NYC (1999).

There were many challenges before and after that too… You can read more in my recently published articles (see links below), and in a Chapter of a best-selling Book “We Are All In This Together” – https://www.bestsellingauthorsinternational.com/authorhelenkagan.

Creating, developing, and making my unique brand HealingArts™ sustainable – has not been an easy task, either. I’ve been facing the greatest challenges in treating my art as a business venue vs. a hobby. I have been trying to bring my main focus into engaging Healthcare, Hospitality & Corporate Markets to utilize my “Healing Arts” for their environment. I still keep trying and I won’t give up! I developed a “HealingArts in HealthCare Initiative”. I applied for 4 years on a row for a Guggenheim Foundation grant with my unique business plan, proposals, etc. etc. for implementing my HealingArts into the Medical and Rehabilitation Centers, Halfway Houses, Hotels, and other Healthcare and Hospitality facilities. I keep doing all that because I believe in the healing power of art.
Because I believe that art is a vehicle for well-being, and a catalyst for healing individuals, society and environment.
Because I believe that my HealingArts is unique, powerful and can help heal the humanity.
Because I do believe that art heals. I believe in the inter-connectedness of mind, body and spirit. I believe that art as a powerful form of self-expression is a vehicle for emotional, physical, mental and spiritual well-being. As a holistic therapist and artist I developed HealingArts™ – my unique concept, technique and style integrating Fine Art, Expressive Arts, and the Art of Healing.
I’ve created my brand it almost 30 years ago when I first have been practicing healing work as a holistic practitioner. Being a Scientist, Psychologist, Therapist & Counselor helped me to conceptualize and further develop my concept “HealingArts”, while being a Healer and Artist – added a gift to express it in beautiful ways that warms your Heart and touches your Soul.

I do believe that ART is a catalyst for healing individuals, society and environment. I consider myself a pioneer in creating art with an INTENTION to heal. I believe I am a true “healing artist” who started to use art, energy and spiritual work, music, movement, and other expressive modalities to support my own healing, as well as to enhance a healing process to those in need. I bring together Fine Art, and the Art of Healing by synergistically integrating healing frequencies of color, positively charged intention, embedded spiritual messages, and energetically balanced composition.

What sets me apart is that I have been continuously integrating various disciplines (Science, Psychology, Healing, Art) to create this unique concept HealingArts™. That manifested in multiple Shows, Exhibitions, Articles, Awards, products and services. And now I am setting myself apart again, by creating developing and implementing a new, very unique concept Wearable HealingArts™ which can serve thousands and thousands of people all over the World.

In the last several years I participated in over 50 Juried shows, national and international exhibitions. My art won awards, shown in many physical and online Galleries, Cities, States, Magazines, Articles, International Catalogs, major Shows & International Art Fairs (SPECTRUM ArtBasel Miami, ArtPalmBeach, ArtEXPO NY), and always elicited a profound positive response. I was nominated and awarded (by Brickel Magazine, ArtTour International, VividArts Network, ContmporaryArtCurator, Art&Beyond Magazine, Artrepreneur.com, and others), was featured in TV & Radio Interviews, and even had a very unique Virtual Solo Show of my massive “One Woman Show” Solo Exhibit that was videotaped in Orlando having a live Interview while I was In Vermont.

In the last couple “pandemic years” I was published in a few Magazines and presented in several Podcasts communicating messages of healing and wellbeing:
*Featured Author in Authority Magazine “Women and Wellness. Helen Kagan of HealingArts on 5 Lifestyle Tweaks that Will Support People’s Journey Towards Wellbeing” – https://medium.com/authority-magazine/women-in-wellness-helen-kagan-of-healingarts-on-the-five-lifestyle-tweaks-that-will-help-support-ac0ae842e60c
*Featured Artist in Winner’s Journey Podcast. “The Power Of Healing Arts”. ArtTour International Interview with Viviana Puello – https://fb.watch/5KGh6XcE24/
* Podcast “Healing Path” with Laura Donelly. Helen Kagan HealingArts

* Featured Author in Thrive Global Magazine: “Total Health: Laura Donnelly and Helen Kagan On How We Can Optimize Our Mental, Physical, Emotional, & Spiritual Wellbeing”. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/laura-donnelly-and-helen-kagan-thoughts-can-cause-emotional-changes-and-physical-changes/
*Featured Artist in Winner’s Journey Podcast @ ArtTourInternational. “The Power Of Healing Arts”. Create for Peace. HealingArts Presentation – https://fb.watch/5KGokW1I6w/
And finally… we were able to videotape a unique Virtual Show of my Orlando “One Woman Show” Exhibition “Colors Healing & Beyond” & Interview on a “Vis-à-vis” Podcast by Helen Kagan. The physical Exhibition of 100 artworks was on display in Orlando, FL. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WycXvLN_q3E

Since COVID started to dangerously affect the World, in a midst of our turbulent crazy times, as a Light-worker I felt obligated to start creating new “life-affirming” art for healing. Sharing time between VT and FL, I’ve been working on several new healing Series – “Serenity”, “Serenity Blues”, “Peaceful Bubbles” and “Mountains of Vermont” – about 30-40 new artworks were created all of which present beautiful calming colorful serene landscapes, seascapes, colorscapes. The newest and a very powerful one is an artwork “Prayer For The World” which I was inspired to create when the Russia-Ukraine war began.

I am now dealing with a new challenge of scaling my business to a much larger level that I’ve ever done before – operating an online store via my own website that gives you an international access yet, puts many additional demands.
Even though I’ve had various collaborations in my career in the past, most of which were quite challenging and not always successful, I am now setting up a Corporation with a Board Of Directors structure which will allow me to truly scale my HealingArts™. The greatest challenge in bringing business to the next level is … to bring it to the next level :)

My intention, Mission, Vision, and Purpose is to reach many more people in the world with my art.
For this I have been developing my newest concept Wearable HealingArts™ and creating unique products made out of my art, while integrating fashion, design, art & healing.
As a “healing artist” I always feel it’s my “duty” to keep creating as much as I can to bring hope, colors and healing to people.
This is exactly why I had this another crazy (innovative) idea that I’ve been trying to manifest for several years, to make my healing art more accessible and affordable to basically everyone. I tried reproductions, prints, giclees, – it’s all been OK, but I wasn’t completely satisfied. I wanted to make my HelaingArts wearable! This is how the idea of “Wearable HealingArts” came alive. It’s been taking about a couple years to get my Trademark (image 9), now I have my own “Label”, and you can already find about 400 various designer clothes, sportswear, homeware in 2 online Stores soft launched a few months ago (see samples in image10). But I’m not stopping here, I want to go further – I’m building my own Wearable HealingArts website with my own Store where I can create my own Lines of clothes made from my own HealingArts! I hope it will work. I do everything I know for this to work… We formed a corporation and working on building a new website www.WearableHealingArts which will be coming live very soon.
And very soon, my HealingArts designer garments, sportswear, activewear and homeware will be offered through this new website www.WearableHealingArts.com. Stay tuned! :)

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

In short – a FREEDOM to express myself and help others on their Journey! :)

Longer version –
One might think that being a “full time artist” entails some sort of a luxurious lifestyle, like similar to what you can see in the movies :) But let me tell you that a “creative process” is not an easy thing. Really! If you ask me — how does your workday look like? I’d answer — usually quite crazy! Those who are familiar with various intricacies of a creative process of any nature, those who know closely what it is, will agree with me. So… my “creative workday” might look like a regular “working day” for most folks who work like 9–6 schedule, and then work another job on top of that for a few more hours :). Or my “workday” might become totally crazy with a lot of actual painting time and lots of “processing and conceptualizing” time in-between which would result in like 25H “working day”… And then there’s a huge chunk of time going to other (yet important) stuff like creating advertising materials, organizing and making shipping, etc.. ordering, producing, and hand embellishing giclees, making prints, taking good photographs (multiple attempts!) and then still perfecting them some, endlessly improving previously worked on images of your art, writing articles, press releases, creating and managing and marketing your own websites, and those where you put your art as well (like 10-20 others…), and of course, making arrangements for shows and exhibitions, inviting guests and collectors (hopefully, probable investors and/or sponsors – which almost never happens) , actually providing and facilitating your Shows, packing, shipping and handling your art, transporting yourself AND your art pieces to and from those Shows and Exhibitions, producing all possible marketing materials, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. — well… you can see that even reading about all this makes you feel overwhelmed, right? Well, it does make me feel overwhelmed for sure! :) I think the actual time I spend painting is only about 20–25%, if I’m lucky to have this time! Other 75–80% goes to everything else around your art career — of course if you treat it as a career vs. hobby. And it is very sad. And often quite frustrating. Because I’d rather spend 75–80% of my time creating my unique art — because this is what I do best! But I do understand that other things are just a “necessary evil” :) So, you can see that developing my concept, venue & brand “HealingArts” AND creating my actual unique artworks — is of course, a full-time career!

And… if I knew what I was putting myself into — I’d still do that :) Just because I believe that we, Creatives, have to create. If we were granted this gift, we just have to use it, right? Period. My Higher Self would still finally drag me to this place where I will have joy creating. Where I feel Home. That sacred place where the most important things to consider when we are starting anew (after changing our “old story”) — are Light, Love, and Gratitude.

I believe everyone at this point most likely asked themselves about those grand lessons we’re given as humanity. Big existential questions like WHO AM I? WHY I AM here? WHAT I am here FOR? What is my MISSION? Do I have a VISION, what is my PURPOSE? What I find helpful in finding answers to these big questions and appreciating rewarding aspects of being a Creative – are the following basic spiritual principles (regardless any religious believes):

Learning Forgiveness. Knowing your Strength. Speaking your Truth. Learning and embracing Self-Love. Practicing Gratitude. Lessons given to us to learn, and if we have not learned the first time, they will be given again, and again — to finally learn what we need to learn being on our Journey. We also need to find and define our WHY-s. I am finally clear about my “WHY”. I chose to be an Artist that I was born to be, and that is my Truth. It took me many years to do, but I’m finally doing it! And this is another rewarding aspect – I am doing what I was destined to do. It took me almost 40 years to realize that I can not NOT do it because it’s my Truth, because this is WHO I AM. Because this is not only a way for me to express myself but to heal myself and many others. I am here to bring this message to the World that my Art is Healing, my art is Love and Light, it is a healing tool that can help you on your Journey to YourSelf.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

For me as a Visionary artist it is important to have a strong and unique message I communicate to people through my art. A message that can touch people’s souls, uplift their spirit, and warm their hearts. A message so important, that people would want to have that special piece of art in their space, they would want to keep coming back to it to meditate, to recharge, to relax, to find your strength, to get inspiration, love, gratitude, perhaps - to find themselves? They would want to experience something magical when they look at this piece, and not only because it is beautiful, but because it directly or subliminally speaks to their Heart & Soul. Because it is saturated with Love & Gratitude I convey through color vibrations, sacred geometry, embedded spiritual messages. This is how I understand the Purpose and Mission of my unique HealingArts™.

I have plenty of stories that led me to my creative Journey with HealingArts. A Jewish refugee from Russia who came to this country with several graduate degrees but zero English, with only $100 in my pocket (which Soviet Government graciously allowed us to have), and an unending thirst to understand the World and its meaning. A PTSD survivor with multiple traumas, whom my own complex life Journey brought to the point where I would not survive without creating. I’ve been a creative, and painting. playing music, writing, dancing, doing Yoga,… my whole life, but never considered being an Artist a career. Many years later I made a conscious choice to allow myself to be who I always was – a Creative, and use my “right brain” more than my brilliant “left” one :)

I don’t believe in “mistakes”. I believe that Life is not happening TO us, it’s happening FOR us, and our experiences are “lessons” which sometimes can be hard, even harsh, but… they all appear in our reality for the one and only reason – to make us better. I can say I made a lot of mistakes, I trusted people and thought that everyone I met on my Journey had the exact same set of values (for instance, dignity and integrity). I had people took advantage of me, used, abused, and betrayed me. And all of the above would be true — but only from one perspective. I can choose a different one – I can see these lessons were given for me to learn about people. I can use these experiences to learn what is right for me to do, who is wrong for me, how to be with them, how to act (vs. react), what to expect, how to manage when I live my life on Purpose while they don’t, but mostly – to learn about myself. I trust that my very sad “stories” – are not mistakes but just my “old stories” that constitute my “old reality” which need to shift since they no longer serve me, and it’s time to create my “new stories” for my “new reality”. Can you relate? Can you start creating your own “new stories”? They can bring all of us closer to each other and give us a chance to embrace our humanity and togetherness.

I can cite hundreds of resources and references, from scientists, neurobiologists, quantum physicists, renowned authors, and other authorities such as Bruce Lipton, Gary Null, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Miguel Ruiz, Dan Millman, Gary Zukav, Neale Donald Walsch, and list goes on and on… One of the quintessential learnings from all these amazing teachings is that “we are Creators of our own reality”.
I believe we are here, on this planet Earth, to live our Purpose, our Truth, and we all, individually and as a society, create our reality. This is why I think it is important to believe that because Love & Gratitude have the highest vibrational frequency, when we live from the place of Love, we become it. We embrace and embody it, hopefully and preferably with Ease and Grace. And then we can bring it to the whole wide World to share. My “HealingArts” does just that. I communicate love and gratitude integrating constellations of colors, embedded spiritual messages, energetically balanced composition, sacred geometry, high frequencies & vibrations, and some other secret ingredients.

My BIG Vision, Mission, and Purpose is to bring my HealingArts™ to HealthCare, Residential and Hospitality facilities – to assist in recovery, encourage joy and happiness, and enhance healing and wellbeing to those in need by introducing high-vibrational multi-sensory experience, meditation & relaxation. Amid World-wide multiple crises, protests, and escalated pandemic saturated with fear, anxiety, illness, deaths, grief, and lots of stress and uncertainty, I hope my “HealingArts” can become a tool for serenity, a place for refuge, and will be truly healing to everyone in need.

Since the COVID pandemic started to dangerously affect the World, as a Light-worker I felt obligated to create more of new “life-affirming” healing art in these turbulent crazy times of our “new reality”… In 2020-22 I’ve been working on several new healing Series and Collections, and also developing my newest venue – WearableHealingArts™ to serve more people! This innovative idea I’ve been trying to manifest for several years, was another goal or rather a part of my Mission to make my healing art more accessible and affordable to basically everyone. And… very soon, my HealingArts™ designer garments, sportswear, activewear and homeware will be offered through my new website www.WearableHealingArts.com.