Arts·Heartbreak to Art

Depression made her see the world differently...so she picked up a camera

Photography gave this Toronto artist a new 'perspective' on life. Lindsi Beth Hollend reveals how she went from Heartbreak to Art.

Photography gave this Toronto artist a new 'perspective' on life

Depression made her see the world differently... so she picked up a camera

7 years ago
Duration 1:09
Lindsi Beth Hollend reveals how she went from Heartbreak to Art.

In this episode of Heartbreak to Art, we meet Toronto photographer Lindsi Beth Hollend as she takes on a photo walk through Allan Gardens. "It's a hidden gem," the artist says of the space — a lush greenhouse in the middle of downtown. Before she was a photographer, Hollend actually worked nearby — and really, photography is a very recent career for the mother of two. She bought her first camera in 2015, and as she reveals in the video, her new life as an artist began when she was diagnosed with depression and PTSD.

Name: Lindsi Beth Hollend (@lindsibeth)

Age: 42

Hometown: Toronto

Lives and works: Toronto

Art: Photography

Her style: "Fine art photography — contemporary/abstract."

When did you first pick up a camera? "My first 'photo' was taken with an iPhone in October 2014. In April 2015 I purchased a camera, and made my first sale in February 2016."

Why were you drawn to photography? "When I was diagnosed and prescribed medication to help my depression symptoms, I was surprised to find that I started visualizing things differently. I was so inspired by how rich and textured the world was, and I started looking at ordinary things with a different and unique perspective."

What were taking photos of at first? "I was always looking up, looking down or getting really close to things in order to see things with a different perspective. I am drawn to reflections, light movements, patterns, symmetry and interesting textures."

When people see your photos, what do you hope they come away with? "I want people to see my work and not be sure at first what they are looking at — to feel attracted to the image itself. I also print my work in larger sizes and mount my images on acrylic with a back mount that makes it look like it is floating off the wall. I want the image to be a part of their space."

What's next? "I am participating in the Telus Health Brain Project and have a few shows coming up in the fall. I will also be participating in the Artist Project again in February 2018."

(Lindsi Beth Hollend)
(Lindsi Beth Hollend)
(Lindsi Beth Hollend)

Heartbreak to Art is a CBC Arts web series about the transformative power of creativity. In each episode, a different Canadian artist shares a disarmingly personal story. These dancers, musicians, painters and poets have all lived through deeply emotional challenges, and they reveal how art saw them through. A collection of impressionistic portraits, the series' director, Karena Evans, puts it this way: these films are "about what every real story is truly about — how the human heart changes."