Painterly Therapy

Bren Bataclan wants you to know that everything will be all right. In the summer of 2003, he began leaving his creations at random locations throughout Boston. Each painting would have a note attached saying, "The painting is yours if you promise to smile at random people more often." People started finding the free paintings on park benches, hospitals, buses. His idea worked, and he's since traveled the world sharing his art and spreading joy.

After the recent economic downturn, Bataclan hoped to bring hope and reassurance. He changed the note to say, "Everything will be alright. " According to the Asian Journal, he recently left a piece of art in San Francisco and later received this letter, "I was walking to work when I found this wonderful painting on a bench and your note. I held it and looked around because I thought someone left it accidentally but no one was near so I took it. I just want you to know that it does make me smile when I look at it. I am about to lose my job soon because the company I work for is going under but with such a small act from a total stranger, you made me smile. I just want to thank you for such a great gift."

Bataclan started the project after suffering a bit of his own bad luck. When a dotcom he was working for went bust, he didn't quite know what to do so he started painting. After completing 56 paintings, he put up a show. Within two days, 49 of them sold. He has since traveled around the globe, randomly leaving colorful inspiration for people who invariably need it.

"One woman in New York who owned a store was so down that she was planning to close the store and give up," Bren shared. "She found one of my paintings which said "Everything will be alright" and it was like God was giving her hope. She told me that she decided to hold on. It’s been one and a half years now and her store in still open."