About This Interview
In this interview, I had the opportunity to speak with Terry Sullivan, an incredibly talented artist who has used his work to process and express the trauma he experienced during a mass shooting on the Long Island Railroad in 1993. As we began, Terry shared with me how his love for art was nurtured from a young age, thanks to his parents. His mother, who was artistic and musical, and his father, a doctor with a deep appreciation for the arts, often took the family to museums in New York City. This early exposure to the arts laid the foundation for his future career as an artist.
Terry opened up about how the trauma from the 1993 shooting became a pivotal moment in his life, leading him to use art as a way to process the complex emotions he felt during and after the event. He described how everyday objects, like a spilled coffee cup, became powerful symbols in his work, representing the ordinary moments that were forever changed by violence. One of his notable pieces is a still life painting that centers on a coffee cup, capturing the disarray and emotional intensity of that day.
As we delved deeper, Terry explained how the confusion, fear, and disorientation he experienced during the shooting influenced the chaotic and fragmented nature of his artwork. He shared that the sounds and disjointed images from that traumatic day continue to haunt him, and this is reflected in how he constructs his art to convey the surreal and fragmented nature of such memories.
Terry also spoke about the therapeutic value of creating art, explaining that it helps him regain a sense of control over his emotions and experiences. I was struck by his honesty as he admitted that certain situations, especially on trains, still trigger memories of the shooting, showing how deeply the trauma has impacted his life.
Later in our conversation, Terry reflected on the broader implications of trauma and gun violence, emphasizing the urgent need for societal change. He also shared some of his future artistic projects, including a potential children's book about mental illness. This project, inspired by his mother's struggles with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, will use a mosaic she created during her time in a mental hospital as a central theme, symbolizing the idea of creating wholeness from fragments.
Our conversation ended with Terry expressing his hope that his art will continue to shed light on the far-reaching effects of trauma and the critical importance of addressing issues like gun violence and mental illness in our society. It was truly inspiring to hear how he has channeled his personal pain into art that not only tells his story but also advocates for change.
Visit Terry's Website
View more of Terry's art and read about his work.
