MOOSE JAW — One Saskatoon resident who faced his own mental health struggles is now trekking across Canada with his dog to share the healing power of art and dreaming big, with the goal of inspiring hope and well-being in others along the way.
Ryan (Bushman Art) Giesbrecht stopped in Moose Jaw for around one week during his journey starting in early November, and now he’s continuing to the east coast.
While recovering at the Irene & Leslie Dube Centre for Mental Health in Saskatoon earlier, Giesbrecht discovered the healing power of creativity. He found solace in the centre’s small art studio where painting wildlife and wilderness scenery became his escape and allowed him to reconnect with himself.
That small studio also introduced him to a supportive community and he found an outgoing side to himself that he’d never realized before. With a newfound passion for painting and natural artistic talent, Giesbrecht found a sense of purpose and a means to finance his dreams.
“Even (though) it was a very dark time for me, I found some light in the form of sharing my own creative heART,” he wrote.
His goal is to inspire hospitals across Canada to establish similar initiatives, demonstrating the transformative power of art in the process of recovery and mental well-being.
Giesbrecht began his journey seven years ago after moving into the Saskatoon-based Dube Centre.
“I set out, alone, on June 7, 2023,” he wrote. “(This) was the day I got discharged. So, I jumped and bought all the gear I thought I’d need and I started to walk west, aiming towards the ocean. I thought no one would care.
“When I pushed my cart through Saskatoon, I was just another homeless guy with a cart — full of heART (though)….”
He envisioned a hike across Canada and painting alongside his dog, Nahko — all while giving back to the home that was a beacon of hope during his darkest days. Despite starting with only $17 and no clear plan, he pursued his passion for art one step at a time and refused to let the question of “how” hold him back.
When discharged, Giesbrecht walked past the children’s ward. “I (saw) them all with their heads down, with absolutely no hope,” he wrote. “That’s when I had this idea of helping more people than myself. I felt I needed to better myself and come back with some real strength and pull these kids out of hell.”
For the past seven years, Giesbrecht worked tirelessly on his physical and mental strength, transforming himself from someone who could barely walk down the block to a determined individual capable of hiking up to 45 kilometres a day.
“Over the years… I just kept pursuing my ‘heART.’ (I got) one tiny step closer each day toward that tiny vision inside my head until I got sick of asking myself ‘How am I going to pull this off,’” he wrote. “So, I jumped… into my dream and started with what I knew now, rather than that paralyzing word, ‘how.’”
Now, with around 530 days on foot, Giesbrecht has walked more than 5,000 kilometres, fuelled by sheer determination and love.
Giesbrecht thanked everyone who helped make his dream a reality, with a special nod to his close friend and trip co-ordinator, Carol Kapay from Moose Jaw. He also thanked the Dube Centre for its care and his online supporters for their “amazing” encouragement.
Giesbrecht shared a powerful message of perseverance: No dream is too big, and no challenge is insurmountable. He urged others to transform self-doubt, criticism from naysayers, and “stupid” dreams into “fuel for the next tiny step forward.”
Following the advice of a close friend, Giesbrecht is asking for donations through his GoFundMe campaign to help cover some of the costs of travel — especially during the upcoming winter months. All remaining proceeds will be donated to the Dube Centre.
You can support Bushman Art by searching for ‘The heART journey for mental health awareness’ on GoFundMe.com.
For updates on Bushman Art’s journey visit his Facebook page, ‘Bushman Art.’ He can also be reached via email at [email protected].
