“Art allows what is possible, rather than what has been lost.”
Wow, the week went by so fast, so many interesting people and workshops - it all becomes a blur without great notes! Good thing I had my pencil (freely supplied by Blick) and my notepad handy. The American Art Therapy Association graciously allowed me to join as an Associate Member last year; this is a career path I have been exploring for over ten years. There is always something stopping me from fully pursuing this profession. I felt honored to stick my toes into the deep water at this conference with the support of the West Valley Arts Council's Individual Artist Grant. I'm grateful for having this opportunity and want to pass along the details of my experience for others who may also be venturing into these areas. I have come away with a better definition of my life’s work and how I’m really in the best position to do what I do best right here in my community and right now without delay.
The workshops and speakers were excellent, well versed in therapy (not so much in art) - the inner process, psychological process. Art becomes the vehicle inward (of course!) and through whatever artistic medium is chosen; therapy is delivered rather effortlessly.
As an Artist, I was fascinated at the free association and symbolism aspect of art therapy. There seemed, to this non-art therapist (I am uneducated and unlicensed in this field, let’s get that clearly stated) emphasis on process over product. The lack of “instructing” in technique leads the participant/client into some really wild places with the art materials, quite naturally. So to associate or attach some symbolism to the outcome or product or even the process of creating it seemed a bit assumptive for me - a non-therapist.
The art product, the results of the therapy session, are not viewed in ways an “artist” or “art consumer” would…rather the product is analyzed from a psychological perspective as a window into the inner world of the therapy client. Art therapy provides an intimate view inward with the use of association and symbolism based in psychology. The product associated with a psychosis or _insert your psychological state here_ could be because the participants/clients have not been instructed on how to handle the art materials/media and not because they have a psychosis… just saying. I approach art with people (as an instructor in community settings) as someone who knows how to use the "tools". I don't instruct people in self expression so much as I do how to use the "tools" in order to express themselves. I may have missed the artistic point of this therapy.
Bringing the inner world into harmony with the external world or vice versa through art is amazing. All engagement in art does this naturally - only some Artists are aware of this. Art is a present moment activity. It’s worth the effort to make these connections as an Artist and human being. It’s an individual process, often a life-long process finding our authentic voice. Our art is telling the story of our life, as Artists. Yes, some of it will be downright ugly! It will be our legacy and it is our livelihood. The approach to expression is creative and alive; the dialog between inner (imagination) and external (solidity/reality) is fluid for an artist. Art is naturally therapeutic in its dynamic and fluid nature.
No photography was allowed within the conference area. There is an ethical policy in place forbidding such photography. So I have no photos from the conference within the conference area. However, I will attach my own creations and will not elaborate on what they “mean” or what process I underwent to create these. I’ll leave that up to you, the viewer.
Being an Artist and a passionate advocate for creative living, I have come to the realization that Art Therapists (AT) wears the THERAPIST hat where art is concerned. It’s all about the psychological processing involved, before, during and after the creation process. Art Therapy is based in psychology and comes with a lot of rules that aren’t related to art - this is because AT work with vulnerable populations and also because there is a system of reporting and accountability in place. Art Therapists go to school for a long time to become licensed and degreed. Artists are sometimes naturally born and raised (like me). Therapists aren’t. They’re conditioned and trained to perform within settings with specific populations of people. These are things I find to be in conflict to facilitating an artistic process (noted: AT is NOT an artistic process, AT is facilitating a psychological process through the use of various mediums of art). Artists don’t have the need to categorize people or places, or define and label psychological states, nor do they require a license. Artists work with what they have available.
As an Artist, it’s all about the artistic flow and process of creating a PRODUCT - it can be abstract, but there is some meaning there (sometimes only for the Artist)… I found little artistic value in my art therapy products - much less than in my own true art forms which people purchase and I teach from.
Ironically, one of my clients called me during the second day of the conference. I was happy to hear from her, she is 81 years old and interested in meeting others who practice meditation. I explained to her where I was and what I was doing and that I’d return in a week and would connect her with a small network of people she could meet with and practice meditation. She spoke with me briefly about finding “the purpose in my life” and she was concerned that she was running out of time to find this purpose. I assured her that as long as she was still breathing there was time. We hung up and I went to my next workshop. A quote was presented before the speaker delivered her topic Art Therapy in Hospice - that quote reminded me of my client who was alone , unattached to another human being (having no family nearby, no spouse and being home bound for the summer due to heat exhaustion).
Man transcends himself either toward another human being or toward meaning. Viktor E. Frankl, M.D., Ph.D.
My client was searching for meaning and transcendence - yes, I’m in the right place, right time, doing the right thing.
It means I’m an artist - I prefer nature's psychotherapy in the form of meditation and that means everything! Art Therapy has its place and is valuable to those who truly need what it offers to both therapists and clients. Art Therapists do miraculous work within the realm of psychotherapy. In our modern society, in the middle of the transition into post-industrial society - I can think of no better therapy for those in need than Art Therapy - - - and if you want to express yourself through art, find some relief from stress and HAVE FUN … then look me up, take one of my classes or have a one on one session. Live a creative life and be happy!
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