Final: Art Session

So the directive I gave my friend was, "Draw/Paint/Create something that represents your future." I gave her different paper options, and offered her different materials, and that was it. She decided to use two papers, and the water color. I didn't say anything until she was done, just watched how she created this. When she was done, I asked her what it looked like to her, and she said like a tornado, and went on to say, "I feel like I came from a really dark place, so that's why it started black and became lighter because I see my future brighter". I asked, where do you see yourself on this paper? She said, "in the red/yellow area, because I feel like I'm still in it, but it's not as turbulent as it used to be." Then I asked her what else it looks like to her? So she turned it around with the black on the bottom, and said it looked like a tree. I asked, how does a tree represent your future? And she spoke about growing down roots, and how it's a process but that after some time it gives fruit. Also, that a tree goes up and reaches high. 

I went on to give some observations such as: 

What you see in your painting describes two different things that both have a process, you have also mentioned a lot about your past and how you've been able to work through it. Considering that you used two different papers, is it possible that you feel a departure from your past and have moved on? Because the darkness is on the smaller paper, and when it gets brighter and clearer it's on the bigger paper. She was shocked at this moment, and didn't realize that that is exactly how she feels about it, and promised me she didn't choose this intentionally but that it was true. I also asked, did you notice that just as you described going through a process, your gradient here went through a process too? I also reminded her that the directive was to draw something that represents her future, yet everything she did and "saw" was connected to her past in some way, she then said when thinking about her future, she remembers where she came from and is thankful that she has been able to learn and grow from her experiences. And then we talked a little more about it afterwards.

This exercise was fun, and of course it was more vivid while it was happening. My friend definitely saw how art can bring things up that she wasn't even aware of but clearly feels to be so true. She asked if we can do this again, and to do it with a group of people.