Response to the Last Two Class Exercises

The exercise using the clay magic model to create an animal character and then its environment were quite interesting for me. I realized that instead of coming up with my own character, I used one that represented a character from a show I used to watch as a child. Either way, I got in touch with that childhood side of me which brought back memories of how excited I would get when watching one of my favorite shows. On the other hand, it also made me think that I possibly picked this TV character because it was safe and easy to go to, rather than creating something from my imagination. Perhaps this could reflect other aspects of myself.

This is a picture of the clay fish I shaped and painted over the past two classes. Like many people in our class, I felt disconnected to my animal before I started to paint it. Originally, I wanted to create a dolphin but I found that I lacked the skill do to so. I resigned myself to making a fish, an animal that seemed easy to shape. After I painted my fish, I was surprised at how much I grew to like it. I changed its name from the generic-sounding "Blue" to a more interesting, "Amalia" and I was able to take pride in her shape and color.

One of my favorite aspects of this class is how it enables me to feel proud and happy about making art. I've never considered myself a particularly good artist, and before this class, I considered making art to be an activity reserved solely for people who had artistic talent. I appreciate having a space to  draw, paint and create.

Hanneman Article-Creativity in Dementia Patients

The Hanneman article on Creativity in Dementia Patients was really interesting.  I liked how he points out the need for alzheimer's patients to have the creative space to express themselves since they have lost their sense of reality.  It also makes sense in that older patients are recognizing that they may not be able to physically do what they used to.  As a result, many older patients enjoy telling stories of what they did when they were younger in order to "re-live" the experience and connect with a reality outside of the current one.  Instead of just talking, it seems that art and a variety of creative expressions will give them the freedom to tell their story in different ways. It also give them a sense of control and calm over how they are feeling in the present moment about getting older. Talking is only one modality for them to do this. Painting, drawing, writing, singing, using movement.  These can all be different ways for them to tell their story and feel like they are re-living it as well.

Art Share: Watermelon

      Hey everyone, this is a picture of a watermelon that I wanted to share because I have found that it is something great to draw with very young kids who are just learning to color and draw.  If the kids can’t draw the green part, then they can probably color in the pink watermelon part, and if they can’t do that, then they can probably add some black marks as seeds.  Also, I think it is something they can remember so another time if they are drawing, they have something recognizable that they can try to draw. Some other fruits are also easy, and if kids can draw the green arch of the watermelon, then they can also probably learn how to draw a rainbow. I drew a watermelon like this with my nieces, and we had a great time. The light pink Mr. Sketch marker smells like watermelon, but crayons or paint would probably also work.
   I think the main benefit of this kind of drawing has to do with task mastery.  I drew this with kids, but some adults might also enjoy drawing a watermelon and other related drawings.

Going beyond literal symbolism

These are my 2 art works from class - both have an obvious resemblance to peacocks. My seeming obsession with this beautiful bird was not a surprise given that I had just performed in a dance production that was titled "Mayura". Mayura is the sanskrit word for peacock and I had been emotionally and physically tied to this theme over the course of the countless rehearsals this summer in preparation for the big show day.

What surprised me was the deeper meanings that projecting these images on paper and clay brought up within me. Peacocks have historically been revered as a mythological bird associated with latent potentiality, inner light and beauty in the face of adversity. Especially in the Indian culture, peacocks are seen as sacred beings, almost like a bridge between the world and the gods.

What does all these mean for me? My first instinct was to dismiss the deeper associations with the bird as going there means having to take a plunge into self introspection - one that requires a lot more effort and will and personal space.  But the internal dialogue I've had within me, as a result of the art projects was a pleasant surprise indeed. Who would have thought that a simple exercise could have sooo many layers of meaning?

This activity also reminds me that in working with clients using art, the exercise could take us anywhere. A seemingly literal or 'obvious' representation of art could take on multiple layers of meaning and all it takes is the skill of the therapist in asking the questions and the willingness of the client to explore different aspects of themselves. This is a good reminder to me to never assume what is as opposed to what could be. The sky is the limit!

Roles of Art in Therapy

Roles of Art Therapy: (you can make this explicit in your treatment goals)
1. Tell a story
2. Ventilate
3. Partialize (organize thoughts)(example of doing colored genogram)
4. the art as a mirror of self (projection)
5. Master a situation - gain a sense of control or understanding
6. Master a task (“I am capable”)
7. Representation of another “object” (a stand in for someone else)(if you don’t like what you made, it may be a representation of your shadow side).
8. sublimate destructive impulses (unconscious)
9. meditate/be mindful here and now (great for substance abuse)
10. give form to an abstract concept (i.e. my depression looks like…)
11. Discover unconscious or repressed material
12. communicate the unspeakable (trauma)
13. try out new roles
14 Reframe a situation (re-write a personal narrative, the things we always tell ourselves about ourselves and our lives)
15. As a microcosm of how we see, approach and interpret the world.

Art Share: My animal & his world

This is my piece from class yesterday. The reality is that when I started sculpting my animal the decision to make a bunny came out of skill rather than anything else. Later as we played with our neighbors, we decided to create accessories and other friends to play with, so among our things I created a snake. At first it was hard to find a metaphor but as I created the environment for my bunny and discussed the work with my classmate, interesting things came out. 

For example my bunny is out in the wild -free- although originally he was conceived as a Central Park Zoo resident. I think themes of liberty and being free, and what that it entails, were popping up and that it quite relevant to certain things in my life right now, so that was interesting.

As for the snake, event though he was conceived as a friendly participant, everything I can associate to him it's negative, so I wonder what is it doing in my bunny world? and what does it represent? Perhaps I simply don't want to go into it, but one thing that I will say is, that of all the things we choose to do that we believe are planned or thought out, all have a latent content, no matter how much we try to control it. At least this is my experience so far with this class.