Flying Pig!!!

This is a really funny drawing.  Or at least it was meant to be funny, but now when I look at it, the pig looks a bit angry or judgmental.

I did this drawing a few days a go, so I kind of forget what I was thinking that day.  Maybe I was feeling fat and angry about something I ate.  Could be.  Who knows?

A flying pig represents and impossibility "When pigs fly..."  There are many things in my life that feel that way right now.  Impossible.

As I am looking at this drawing more and more, I am thinking that the pig looks more determined than angry.  Maybe she is going to accomplish the impossible.  I like that interpretation a lot better than feeling fat.  I am feeling determined to turn things around in my life - both personally and financially.  Determination.  The old Billie Holiday song "Crazy He Calls Me" comes to mind.  She says, "The difficult, I'll do right now.  The impossible, will take a little while".

You go Piggy!

Degas Dancer in Oil Pastels

Another drawing that was done during client session.  Client was drawing her relationship with her daughter, and I just started drawing the example picture that is on the box of oil pastels.

I need to draw more with oil pastels.  They are so forgiving and fun to blend. Because I was copying this drawing, I was surprised by the color use of the shading and highlights. I would have never seen the shadows as blue or the skin as purple and yellow if I had not drawn this image - in fact, I have looked at this drawing hundreds of times on the pastel box, but I have never really seen at it before.

Looking and seeing are NOT the same.  Check out "Zen and the Art of Seeing/Drawing as Meditation" by Frederick Franck  .  Great book.

"Healing Through Art" - Worldwide Art Therapy

Sangeetha Neeraja

Express News Service

Last Updated : 11 Jul 2011 08:33:35 AM IST

CHENNAI: Words lie, Art doesn’t. For the query, “How are you?” Most of us instinctively say, “I am fine”, even though we might feel far away from it. On the contrary, when given a piece of paper and some colours and asked to express through ‘art’ for the same query, “How are you?”, the drawings that people come up with throws up a whole new dimension.

Magdalene Jeyarathnam, Founder-Director of East West Centre for Counselling Centre, who has been in the field of counselling for close to two decades, made the above observation as she shared the ingenious use of Art Therapy in counselling.

Going by this premise, East West Centre for Counselling has introduced the first-of-its kind certificate courses in Art Therapy in Chennai for those who wish to pursue professional counseling or Art Therapy as a career.

Magdalene noted, “Art Therapy is a powerful tool in the hands of the counsellor, mostly people are incapable of expressing themselves in words. When words fail, art comes to rescue.

Through art, the memories or the images that otherwise lie buried in their unconsciousness is brought to the surface, and then the therapist through various sessions helps the client to deal with it.” In Art Therapy, various art techniques such as art work, clay, water colours, crayons, oil on canvas, sewing, collages, group discussions, games and exercises, case studies, role-play presentation and testimonies are used.

Art Therapy is successfully used to deal with individuals, couples or families who are suffering from trauma, grief and loss, substance abuse, vocational burn out, depression and anxiety and also personal development.

The training methodology used is experiential learning. They also use some quantitative common test like Silvers Test-House -Tree-person test to get a baseline understanding of the client.

Magdalene said, “During the course, the therapist can also create their own assessment test. For example, at the beginning of the therapy, if the client takes the House-Tree-person test, and after three months into the therapy, the client is asked to undergo the same test again, the therapist can draw inferences on the assessment test.” There is a paucity of professionals in India to train people in this field of Art Therapy. Magdalene observed, “Most of them go abroad to get trained in Art Therapy, but sadly they don’t come back to India to practice or train others.” Melba Thorn, who holds a BFA from Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam and MA in Marital and Family Therapy specialising in “Clinical Art Therapy” from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, will be the trainer for this course.

They offer a weekend module for professionals at a cost of Rs 3,000. And the one year diploma course comes with a tuition fee of Rs 50,000. They also offer Art therapy sessions for those who need it.

Call 9884100135, 98847 00164 or visit www.centerforcounselling.

Torn Paper Collage with Ink

It has been awhile, but I am back and my promise to you is that I will post my art again on a weekly basis (more often if I am able to).  

This is a ripped construction paper.  Glued together and than enhanced with ink pen design. 

I began this piece while I was working with a client.  She is an adult female who I feel is very controlled and fearful. After several weeks of her drawing, I took away some of her control and told her that she could only tear the paper.  As she worked I created my own torn paper collage.  I have been making art along-side my clients more often these days.  I have abstained from doing this in the past, but recently I feel that I can watch my clients without staring at them.  Otherwise, I get bored and the client sometimes feels judged.

I completed this collage by adding repeating patterns (some of which I borrowed from Henna designs).  I liked the focus that these tiny designs required, but at times it was exhausting and felt very much like I was perseverating. I like this and I want to do more in the genre. It is really an interesting juxtaposition of letting go of control and almost OCD control.

Great article about Art Therapy and Grief

By Gayla Elliot, art therapist, Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune

A detailed sketch of a human skull and a blood-red rose. A pencil drawing showing an aerial view of a combat scene where Marines lie wounded and dying from a blast. A painting on canvas of a Greek warrior seeking vengeance from an angry sun or god. These images are snapshots of artwork produced by enlisted service members as they participate in the art therapy program at the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune (NHCL).

With so many of our military service members returning from war with visible and invisible wounds to body, mind, and spirit, health care providers face a challenge to provide the most comprehensive care. Art therapy is one form of intervention that can be highly effective as part of an overall healthcare program for military personnel. A little over one year ago, NHCL launched a new art therapy program which now treats approximately 60 patients per week. At NHCL, we use our art therapy program as a mental health assessment tool, and for group interventions or individual psychotherapy. In general, art therapy becomes an expressive outlet to aide with physical, mental and spiritual rehabilitation.

For the rest of the article go to:
http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2011/06/medical-monday-art-therapy-services-offer-service-members-specialized-care/

Soul Collage: Committee Suit "The Restless Self"

I have been feeling this intense sense of restlessness lately.  The need for change - something new.  I really think this has to do with my stage in life: 43 years old - married almost 19 years.  The questions of "Is this all there is?" and "Do I ever get to feel that sense of novelty, thrill and excitement again?" keep bubbling up to the surface.

The background is an exploding volcano - so much destructive energy.  I am a little worried that my restless energy could become destructive - doing something I will regret later.  But most of that background is covered up.  So maybe that is a good thing.  Keep it contained.

There is the speedboat that probably represents thrill and excitement but also luxury and indulgence.  A bit of dangerous playfulness too.  The jar with the lightning bolt conveys a bottled up power force.  As if that cork is going to pop off any second.  Could be alcohol, "tiger's blood" or just potential energy.  Right now I feel I have so much to share, but no outlet for it.

I picked the gun - not for a violent image, but as another symbol of power.  "If I can not gain your respect, I will just take it!"  Fear. There is a credit card coming out of the top of the gun -  I did not even see that until I started cutting it out - credit is potential money, money is potential power.  Really starting to feel the pressures of money, or lack of.

I am a bit baffled by the  tree trunk body / TV headed figure.  It seems frightened and confused. I am frightened and confused by all this bottled energy.  How do I sublimate it without hurting myself or others around me? I am also uncertain of the meaning of the leopard.  It seems to be stalking its' prey.  Maybe it's a "cougar".  What is it I am "Stalking"?

I think I need to stop thinking about all the exciting things that I don't have, and refocus on what already exists in my life that I can get excited about.

Soul Collage: Committee Suit "The Warrior"

This started out as "The Warrior". I wanted to portray my strength.  I am a strong person - physically and mentally.  I maintain my strength through the practice of martial arts and distance running. I travel for work, and I am often alone.  I need to feel strong when I am in a strange city. I trust that, if I had to, I could protect myself.  It may be a false sense of security, but I believe that we all need to live our lives with a sense of security - false or not.  If we do not live with some delusions, than life may be too hard to handle.  Maybe that is what causes people to be depressed. They live without delusion. They only see reality, without the silver-lining or rose-colored glasses  We need our delusions.

But I digress...

This collage became about something else. Now this collage seems to be about opposites.  I love the jockey on the snail.  Not sure why I originally chose this image.  So often my life is a "Hurry up and wait" or maybe it's that I expect to hurry things that just can not be rushed.  When I achieved my 1st degree Black Belt  I though I was a badass.  However, my Sensei told me that NOW I was a student just beginning my journey. I often try to rush the process.

I placed the woman swinging a pick-axe at balloons.  Overkill when a small pin would do the job?  Using the wrong tools for the job.  Bigger and more aggressive is not always better. Sometimes, it seems, that I make my life seem much more difficult than it is.  Am I working too hard at things that should be simpler?

However it could be something completely different.  On occasion a balloon can be deceptively difficult to pop.  Stronger than it looks.  Just like me!