In art therapy, creativity is a means of coping with anxiety, depression, and disturbing emotions. Painting is not only a creative process but also an art therapy for famous painters Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo who suffer from chronic illness. Art therapist Bruce Moon thinks art making serves an existential purpose, helping us make sense of a world that seems filled with boredom, dysfunctional relationships, abuse, addiction, and purposelessness.
To know more about the creative process, I read Art Therapy Sourcebook by Cathy Malchiodi and Trust the process by Shaun Mcniff. These two art therapists mention that many aspects of daily life involve personal creativity: arranging flowers in a vase or setting a colorful table. If we approach what we already do on the desk or in the kitchen from the perspective of artistic expression, we’re in the creative process.
Create from home
Create from home is the new norm nowadays, not just work from home. I start by making drinks with different colors to make home life more colorful. Drink red on Monday. Drink orange on Tuesday. Drink yellow on Wednesday. Drink green on Thursday. Drink indigo on Friday. Drink blue on Saturday. Drink violet on Sunday. I can feel a rainbow is radiating inside me after a week!
Rather than try to rid your life of tension, consider doing something more creative with it. – Shaun Mcniff
During the lockdown, I also self-publish a book called Lazy Giver. Setting some time to write daily sounds a tedious commitment but it’s rewarding when I finish it. I feel happy that I have created something I want to do for long. And it’s something that will last forever! Check it out if you’re curious to know more.
What’s more, my family has decided to rearrange the furnitures and reorganise the things we have at home. Now, my home is different in a good way. I’m happy that home looks tidier and more spacious. To me, art therapy could be any forms. And creativity is new ways of doing or seeing things. For more creative insights, check out Zig Zag, Wired to Create, creative and meditation. Do you create from home? Feel free to share with me your version of art therapy and any wonders in ordinary home life. π
Creative doing!
Our negative feelings can be reflected through art therapy & this would help in identifying source/extent of our stress & thus we can take step in keep it under our control. This is a great content. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you Debananda Roy β€ Yes true, it's a reflection from within!
Art therapy including writing, painting are also a different form of healing. Thx for sharing & congratulations on your book.
Thank you Navin! β€
You’re welcome Helen
FYI –
Iβve migrated my WP site & have published a few poems. If you havenβt received any notification, please visit “navinspoems.com” -> Enter your Name & email in the pop-up box -> Click on SIGN UP. This way notification will be activated. If it says you’re already a subscriber, then pls check your notification settings whether it’s enabled or not when I publish a post. Thanks a million for your help & ongoing support! πβ€οΈ
Art therapy for me involves a visit to an art gallery. They’re some of the most quiet and best places to experience art on another plane and I just like the atmosphere.
Again, congrats on your book Helen. The font kinda looks lazy too. Me like it.
I love visiting art gallery too! β€ I also enjoy the peaceful and artistic vibe there. Thanks again Eromonsele Emmanuel β€ haha glad that you have noticed the lazy font! :p
You’re welcome!
<3<3<3
Thank you!! I’m a writer so I’ve been trying to be busy this year with writing. A job is not my reality right now and I’m currently weighing my options. This can interest my dear friend @maisy.draws, who’s an illustrator and artist on her free time. Cheers π
That’s cool! What’re you writng at the moment? π
A little bit of everything. Some research, some poetry, and a quarantine journal which lays forgotten sometimes.
haha that’s great! Keep writing β€
Helen, thank you for visiting my site. I am pleased that you like my poems. I added a blog to my website very recently as an antidote to the isolation of the pandemic.
While I was waiting for moving day last winter, I watched a lot of videos of poured paintings and spent a lot of time learning that skill. I have hung a few of those paintings in our new house. Doing those paintings was very therapeutic. It helped me get through all the waiting for the closings on our old house and our new house.
Thank you for the very interesting post on Art therapy. I look forward to reading more of your writing. Take care. Cheryl
Thanks for sharing Cheryl β€ Gald to hear that you've been painting a lot. I believe your paintings looks nice after practices β€ I love watching inspiring videos from Netflix or apple tv+. π Thanks again for your positive feedback. Stay healthy and creative. β€
Congrats on the book, Helen!
Thank you! β€
These are great ideas – find creativity in all things! Nicely done!
Thank you John! β€ Stay healthy, happy and creative π
I love your take on art therapy with the use of colored drinks. Not to mention they look yummy, not just aesthetically pleasing!
Thank you!<3 Love your appreciation π
Hi! This article is absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed reading this! Please feel free to check out my recent blog post regarding art therapy inspiration at home β€οΈ
Thank you Maddie! β€
Maddie: Check out the Getty Museum online. Thatβs where I got the inspiration for this post.
Thanks for your inspiration source! β€
You might enjoy this post I created to demonstrate some artistic therapy I created to cope with my Corona confinement.
http://onstageformyselfnow.blog/2020/05/07/quarantine-art-therapy/
I love this post! very creative β€
I’ve been teaching art for many decades, practically 4. Students always report that painting and drawing classes worked for them like a therapy. Lots of times, people with anxiety and depression sign up for my art classes to feel better and many report they do. The thing is, one has to attend such classes for at least a year or longer.
Good post for inspiring people.
I appreciate your art teaching. You must have inspired many people! β€
Yes art is definitely therapeutic so calmingπ
yes indeed β€ Stay safe and creative
Amazing post
thank you! β€
An amazing piece! π
Thank you dear β€
ahh, i loved this so much.
i recently created an art page. please have a look!! π
Send me your art page link, La Reine. I would love to check it out. β€
Woww…this is so cool
Just loved thisππβ€
thank you!<3
My pleasure π₯°π
I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on the use of art therapy. The thought of using different colored drinks to change the monotony of life, especially during the quarantine, was a great idea. This little difference in a day can be the change that people need during these times of repetition. Also, congratulations on the book.
Thank you @JACEE HAMILTON for your kind words! β€
Writing is like stretching. Wow.
Wow, you spot a wow point lol
Love this! Its hard to find time for myself with 3 kids but blogging is my go to. I wish I could craft and read more but I guess that time will come as baby gets older!
3 kids is not easy! You can craft with your kids to have fun tgt β€ And have reading time tgt haha
Lol yes! π
Great post!
Thanks dear!<3