~Art is the stored honey of the human soul,
gathered on wings of misery and travail.~
~Theodore Dreiser, Life, Art, and America, 1917
Therapeutic Art Quilts:
These quilts are not necessarily meant to be pretty, sometimes the emotions underlying them aren't "pretty," and that shows in the work. These pieces are meant to be vehicles in which our emotions may travel from our subconscious minds into the outside world where they can be released in a healthy and productive way, not stored inside us to create discord and disease. They are often a mirror to reflect on the outside what is felt on the inside, that the artist may feel no one could ever understand without being in that moment themselves. The artwork then is that "moment," meant to be shared with the viewer, a sort of symbiotic experience, if only for a few seconds of viewing. The viewer then "shares" in the emotion being portrayed in the piece, and in essence lightens the load of the artist in their journey, as perhaps reciprocally, the artist has lightened the load of the viewer by having expressed a common emotion or need through the artwork created.
For me, art is therapy. I have been a licensed professional counselor for thirteen years, so it's second nature for me to look for things to do that are therapeutic, or to just view the world that way. I enjoy using art therapy in my work with clients, and I absolutely love to work through my own personal issues with messy hands obtained in the pursuit of "making." I own and operate an online counseling practice, if you'd like to learn more about that, visit me HERE. If you are an art quilter or fiber artist and would like to use your art in therapeutic ways, don't hesitate to contact me if you would like assistance or ideas about how to do that. My number is 828.919.8020. You may also contact me for commissioned pieces that would be therapeutic for you.
For me, art is therapy. I have been a licensed professional counselor for thirteen years, so it's second nature for me to look for things to do that are therapeutic, or to just view the world that way. I enjoy using art therapy in my work with clients, and I absolutely love to work through my own personal issues with messy hands obtained in the pursuit of "making." I own and operate an online counseling practice, if you'd like to learn more about that, visit me HERE. If you are an art quilter or fiber artist and would like to use your art in therapeutic ways, don't hesitate to contact me if you would like assistance or ideas about how to do that. My number is 828.919.8020. You may also contact me for commissioned pieces that would be therapeutic for you.
Common uses of art therapy include, but are not limited to, the following:
- People under lots of stress or pressure may use art as therapy.
- Managers and/or staff may be someone who uses art therapy.
- Someone who has mental health problems uses art therapy.
- Someone with learning disabilities or difficulties can use art as therapy.
- Children or young adults having problems in school can use art therapy.
- Kids, teenagers, or adults with personal problems can benefit from using art therapy.
- People with more serious issues can make use of art therapy…For example, people with autism, brain injuries, eating disorders, cancer, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, etc.
- Someone who believes they are problem-free and simply would like to explore themselves more deeply can be someone who uses art therapy.
Read more here____________________________________________________
