Why I decided to explore Art Therapy as an Artist
INTRODUCTION
The term Art Therapy was first introduced to me around 2010 by my yoga teacher while I was attending college. At that time, although I was an Art and Psychology student it never occurred to me that Art and psychology can be merged into a discipline of this nature. It created both a feeling of mystery and a desire to learn more about this discipline as well as what makes it unique from the other areas of psychology to which I was introduced. Interestingly, this led me to the creation of a jigsaw puzzle.
ART AND PSYCHOLOGY
My experience as a visual artist has repeatedly echoed the position that art and psychology are intimately related. The book “Art Therapy” by David Edwards highlighted two major differences in terms of which the profession of Art Therapy has emerged since it was first coined in the late 1940s. The association of the healing potential of Art and on the other hand the therapeutic relationship created between the art of the therapist, the client, and the artwork.
WHAT DOES ART THERAPY DO?
Art therapy is considered a stimulating and prolific form of healing. According to Riana van Staden self-expression can boost our physical, and emotional health. This gives you the opportunity to assess your experiences in a productive way leading to a possible resolution of issues from the past and present. Moreover, it can be used to facilitate self-discovery, stress relief, and self-esteem. It can be done alone or with the aid of a trained art therapist to assist in interpreting the metaphors of the artwork created.
JIGSAW PUZZLES AS A FORM OF ART THERAPY
During over a decade of professional practice as a visual artist and educator, I later discovered that jigsaw puzzles can be used as a means to promote emotional wellness. This led to the creation of my first jigsaw puzzle project. Based on the positive feedback I have received from people who completed the puzzle alone or in a group I was incredibly overjoyed to hear positive feedback from people who completed the puzzle. One of the core reasons for this feeling of joy is because it confirmed research I did during the development of this project which is designed as a means to share some positive energy in the world. A place that can have unpredictable environmental stressors.
CONCLUSION
In summary, art, and psychology play complementary roles in creating emotional balance in our lives. With Art Therapy you are given the opportunity to access your emotions and respond in a positive way to environmental forces. To learn more about my jigsaw puzzles visit the link below or feel free to message me.
REFERENCES
https://www.udemy.com/course/draft/589308/learn/lecture/5741034?start=0#overview
