Art as Medicine
I am an artist at heart, though I’m not a practicing artist in this season; not in the traditional sense of “one who makes art.” It’s true, in past years I have been a dedicated maker of art, but I am an artist because I love art. I seek out opportunities to view it, consume it, appreciate it, and support it. Visual art, music, dance, theater, all of it. I am an artist because I see beauty in the details and in words unspoken, and also because I’m closest to my whole self when I’m creating, appreciating, and experiencing art.
In past years, art may have saved me as I look back on seasons of hardship and the process of seeking true identity. Art-making breathed life into days and years of brokenness and taught me to hone my eye for beauty in darkness. My life has more peace now, but those habits continue to light up a creative lifestyle even though I’m not making art in this season. Just in the last month I’ve attended a cello/piano concert, watched a movie that leaves you humming “Defying Gravity,” visited the Clyfford Still museum (fascinating dude!), and the Denver Art Museum. But I’ve also exercised creativity through cooking meals in my kitchen, trimming a plant in my office, and placing the clippings in a jar to propagate. I’ve soaked in the beauty of a fresh winter snow and paused in awe of how the tiny crystals line each branch of the trees before the sun touches their edges; I’ve arranged fresh flowers in a vase, danced in my living room, read books I couldn’t put down, painted my nails, and experimented with a new outfit combination from my closet. I believe every one of us is exercising creativity, wonder, and inspiration every single day, even if we aren’t aware. Simply crafting an email just right is an act of creativity.
A couple of years ago I took an Expressive Arts training to learn how to engage art therapeutically with clients. I learned something fascinating in those trainings. Communication and words are held and processed in our left brain, but there are times when we don’t have words to describe an experience or feelings due to either selective memory, pre-verbal memory, trauma, or protective ways that our incredible brain serves us. I learned there are times when our right brain holds details that our left brain cannot access. One way to access those subconscious memories or messages that our right brain holds is to create, not for a finished product, but simply for accessing expression when it’s hard to find the words. Only then can we find the words to describe what has been expressed visually, somatically, or musically. Accessing our right brain through creativity, movement, and self-expression helps our left (conscious) brain to connect the dots.
The Art of Becoming Collective is providing a free opportunity to experience an expressive art journey this coming Monday, March 10 from 6-7. Expressive Arts does not require any talent, just an openness to engage and trust what your brain wants to put on the paper (or canvas) and a willingness to reflect on what meaning it might hold for you. Our prompts and conversation will be centered on the beauty of both individuality (differences) and community (connection with others), and what can happen when both come together in healing and positive ways. This is a space for curiosity, conversation, and connection. All are welcome!
Expressive arts are designed to help our right brain and left brain connect, for our mind and our body to unite, and in this instance, for us to hold an experience of art together. We hope you take away a new narrative of individual expression as we create a piece to take home that also reflects the beauty of what makes a beautiful community through our differences.
March 10, 6-7pm | Bring your own 8x10 canvas | No talent required
523 Remington St, Suite A, Fort Collins
