We are having a series of workshops using different art materials. The first week we used dry materials including pencil, charcoal and pastels with different sizes and types of paper. It felt good to have a more practical class after lots of theory. We spent five minutes on each drawing and went around the room using each different material, some on a smaller and others on a larger scale. It was interesting how it brought back memories of certain situations depending on which materials were used. One type of paper reminded me of the poor quality of paper we used at school and someone else recalled the same. I did a lot of drawing throughout school, university and into adulthood and each image felt like a different stage of my art process.
I particularly enjoyed using the charcoal on a large scale and working on the floor. It felt more freeing and a break from my comfort zone. There were twigs laid out for us to use and my initial reaction was to start drawing around the twig roughly before attaching the charcoal to the end of the twig to start working with the twig itself. I drew a branch from the broken twig and I had a sense of what the tree might have looked like before it had been broken. I felt a sense of embodying the material in this piece. I liked transfering a sense of energy onto paper. I am drawn to nature and this comes out in my work.
I noticed five eyes appeared in one of my other pieces representing the five eyes of the small group I was working in. I like producing art using my unconscious mind to see what emerges and then reflecting on the symbolism and messages behind my pieces. The eye can symbolise judgement or authority but it can also symbolize an increased sense of perception and awareness. I enjoy decoding the different possible meanings. I plan to look into Jung and symbolism a lot more as I develop.
The second week we looked at wet materials and the effects this had in our process of working. We were also allowed to use more colour and there was more variety, for instance watercolour paint and paper, different types of acrylic paint and different shapes of paper. I was in a bit of a bad mood as I had got stuck on my way in at Turnpike Lane underground station for an hour so I was late. This was reflected in my first piece which was using dark blue and black ink. I drew three circles with ripples around each. The number three has always been very symbolic to me. The other pieces seemed much lighter after that. On later reflection my art therapist and I noticed that they seemed to be like the elements fire, earth, air and water. It made me think of having a sense of balance. (See figure 3 below)
I also did a response piece to this with my art therapist and again I noticed more symbolism. (figure 3) This time a man, a tree and an apple which maybe reprosents a natural energy cycle and connection between humans and nature. The man and the apple had rings around them which my therapist interpreted as protective rings but I liked to see them as energy radiating outwards. I used black willow charcoal which was an interesting choice as it is made from a tree. There was a contrast between this piece and the ones earlier in the day but also similarities. I said to the therapist it felt good to “get the black out” and that art brings me light on a grey day. I enjoy working with dramatic contrasts and I have begun to think about why this is. On the way home I also noticed myself looking at contrast and colour again and I took a photo of the black concrete with fallen autumn leaves it felt as though related to my other pieces. I find it interesting how we are drawn to things without consciously always knowing why.
figure 3
Another week we were asked to make an animal and a habitat for the animal using plasticine for the animal and clay for the habitat. I chose to make a red squirrel and I made a nest for him to sit in. Although after making the habitat I didnt want to keep him in it as it seemed like it was closing in on him. (figure 6).
figure 6 
One week we had to go out for a walk and collect items that we felt we had a connection to. I think my awareness to plastic waste, the fires in Australia as well as christmas approaching and the waste created over that time of year must have been playing on my unconscious mind as I came back with an ashtray, a branch some plastic items and some other strange items related to smoking, drugs and alcohol. I put the twig in the ashtray, tied coloured raffier around the branch, stuck a plastic ball through the base of the branch and used yellow paint on the ashtray which looked toxic to give an effect of it running over the sides. I called the piece anti-christmas. I also noticed I drew the flower of life at the on the paper using the base of the ashtray and paint which was also unconscious and I noticed afterwards. The piece looks chaotic and very different to previous weeks. I felt I had a sense of connection to the materials. I also had the thought of the branch being like a lung being restricted. (figure 8)
On the last week we were put into groups of three. We were given a few postcards and we were told to go out and put the postcards in new environments to change the picture so that it gave it another meaning. We photographed them and then we had to choose three and displayed them in a slideshow presentation. Being in a group was beneficial as we saw things from different view points (figure 9).
MA Art Therapy Blog 