Art

Tending to My Garden of Grief

So long as I remember the lives of those I have lost, honour their presence and impact on me and celebrate their spirit, they will continue to live with me and the pain will feel bearable. It will no longer stop me in my tracks. Instead, it will encourage me and propel me forward through the transmutation of that grief into something different, something more nuanced and fluid. I’d like to share a practice for processing grief which I have found to be especially helpful.

Jacqueline – Digital Story

Jacqueline discusses what a digital story can be and how creatiing one can create positive breakthroughs

Jenn – Your art completely belongs to you

Jenn explains the wonderful thing about art is that piece belongs completely to you and you have the power to do whatever you wish with it . She makes some suggestions as to what you may want to do.

Doodles

On the first anniversary, I invited people who would understand – friends who knew Marshal’s love of art, and his creative spirit. They all came.

I had copied several of Marshal’s doodles of incomplete characters and creatures, with some finished for the kids to color. I eagerly watched to see which doodle or drawing each person chose.

Jackie – Using expressive arts as a tool for grief

Jackie talks about being able to express yourself and how it helps with grief

Michele – Expressive arts and healing grief

Michele defines expressive arts and how they can help healing in grief

Claudia – Taking your art home after art therapy

Claudia talks about why sometimes not to take your art home after therapy

Chantal – Physical symptoms and grieving

Chantal talks about panic attacks and thinking she was having a heart attack

Claudia – Being stuck and art therapy

Claudia discusses remunating how art therapist can help create different positive perspectives

Jenn – Art can be grounding and meditative

Jenn explains how the textures , qualities and colours of art can be grounding and meditative

Chantal – My Story

Chantal discusses finding a release in doing a graphic novel to explore her grief as a thesis in art therapy school

Claudia – Materials in art therapy

Claudia discusses all of the wonderful options of materials to use in art therapy. Art, markers, clay, pencils, water collours, cutting, tearing. They physical engagment with the materials is like alchemy.