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Art Therapy

Art Heals

When we heal our emotional body we heal our physical body. When our mindset is balanced so is our body. It’s listening and responding to what it’s told.

“Grandma, how do you deal with pain?”
“With your hands, dear. When you do it with your mind, the pain hardens even more.”
“With your hands, grandma?”
“Yes, yes. Our hands are the antennas of our Soul. When you move them by sewing, cooking, painting, touching the earth or sinking them into the earth, they send signals of caring to the deepest part of you and your Soul calms down. This way she doesn’t have to send pain anymore to show it.
“Are hands really that important?”
“Yes my girl. Think of babies: they get to know the world thanks to their touch.
When you look at the hands of older people, they tell more about their lives than any other part of the body.
Everything that is made by hand, so it is said, is made with the heart because it really is like this: hands and heart are connected.
Think of lovers: When their hands touch, they love each other in the most sublime way.”
“My hands grandma… how long since I used them like that!”
“Move them my love, start creating with them and everything in you will move.
The pain will not pass away. But it will be the best masterpiece. And it won’t hurt as much anymore, because you managed to embroider your Essence.”

~Elena Barnabé

What does it mean to embroider our Essence? To add details to our essence that make it more interesting. Taking the darkness we all go through, and bringing life and light to it through creating with our hands. Darkness is necessary for there to be light, it’s all about what we do with the energy that determines how we live.

Healing through Art

This workshop is based around using our hands to heal and move through grief. We connect with our inner creator and bring about manifestations that move us to heal and reform that energy into how we desire to feel.

The power is within us… and is expressed through our hands. We build our lives with our hands. We comfort one another with our hands. We give and receive with our hands. They are powerful tools. ❤

Through art exploration and experimentation, we can learn how to transform our minds and hearts with our hands.

This is diving into ourselves and bring forth our inner being with the use of our hands and art materials as tools.

We each create a piece of art using our hands as the focus for channeling energy through them. Creating works that really dive into our essence, rather than representational painting, this experience is more about creating rather than focusing on having a final painting that looks a certain way.

We create meaningful pieces, that we will love because it comes from who we are. Creating art that resonates an energy you have chosen with intent, at this moment in your life, is a very powerful tool for manifesting.

Heal with Art

Art Heals.

Categories
Art Therapy

Healing Hands

Recently I facilitated a workshop that used art for healing.

When we create art, we are generating energy. We are putting our intentions and energy into each mark.

During the workshop we focused on body awareness, while moving both our hands with art materials.

We closed our eyes so we could really get into the feeling of our energetic aura. To the places in our bodies that felt stiff or tense, areas that were tight or sore. We worked those spots out in our minds eye, while moving the art materials in both hands as if we were actually massaging out all of the tension.

Healing Hands

Healing Through Art Making

Each stroke of the oil or chalk pastel was a release of stored energy that no longer served us. Each mark presented letting go of things we no longer needed. Releasing it into the paper.

After releasing we went right into creating. We first visualized what our bodies felt like after we’ve received that which we desire. How did we feel in our bodies when we have that what we wish to receive. Then we used that energy to create another image on top of the old marks.

We listened to a meditative playlist… with two major songs: I Release Control, and I Am Loving Awareness. Such great mantras for opening up to all that is yours by divine right.

The artwork came out fantastically, and really embodied each person’s energy. Such a powerful process for making changes in our lives.

Thank you everyone who attended. This was such a wonderful workshop, I look forward to doing more!

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Cromwell Valley Park

Yesterday and today I had the pleasure of attending another Baltimore County public schools Art teacher workshop, Plein Air Painting at Cromwell Valley park.

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This park is BEAUTIFUL! A hidden gem for sure. There are beautiful old structures, meadows, many different trees, and a beautiful creek! We found beautiful rocks, river glass, and a mulberry tree!

It was supposed to rain both days, but it held out for us to get two beautiful days to paint plein air.

En plein air (French pronunciation: ​[ɑ̃ plɛn ɛːʁ], French for outdoors, or plein air painting) is the act of painting outdoors.

My friend Eli and I chose a beautiful spot at the creek that faced lovely rocks!

Normally I paint with acrylics and with an more abstract flair, but these past two days I decided to paint with watercolors. I used Jack Richeson Watercolor palette and I love to results. 

One problem I found in the beginning was that I needed to retrain my brain to see the landscape lightest to darkest. I didn’t leave any of the white from the paper in my first painting. So that is something that I really worked on during the second day.

For my second painting I started out very light.  It took more time, but I felt less frustrated with trying to get the right values where the light was reflecting.

Overall this workshop has given me an opportunity to hone my skills with using watercolor.

Thanks for another awesome professional development, BCPS!

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LEAD! #NAEA16

The National Art Education Association held its annual art convention in Chicago this year! A big change from last year’s convention in New Orleans.

The convention asked us to Lead, and Share our vision for Art Education. This was a powerful convention, full of STEAM, Arts Integration and Holistic learning. We proclaimed our importance as Art Educators to the universe with Jean Houston. She was truly the most inspirational speaker I’ve had the honor of hearing. I see her vision clearly, and she is a wonderful model for creating a shift in our world.

Each session I attended was jam packed! It was great having the NAEA app to keep my schedule organized and to see resources the presenters shared.  Such a 21st century way of communicating and sharing.

At the artisan gallery I sold my dreamcatchers and some quote paintings. It was a wonderful evening meeting art educators from around the world! One of my dream catchers is living in Panama now!

Laura and Matt Grundler at #K12ArtChat and Susan Reily, who is a HUGE arts integration advocate,at EdCloset hosted a wonderful twitter meetup! It was wonderful seeing and meeting everyone I twitter chat with in real life:

Nic Hahn … the energy behind MiniMatisse
Tim Needles…Vine and Art Educator guru
Chris Sweeney… master of the MakeyMakey
Joy Shultz… an amazing teaching artist who uses choice based learning
Cassie Stephens… Art educator fashionista blogger

On Saturday I attended a hands on art workshop presented by Michael Bell and David Modler, of the Journal Junkies, The 7 Deadly Sins: Mixed Media Collaboration. All I can say is, amazing. It was by far the best workshop I’ve ever attended at a convention. I really enjoyed how Michael and David’s energy flowed and interacted with the participants! It was interactive and engaging… If you ever get the chance to attend a workshop or session by either of these teaching artists, I would definitely recommend attending.

I have been honored to represent our school at the National Art Education Association Convention for 3 years now, and every year it is an amazing learning and networking experience.

 

<3 Thank you everyone for such great resources, ideas, memories and friendship!

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Art Class Most Popular Revealing Treasures in your Own Backyard

Artist Educator Workshop, HHI.

Introducing the first ever Artist Educator Workshop at Hampton Historic National Site.  I am so fortunate to be able to work with such an amazing group of individuals, from fellow board members to artist educators.

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Historic Hampton Inc. has had a vision for bringing together art, education, and the Hampton Historic National Site. Recently this vision has begun to bloom. The first workshop for artist educators was held on December 5th, 2015.

10 teachers from all over Maryland attended to hear more about how they can incorporate the wonderful historic site into their curriculum.  The workshop began with light breakfast provided by Danielas in Hamden, and a short talk from Park Ranger Vince Vance. Then I presented the adaptable lesson plan that was created to use in tandem with a field trip to Hampton and the virtual photo gallery.

This lesson is based off of the narrative that is a requirement for the Baltimore County Public School Art program. It can be altered to work with any grade k-12, and has arts-integration options as well.

After discussing the lesson plan, we took a tour of the grounds and the mansion…which was amazing because they let us in the front door (which is very rare!)

When we returned to the orangery, our first ever artist in residence Paul Moscatt presented a little gallery talk of his artwork and shared what he did as an artist and an educator. Paul was born in Brooklyn, New York and went to Yale University Art School from 1959-63.  He also attended The Cooper Union Art School, NYC from 1956 to 59. As an educator, Paul worked at Maryland Institute, College of Art (1967 to 2000), currently a Professor Emeritus.

The teachers had such an amazing time, and learned so much! We are currently in the process of scheduling a Painting Day with Paul for those who attended, as well as a second Artist Educator Workshop in the beginning of 2016.

If interested please contact me by commenting below with your email address and I will send you more information!