Yesterday in my combined noho or overnight weekend stay with two classes, I was given the opportunity by my colleague to deliver an art workshop with half of the class.
As last year, she had taken a neurograpic art therapy workshop that I had attended and I decided to do the same.
The beauty about the workshop was that one has the freedom to be able to make it something special for each of the attendees.
As an artist (which I didn't tell), I allowed each to consider an issue that they were going through and then to leave on the page by making large scribbles on a blank paper using a marker without lifting the marker off the page.
After that, I encouraged each attendee to flatten out all of the sharp edges with curved lines. You can see some examples on the pic above. In smoothing out the edges, I asked each attendee to consider what kaitiaki (guardian) solutions might make it less stressful i.e. would smooth out the edges.
The next step was to use water colour paints to paint each area with either warm, colour or families of colours. As you can see above, I used an array of colours and especially contrasting colours. In doing so, I asked them to consider what kind words could be spoken into the situations.
I gave it some time to dry and then began to encourage each to add embellishments. That sometimes in life things happen and that there're not always understandable but that it was worth it to be together and share in this activity.
I also encouraged each to consider a title for their masterpiece and also a story to explain the reasons behind that composition of the picture and what the different parts stood for. This was certainly an interesting exercise as some shared in tears, happiness and joy...