Art Therapy Gypsy

Book Launch, Interview & Film

2011-12-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

Today is the book launch for the first Sankalpa publication, a bilingual book which includes stories written by Edayanchavadi village children about hand-sewn affirmation dolls they created in art therapy sessions between December 2010 and May 2011. Please send inquiries for available copies to krupa.jhaveri@gmail.com and continue to follow updates on Sankalpa on the website and Facebook page.

This summer, Persephone magazine interviewed me on my journey into Art Therapy and visions for the future. Special thanks to Coco Papy. Preview an excerpt below and read the whole interview here.

"Krupa Jhaveri is a woman who believes in the Anne Turner saying that all art takes courage. As the creator and founder of Sankalpa, an art therapy organization, Krupa’s work has brought the benefits and healing power of art therapy to those who often have the least access to it...Saying she is dedicated to her work would be an understatement and one often has to look hard for the exact words to describe all the ways in which she is reaching out to touch people with her work."

I am also honored that art therapy pioneer Judith Rubin included my work in her recent film on International Art Therapy: A Universal Language for Healing. Some photos from my 2009 survey of India and Nepal can be seen in the clip on Expressive Media.

Journal Entry for Levi's & TED India

2011-07-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

For those who still enjoy reading that which is written by hand and from the heart, please dive into this collage journal entry I created for a collaboration between Levi's and TED India. The physical pages are part of a book which was recently displayed at the TED Global conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, and a digital version is available for download within the online mentorship community, Shape What's To Come.

"The inspiring, personal narrative of Krupa Jhaveri, one of the many amazing young women of Shape What's To Come, supported by Levi's."

Sankalpa in action!

2010-11-26T21:51:00.000-08:00

After months of preparation and intention, I have returned to India. I am grateful for all of the support and following of Sankalpa: Art Journeys. The image below shows a sample of some art supplies bought with generous donations. While working in India, I am using technology to update those interested, hoping to encourage investment in the vision as it unfolds.

One of the 80+ stops in my previous travel survey was Auroville, an international township dedicated to the realization of human unity. Auroville is located near Pondicherry in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu. A utopian living experiment established in the 1960s, it is a fascinating and stimulating microcosm of our global reality. In everyday life here, I eat locally grown and organic food prepared in a communal solar-powered kitchen. I drive a converted electric moped, which I simply charge overnight in a standard electric socket. Available each week are a variety of activities including yoga, meditation, dance, music, cooking, movies, exhibitions, lectures and workshops. In many ways this enriching atmosphere contributes to my personal evolution, by providing access to people and information from around the world. And am currently living behind a local family home while working in the nearby villages.

In these first weeks, I have connected with a variety of individuals and groups receptive to art therapy. As planned, I am working at Thamarai community center, located in the nearby Edayanchavadi village. The children attend an after school program including arts and handicrafts (1st to 3rd standard), and I am starting a regular weekend group specifically centered on art therapy. I have also been referred for a Child Protection Services case to assist with a family conflict through art therapy (as part of a team). I will soon be introducing art therapy to adolescent girls receiving life skills and support at the Life Education Center, as well as the staff of Village Action, which has outreach to 80 surrounding villages (both women and men). Outside of village work, I am also joining forces with a compassionate living community within Auroville to offer art therapy as part of a nonviolent communication retreat. The variety and scope of experience being offered here is very exciting for an emerging international art therapist!

Sankalpa: Art Journeys!

2010-08-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

My dreams are becoming more real everyday, and you are part of them. I have had a compelling vision to share Art Therapy in India, with the extended family of my heritage (though we are all connected as part of a larger whole). This blog has been the space for me to explore and articulate this vision, and will continue as a more personal account of this journey.

After a very challenging and humbling seven months of travel in India and Nepal surveying locations last year, I returned to the US to process and collect resources before returning to a village community center this November. Any donations for sustainable art supplies are greatly appreciated and can be made via PayPal here: http://www.sankalpajourneys.com/donate.html

As this vision builds, please be sure to join, follow updates, and find more information through these links:

Website: http://www.sankalpajourneys.com/

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sankalpa-Art-Journeys/146425478702745

Facebook cause: http://www.causes.com/causes/518393

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/krupa-jhaveri/24/405/a49

The logo is a map for collaboration and integration and I invite any of you to contact me with your ideas for expanding or deepening this vision. I am currently looking for assistance in sorting hundreds of travel photos, and those with expertise in establishing a non-profit status.

Gratitude!

Seed of Life

2010-06-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

Mother Theresa

Seed of Life

Pronoia

2010-04-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

A Spell to Commit Pronoia

by psychotherapist Jennifer Welwood
(in Pronoia by Rob Brezsny)

Willing to experience aloneness,
I discover connection everywhere;
Turning to face my fear,
I meet the warrior who lives within;
Opening to my loss,
I am given unimaginable gifts;
Surrendering into emptiness,
I find fullness without end.

Each condition I flee from pursues me.
Each condition I welcome transforms me
And becomes itself transformed
Into its radiant jewel-like essence.
I bow to the one who has made it so,
Who has crafted this Master Game;
To play it is pure delight,
To honor it is true devotion.

Creation

2010-03-07T21:40:00.000-08:00

Birth, beginning, inhale, womb, seed, air, Brahma (supreme creative energy of matter) and Sarasvati (goddess of knowledge).

It seems fitting that this an unfinished piece with floating pieces, while I grow my own plumage as a transnational migratory bird. Included are feathers of female peacocks roaming where I meditated, and portions of airmail envelopes sent by my mother in the US to my grandmother in India. As I was growing up, my mother would give me a section of the back of these letters to fill with drawings before sending them to my grandmother, who cherished these bits of our distant realities. The letters outline the challenges of my mother's immigration and one even details my mother’s experience of the “miracle” of my birth as her first child. They trace my first shapes and marks that over time transformed into letters and language. It is a blessed treasure to explore these through the eyes of an adult art therapist, returning to the roots of my own expression.

I also had the honor of observing Kartik Poornima (in October of 2009) at Pushkar Lake and visiting one of the very few Brahma temples that exist in the world.

Preservation

2010-03-07T21:03:00.000-08:00

Life, middle, flow, evolution, adaptation, water, Vishnu (pervading presence sustaining and maintaining the universe) and Lakshmi (goddess of wealth).

Scraps of the passage of messages over years, in notes, cards, letters and the stamps tracing their travels around the world. Language blurring between English and Gujarati, gossip, secrets, information and even a little floorplan of one of our many homes we continuously defined and erased, then drew again in a new place. This is a collection of sacred handwritten artifacts from times before the plague of technological distractions.

I journeyed through time and space with my mother, and redefined spirituality for myself during an epic pilgrimage through the beaches and temples of south India (after my grandmother passed away). Here I am handed the paintbrush of an everyday goddess named Parvati, to try my hand at traditional kolam on the floor of the ancient Meenakshi temple in Madurai!

Destruction

2010-03-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

Death, disintegration, exhale, ending, fire, Shiva and Kali (both forces of destruction and change).

The broken glass and mirror parallel the disassembled state of inner being that one experiences in ending cycles and patterns. A purging of the darkness I witnessed in everyday life filled with humble and routine sacrifice. Oddly enough, I found very small eggs emerging from the red surface of the handmade Nepali paper, just as I finished re-reading Kafka’s Metamorphosis. A synchronistic (and slightly horrifying) reminder of the rebirth that follows soon after destruction occurs.

I felt this phase strongly while traveling through Calcutta and Sikkim, during which time my grandmother also passed away.

Chandra Samadhi

2010-02-19T01:03:00.000-08:00

In a meditative and creative trance, my consciousness
connected deeply with the energy of the radiant moon.

Everything is soul and flowering.
I open and fill with love
and what is not love evaporates.
-Rumi

Chakrevolution

2010-02-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

The 7 Evolutionary Benefits of Nomadic Travel and/or Burning Man
(corresponding to the 7 universal chakra centers)

1. Muladhara: Recognizing the earth and the cyclical miracles of nature. Finding presence and stability regardless of location in the grand scheme of existence.

2. Swadhisthana: Peace of mind, calm control of thought. Loosening attachments while deepening genuine connections.

3. Manipura: Adaptability of the body and surroundings, place in the universe. Heightened awareness of how little one needs, and how much waste one creates (physical and mental realms).

4. Anahata: Love and self-love. On each level, all directions, in everyday camouflage. Liberation.

5. Visuddha: Communication and expression. Silences and spaces to explore the synthesis of symbols and creative language.

6. Ajna: Visualization-actualization. Manifesting and manipulating reality, while accepting and resolving karma. Purging patterns.

7. Sahasrara: Blissful ascension into alternate realities, gratitude in a balanced, endlessly neutral state.

Boomerang

2010-01-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

It is challenging to update and summarize after such a break from technology, from general reality stateside, and especially after such a profoundly transformative journey. I am back in NY and settling in, learning to reconnect with the fast pace, the consumerism, and the cold.

In seven total months of travel in India and Nepal (grand total of over 80 places), I forfeited most technology and accessibility, including the ability to update this blog. However, in return I gained awareness of the messages of the earth, the path of the sun and moon, the identities of plants, and personalities of creatures. Above all, I tuned into my instincts, and I realized that a pattern of migration is what will suit me best in the next phase of my life. A future dream to live in both parts of the world throughout each year is materializing into my present reality.

As I evolved through these travels, my visions have as well. This phase of research/survey before opening a center in India has finished, and I am processing the experiences and preparing for my return to spend more time focused within a maximum of three organizations. I believe a well-researched foundation is necessary in this venture. At the moment, I am applying for funding for materials and expenses as I volunteer myself as an art therapist in a village community center (details to follow).

The perspective upon return allows me to share a more succinct and less predictable presentation of my experiences. Instead of cataloging each city, temple, person, interaction, etc., I will highlight themes and stories (e.g. women, addictions, children, poverty). I will also focus on profiles for organizations without websites or access to many resources, in need of assistance.

Nomad Path

2009-10-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

Scanning through my journals over the past five months, I realized that I somehow made it through over 60 cities, towns, and villages in India and Nepal (listed below). I traveled by foot, bicycle, motorbike, scooter, car/taxi, jeep, van, bus, truck, pedal/motor rickshaw, tractor, horse, boat, plane, and train.

INDIA: Delhi, Rishikesh, Gorakhpur, Calcutta, Babughat, Howrah, Radhanagar, Lochipur, Ghatal, Digha, Jalpagiri, Siliguri, Darjeeling, Gangtok, Rumtek, Mirik, Guwahati, Mumbai, Baroda, Ankleshwar, Surat, Bharuch, Trivandrum, Kovalam Beach, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Rameshwaram, Danushkodi, Pondicherry, Auroville, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Chennai, Goa: Panaji, Arambol, Vagator, Anjuna, Calangute

NEPAL: Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Jomsom, Mustang, Lupra, Muktinath, Jharkot, Kagbeni, Marpha, Tukuche, Lete, Dana, Kalopani, Ghasa, Tatopani, Beni, Sirubadi, Chitwan, Lumbini, Siddharthanagar, Bhairawa, Butwal, Sunauli

Alas, I am already off to the next set of adventures, and again, I do not know when I will be able to update properly. Each place, each person, each moment seems to teach me more about where I am headed. The nature of this path is that it can barely be captured in progress, though I hope that my vision will soon be one you can also see.

Corruption

2009-10-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

A general note on a persistent and universal issue which I have witnessed in both India and Nepal. It is understandable that competition amongst the masses is a ruthless Darwinian display of greed for survival. Income is generated at every possible expense, and it is an unfortunate truth which is locally accepted but often is otherwise unknown. A majority of NGOs, social service organizations, schools, and other institutions are fundamentally corrupt. I hope not to offend too many, and rather open a few generous eyes.

In the average NGO (non-government organization), there is often one main individual who began the effort, one can only hope with good intentions. I surmise that these intentions can become blurry when faced with those so accustomed to recieving less, and hefty donations to handle. The majority might consist of a scenario such as the following. Picture a wealthy individual with glorified name, driving a Mercedes-Benz, while a few dozen stage orphans (their living parents are too poor to pay for their education) greet visitors in smiles and ragged scraps covered in bodily fluids and dirt, quite obviously neglected in even basic healthcare. There is something quite revealing in the eyes of these children which led me to investigate these situations more deeply. Most difficult to witness is the routine performances for guests (often labeled "cultural shows") which more formally guilt foreigners into donating money. The income is of course pocketed by that main invidividual, and only reaching the "destitute/poor/underprivileged" by miracle or mistake. In essence, these efforts often are a martyr-like facade for a business like any other.

This one person, if genuinely dedicated to the betterment of others, as priority above their own financial benefit, will eventually burn out from the full sacrifice of their life, blood, sweat, and tears. The effort is therefore sustained only by their own determination to continue, though they are often remain just shy of the resources needed to make a significant difference. Please note that these efforts mostly cannot afford a website (let alone a computer). I will focus on openly detailing information about these efforts and I hope to possibly create or join an existing network to further support them.

My goal is not to directly expose each corrupt organization, as this would take a lifetime, and my energy is better directed elsewhere. I simply hope to heighten awareness, and aid those with finances to share in thinking twice before doing so, and deciding in person if possible. Do not be shy to ask questions about money, and please follow your instinct before opening your wallet.

Rajnika

2009-09-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

After Nepal, I spent a few months in northeast India, including one month in my own local apartment in Gangtok, Sikkim. Unfortunately, my grandmother in Gujarat became ill during this time. My mother rushed from Colorado and I from Sikkim, but we both missed seeing her alive. After her cremation, we spent 13 days in elaborate Hindu rituals before releasing her ashes.

Coming full circle, as the deadline of 09/09/09 set for the miniature book project approached (see previous post), I chose to name the effort in her honor: RAJNIKA BOOK BRIDGE. I am now excitedly treasuring the incoming books from those closest (and most distant) to me.

Rajnika Manharlal Shroff
June 18th, 1929 - August 10th, 2009

Process

2009-09-25T05:50:00.000-07:00

It has been harder to maintain this blog than I imagined it would be. I am eager to share my experiences, but as any traveller knows, it is impossible to capture the entirety of each moment; to describe or document every sensation, memory, interaction, connection. It is difficult to determine what would be most interesting to those who read these words, especially in this age of excessive information. And I will admit I have been both disappointed and relieved by the poor internet access in most areas. While it is harder to keep in touch or up to date, it has been a refreshing withdrawal from technology to intimate journal spaces filled with my handwriting and drawings. I am always open to suggestions, and please be patient as return to the past to highlight the journey.

Danger & Art

2009-06-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

In a place where the dense population renders life disposable, I survived countless life-threatening situations in Nepal. I remember the fierce sun, gusty winds, and jingling bells on the horse I rode through rocky Himalayan valleys. The echoes of our yelling and laughter on jeep rooftops while bouncing up narrow mountain roads. Spontaneously, I trekked long distances without even a map through monsoon rains. And there was also one very scary night on IV drip in a local hospital.

I also found myself living my dream of helping others much sooner than I thought would be possible. It has become clear that teaching art may be a necessary predecessor to art therapy in these communities. In a remote village called Sirubadi, I taught art to local children who had never seen or used colored paints before. We covered mudhouse walls inside the house where I stayed, using banana leaves as palettes, and hand signals as communication. In Lumbini, near the Indian border, I designed and painted outdoor signage for a rehabilitation center, specializing in care for HIV/AIDS patients with addiction issues.

More details from these two months in Nepal and a lot of photos will be posted soon.

Nepal

2009-06-12T06:02:00.000-07:00

Two months after entering Nepal, it is overwhelming to attempt capturing my surreal experiences here. Unexpectedly, I completely fell in love with the culture, the people, the spirituality, and the landscape in this profoundly magical place.

I first came here to travel briefly with a friend from New York, which was challenging but exhilarating. Seeing my reflection in a travel partner forced me to evolve and adapt quickly.

Through a willingness to adventure freely in a foreign yet familiar land, I found myself in several remote mountain villages where electricity and telephones are a luxury. Learning directly about a simple and humble way of life has completely changed my own interaction with the world.

Local hospitality, openness, and a face which happens to resemble those of the indigenous people, have made this journey unique and unforgettable. Below is the motorbike which miraculously delivered me to many places in Nepal (I was not the driver!)

Delhi

2009-05-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

The capital of India, I can confidently say, is not a place I plan to live. Fortunately, I stayed with the extended family of a close friend (you know who you are, THANK YOU!), but I found the city bleak and uninviting. However, I did visit a local school, Balwant Rai in Greater Kailash II, and spoke briefly with a social worker there. There is a possibility I will return and introduce art therapy in some of the classes once the school resumes from their summer break.

While visiting a few temples, darshan (auspicious ceremony) took place just as I arrived at each one. Akshardham (supposedly the largest Hindu temple complex in the world), the ISKCON temple, and a smaller local Kali mandhir were amongst those I visited. Photos of both Rishikesh and Delhi are now uploaded on my Flickr page.

Rishikesh

2009-05-05T23:10:00.000-07:00

My journey began as I landed in Delhi and took direct transportation to a northern area of India called Rishikesh. This scenic and spiritual location was the backdrop for two weeks of intensive Kriya Yoga meditation practice.

Most visitors experience significant cultural shock in India, being overwhelmed by the bombardment of stimulation to the senses. Having visited a handful of times before with family, I found that in this first trip alone, I actually enjoy this stimulation (perhaps why I could handle living in NYC for 8 years). Regardless, the meditation retreat offered the perfect space to process and transition properly into life in the East.

Without getting into the details of the actual meditation practice, I will share that I experienced intense and clear visions of this center I hope to build. In between meditations, I would paint and draw these visions, including one below:

Identity

2009-05-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

My parents were both born in the northwestern state in India called Gujarat. Once married, they moved to the US (about 30 years ago), bringing only two suitcases each with them. I was born in Colorado but moved over 20 times, mostly within the US. Interestingly, at about the same age that they moved to the US, I am now moving to India, with only two bags of my worldly possessions.

Gujarati and English were both spoken in our family home, so I am fortunate to understand at least this language. I am learning Hindi, which is more widely spoken throughout India. It is interesting that Gujarati, Hindi, Nepali (and even Russian, I recently discovered) all have similar roots in Sanskrit, an ancient source I also hope to study at some point.

It is confusing and exhilarating to be here, and I especially enjoy selectively blending in with the local people instead of just being a tourist. I find myself having long conversations with foreigners as I transition into life here, and gradually making more local connections everywhere I go.

(The photo is of myself, dressed up as Krishna when I was younger. My brother threw a tantrum, and somehow I found myself in the unlikely position of being adorned as a male god figure).

India!

2009-04-18T03:27:00.000-07:00

I made it! So much to share about the first few weeks in Rishikesh and Delhi, but a quick update was best summarized by some signage I found:

(I love my India!)

Vision

2009-03-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

Moving closer to realizing my vision, I am moving to India in one week. It has been a very challenging process to uproot myself from attachments to the people, places, and possessions in my life. I have been tempted and discouraged and offered dozens of reasons not to leave, but the path is undeniable, so here I go…!

The importance of these connections, however, has also informed a developing project idea. Some of my first favorite moments in art school at Parsons in NYC were spent perusing beautiful papers and materials from around the world at New York Central. I recently found a colorful miniature set of 10 handmade books there. In leaving, I am distributing these to people in my life, and asked them to return the blank books to me filled with their words, art, inspirations, dreams, etc. by 09/09/09.

And then I realized that this idea, on a larger scale, has the potential to bring people together in a profound way. Through an international penpal book exchange, people will form expanding and healing connections. My work in publishing, my experience in art therapy, and especially the thesis work with positive women in Uganda and New York documented here, all have led to this point. I can already envision at least one colorful library where these books will collect an expressive census of humanity.

Many have been asking how I arrived to such a state of clarity and determination in my life, and while a deepening spirituality has become more important, I can briefly offer the following. Spend time alone, away from distractions, and reflect on the simple essence of who you are regardless of all that surrounds you. Dream that impossible dream, and once you leap, a net will appear to help you make that dream materialize.

As always, I am open to questions/suggestions/contacts, here or by email. Thank you to everyone supporting me on this journey. ॐ

Intention

2008-12-01T19:36:00.000-08:00

In addition to the thesis follow-up, I would also like to use this space to set intention for a relevant dream for my future.

While experiencing great clarity and focus on a 10-day silent meditation retreat in Thailand this summer (Suan Mokhh), a vision appeared strongly to me. The synthesis of years of work here in the US, I realized it is time for me to return to my Indian heritage. HIV/AIDS is an undeniable global crisis, and though Africa is being highlighted for its staggering statistics, India is also struggling to simply spread awareness.

I have been fortunate to gain very specialized knowledge of the experience of individuals living with HIV/AIDS, while being an art therapist to infected children, adolescents, and women in the New York area. I feel a strong duty and purpose in applying this knowledge in work with these populations, in India. My dream is to build a center offering art therapy, a safe space for children and women with HIV/AIDS in India.

I will continue to post elaboration on this goal in all forms here, and I hope to receive feedback and form connections to make this dream possible.

Gratitude

2008-12-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

This thesis work would not have been possible without the courageous participation of my art therapy clients, as well as Torkin Wakefield and the Ugandan women of Bead for Life. Below is the dedication from my written thesis (the final bound version totaling nearly 90 pages!), and please do not hesitate to contact me for any further resources, excerpts, or other information.

In celebration of the strength and resilience of women everywhere,
with special acknowledgment to those underserved and living with HIV/AIDS.

With gratitude for the support of the department faculty, my peers in the program,
and the SVA Alumni Society for their first award of $2,000 to a thesis project in Art Therapy.

In honor of my ancestors who were jewelers to royalty in India,
and to whom I owe my family name, Jhaveri, which means “jeweler” in the Gujarati language.

Update

2008-12-01T18:25:00.001-08:00

Coming full circle, today marks one year since I began this blog, and since the last World AIDS Day. In this year the thesis discussed in this blog was completed, and I graduated with a Masters of Professional Studies in Art Therapy. These images are from the final presentation of the thesis work.

A collage of images of the Ugandan Bead for Life women (http://www.beadforlife.org).

Closeup images of paper beads made from strips of recycled magazine paper, by women living with HIV/AIDS
in Uganda (left) and in New York (right). Drawn instructions for creating beads (center).

Image 2: Full image of giant paper bead (about 48” x 24”), an ongoing collaborative piece created in art therapy group sessions. Instead of rolling this bead like the smaller ones, the clients decided to leave it open to display their choice of words and images corresponding to the three sectioned themes of past (purple), present (green), and future (red). Closeup (bottom) of bottom of piece, where clients hung small paper beads from women in both locations.

Individual collages created by art therapy clients in New York to send to Ugandan women
as part of penpal exchange (photos blurred for confidentiality purposes).

Individual collages created by Ugandan women in response as part of a penpal exchange.

This research determined that women living with HIV/AIDS benefit from the group art therapy experience, within which a safe space can reduce isolation through interaction with peers. The use of materials which would otherwise be thrown away was especially significant with this population. For a group of people who have been effectively discarded by society because of their diagnosis, the use of recycled magazine paper allowed them to explore a sense of self-worth (processing shame, rejection, and alienation through the artmaking process). While the knowledge of the women in Uganda offered perspective, inspiration, and an understanding of universality, the connections formed between the women within the art therapy groups proved to be the most meaningful.

Several clients reported that the environment and activities within these groups allowed them to feel calm or at peace, which is how the group was named, PEACE BEADS.

Art Therapy and the Elephant

2008-03-02T19:25:00.001-08:00

An excerpt from Art Therapy Practice: Innovative Approaches with Diverse Populations by Harriet Wadeson

An old Indian fable tells of the six blind men who argued over the nature of the elephant. One felt its side and said the elephant is like a wall. Another, feeling its tusk, said the elephant is like a spear. The third felt its trunk and said the elephant is like a snake. The fourth found the leg to be like a tree; the fifth, touching the ear, said the elephant is like a fan; and the sixth seized the tail and described the elephant as a rope. Each blind man was partly right, though all were wrong.

Five human service providers who work with art therapists attempt to explain what art therapy is. The first, who is a teacher at an elementary school, says art therapy helps her children with attention deficit disorder to settle down and concentrate. The second, who works with abused and neglected children, says that art therapy gives them a means to express the traumas that they cannot put into words. The third, who works on a hospital psychiatric unit, says that her patients overcome their isolation by painting their hallucinations and delusions so that she can share their private worlds. The fourth, who works with families at an outpatient clinic, says her families have gained insight through their drawings of their relationships and have made changes in their family dynamics. The fifth, who works at a nursing home, speaks of drawings for life review and socialization with the other residents. All are correct about what art therapy is, but each has a different picture. None has the big picture.

What is art therapy? Separately the blind men reply:

• It is the lonely child locked in a wordless prison creating sunshine with crayons.
• It is the pieces of a woman, shattered by rape, slowly melding together in a clay form of her intact body.
• It is the spiraling visions clashing and parting on paper painted by a man in a hospital who sees what others do not.
• It is the feeble scratching of an ancient woman whose words have failed, making her mark.

What is art therapy? Together the blind men grasp the whole:

• It is the legacy of the dying, the plottings of the living, and the pain made visible by those in between.
• It is the rivers of separate circumstances, private privations, and lonely hauntings flowing together in tides of shifting reflections streaming toward a deep sea of intermingled humanity.
• It is the fixity of the stars in which the evanescent dust of living is coalesced in images.

SVA Exhibit

2008-02-25T13:23:00.000-08:00

An exhibit through my graduate art therapy program at the School of Visual Arts will feature both client artwork and student responses. The theme of this show is CONTAINMENT, which is a sense of safety allowing clients to explore themselves through their art. The giant paper bead that the women created will be on display, as well as my own visual response. I will posting photos of the show soon, including both completed pieces.

Please contact me for more information if you are interested in visiting this exhibit.

Scholarship & Press Coverage

2008-02-25T12:59:00.000-08:00

I have some very exciting updates for anyone who has been following my work.

I was recently awarded a SVA Alumni Society Scholarship for $2,000 towards materials for this project! Of course it is any art therapist’s dream to receive this type of funding to see such ideas move closer to reaching their true potential. I also learned that this is the first award of its kind to be given to a student in the Art Therapy department.

As the member of a field gradually emerging into public interest (including a recent article in TIME OUT magazine), I am also excited to share that there may be some press coverage of my thesis work. This news is again a great honor, and I will have more information posted here as it becomes available.

Through this recognition, I have realized that I am experiencing what I hope to create for my clients. Others are interested and take the time to hear my story, how I got to this place in life, and genuinely appreciate who I am. If this work has been or will be successful in any form, it will be when the women I work with feel the same way.

As an update on the groups, the women have continued to create beads and individual collages to send to the women in Uganda who inspired the project. With the recent funding, they will be able to make jewelry with the beads and be empowered by developing their own ideas for the future of our work together.

Thesis Images

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Image 1: A collage of images of the women in Uganda

(through the Bead for Life organization, more info available at http://www.beadforlife.org/).

Image 2: A closeup of the beads made by women in Uganda living with HIV/AIDS,

using strips of recycled magazine paper.

Image 3: Closeup of paper beads made by women living with HIV/AIDS in NY
(art therapy clients).

Image 4: Full image of giant paper bead (about 48” x 24”), an ongoing collaborative piece created in art therapy group sessions. Instead of rolling this bead like the smaller ones, the clients decided to leave it open to display their choice of words and images corresponding to the three sectioned themes of past (purple), present (green), and future (red).

Image 5: Closeup of border on giant paper bead, where clients have begun to hang the smaller paper beads, alternating beads made by the women in Uganda with those created by the women here in NY.

Scholarship Application

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The following accompanied a scholarship application, to be granted $2,000 for this research in the form of supplies. It summarizes my work thus far, which is in progress so feedback is greatly appreciated!

As a second year MPS candidate in Art Therapy at SVA, I have been extremely fortunate to work with two unique populations during my graduate studies. My first year clinical internship was at a residential skilled nursing facility for children/adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, and my current internship is at a health center providing services to women with HIV/AIDS and their families.

Of the 33.2 million people living with HIV worldwide, 15.4 million are women (UNAIDS Epidemic Update 2007). Most turn a deaf ear to the stigmatized global issue of HIV/AIDS, overwhelmed by the epidemic which needs that much more attention. Though awareness is gradually increasing, many still associate the illness solely with homosexual men or third world countries. Furthermore, medical advancements extending lives have generated apathy, minimizing the tremendous number of ongoing physical and emotional challenges those infected face everyday.

Being around children, adolescents, and now women living with HIV/AIDS, I have realized that each of these individuals has an incredibly rich and layered story to tell, though they struggle to be accepted or genuinely heard. Often discarded by society because of their diagnosis, they in fact are among those who would benefit most from interaction with others. In facilitating these healing connections, my thesis research explores how art therapy can provide opportunities for containment and exchange of the stories of these women living with HIV/AIDS.

In initial group sessions, the clients were introduced to a project inspired by women in Uganda who are also living with HIV/AIDS. The women in Uganda create paper beads out of recycled strips of magazine paper, making and selling jewelry internationally in order to empower themselves and eradicate poverty. After hearing the stories of these Ugandan women, the clients were then provided instructions and materials to make paper beads themselves. While rolling each bead the women shared their personal stories verbally within the group. The clients also collaborated to create a giant paper bead, covered in collage of words and images representing three themes universally expressed in their stories: past, present, and future (see images in following post).

In ongoing groups, the women will continue to create paper beads and jewelry with the beads, work on the giant paper bead, and also create a variety of artwork, letters, and possibly videos to send to the women in Uganda (as I am in touch with the founder of the Bead for Life organization). I think that this exchange is crucial in facilitating their healing, in forming a reparative exchange after contracting a life threatening illness. Most importantly, this exchange can remind these women that they are not alone in the issues and themes that they deal with each day.

The accompanying budget includes ongoing expenses identifiable for this project, including bead making supplies, jewelry making supplies, storage, postage to/from Uganda, materials for the exchange of art/letters/etc., and costs for display and documentation of the artwork created.

This project is the culmination of a great deal of planning and research, and thus far the results demonstrate that international art therapy truly has potential to heal suffering and change lives. With presentations and publication of this work already being requested, I feel confident that this scholarship would assist in reaching the true potential of this exchange, ultimately benefiting women in both countries. Working on this scale before even graduating ensures that my deep passion for international art therapy will continue to inspire similar projects in my future career in the field.

This research is humanistic, as observational gathering of qualitative, phenomenological information occurring both verbally and in the artwork during sessions. Consent forms were signed and there are no known emotional risks to the participants. Process and progress notes, response artwork, and supervision consistently accompany and support this ongoing work with the clients.

What is Art Therapy?

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A question I am asked often, and struggle to answer briefly.

Personally, I have found that art therapy is an alternative language, facilitating access to the unconscious in ways most of us may not be able to verbalize. It is a powerful field that I feel fortunate to have found, and it is quickly gaining recognition and acceptance though it has existed for over 50 years. Art therapists work with individuals and groups, in a variety of settings including in hospitals, schools, treatment centers, businesses, and private practices. My personal interests and goals within art therapy are quickly branching into international work.

Below is a link to a video which was presented at the 2007 American Art Therapy Association conference, which I attended in Albuquerque, New Mexico in November. The video captures this powerful work in an accessible and inspiring way, hope you enjoy it!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5jY4s-3UEjg&feature=related

One of many links with more information (AATA website): http://www.arttherapy.org/about.html

World AIDS Day

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December 1st is World AIDS Day and I find myself overwhelmed with thoughts to share.

To begin, I should introduce that I am a graduate student for Art Therapy, at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. My first year clinical internship through this program was with children/adolescents living with HIV/AIDS. By coincidence, my second year and current internship population is women living with HIV/AIDS.

Despite the mourning of those lost to the epidemic, and the challenges in battling the current global crisis, I know I am one of many setting intentions forth for change today. In remembrance, I feel deeply motivated and empowered to share my passion for this topic in this forum.

Some may see the acronyms HIV/AIDS and stop reading, but for those who continue, there are incredible amounts of updated information available now. Specifically about women, of the 33.2 million people living with HIV worldwide, 15.4 million are women (statistics from UNAIDS AIDS Epidemic Update 2007). Many do not know that this problem no longer only effects gay men, or that very real issues exist outside of Africa. Furthermore, many who have heard that recent advances in medication are helping many live longer with the illness, do not see beyond these strides. Those who are fortunate enough to have medication have a tremendous ongoing repercussions (both physical AND emotional) which still effect them each day.

To put yourself into the mindset of someone living with HIV/AIDS takes a great deal of empathy, and I am just beginning to understand what it might be like. Can you imagine waking up each morning with fear of the battle raging within your own body? Can you imagine having to take a very strict regimen of medications with no future guarantees? Can you imagine the pain of memories related to how you might have contracted the illness? Can you imagine the complex and intense fears, anxieties, expectations, memories, hopes, dreams, and experiences you might have if you were living with HIV/AIDS?

I realize some may wonder if my soapbox doubles as a collection box, but at least for now, it does not. In all honesty, I am finding this process revealing about incorporation of what most deeply moves me into my graduate thesis, and any/all feedback and greatly appreciated. And in essence, I am merely sharing my insights on HIV/AIDS and hope you can find value in my words.