Art therapy

AT FIRST GLANCE

Art moves people. It enriches us in many ways. Visual art has been around for thousand of years. So have people with problems. Art therapy is the marriage of the visual arts and the human need for introspection and problem solving. In this article series, we’ll explore the depths of art and human psyche, and wonder where Islamic art fits into it all. But first:

What you eat is what you are. What you wear is what you are. What you paint is what you are. This logic is the starting point for art therapy.

Of course, what you eat isn’t exactly what you are. But it does reflect on your health, the radiance of your skin, whether or not you have a waist line. It is a very direct and visible reflection. A person who eats a stack of pancakes for breakfast and proceeds to eat fish and chips for lunch will inevitably show signs of „heavy“. Art therapists are there to see the „heavy“ of the soul, the spiritual and emotional „heavy“ that we keep bottled up most days. During your first therapy session you are invited to, pick up the brush and dip it in the paint. You lift you hand above the white paper and plunge, see the colour disperse, explode, hit home, feel your emotions get stirred... and without even noticing, you’re letting them come out, in a big way. Let the blue pull you to tears, let the red rage on the paper. But only the first few times. After that, your art therapist guides you, gives you the exercises you need.

But how does she know what you need? Art therapists are trained professionals who are something of a cross between an artist, a guidance counselor, your grandma and a psychologist. During the training, art therapy students are making long hours painting, drawing and sculpting their way through. After every creative endeavor, students gather around their works and analyze them; their expressive force, the way the artworks speaks to each observer. Sharp angles opposed to soft curves. Bland versus lively colours.

The rest of the article you can read in the magazine.