The photo below is one of the first pieces of art I made at the Person-Centered Expressive Arts training, where I started my art practice earnestly. You can read more about this training on my website:
www.transformationcollective.space
I am SO excited about the new name, and I want to share all about that, but for now…
This week, especially, I thought you might need something to calm your nerves! First, I will share a little story and some old art.
The woman in the photo above is disconnected from herself. [Photo ID] A small white Barbie-like doll was pulled apart and glued back onto a cardboard box. Using glue gun glue, beads, fabric reminiscent of quits my grandmothers made, and the pièce de résistance, a rainbow button. [end photo id]
This art tells a story of whimsy and chaos. This was made toward the end of the first year of when you know, who’s the president. At the time I made this art, I was married to a cis man, but I think my identity was beginning to surface in the art. You think, rainbow/chakras everywhere!
That is the powerful impact of an art practice! You can see parts of yourself you could never speak about or even start to feel.
I used to call myself a late-in-life lesbian. Sometimes I call myself a “right on time” queer. The identity of dyke/lesbian/queer all feel interchangeable to me. Knowing that you can imagine, these times are stressful, and, I am the mom of a trans son.
So, it’s a lot to think about and feel in these recent years. Do we get to exist, yes, I will fight to exist. I have white privilege, economic privilege, and educational privilege, and I am still profoundly stressed out about the state of our world. I feel heartbroken that we can’t do better for each other, hence the art practice. Keep reading for inspiration. It’s coming!
Art practice Invitation
First step: label your anxiety and befriend it. A common phrase in the mindfulness world is tend and befriend (created by Shelley Taylor, a social psychologist at UCLA). So if we tend to our internal world and our feelings and befriend the states of being that are happening inside of us, we will have a lot more success than if we push them away or shove them down. And I know that a lot of you reading this know that, but I thought it would be helpful to share via a blog post. We are in this together. I hope you can soothe some of your days of intermittent worrying or perhaps some extreme anxiety with some art. You can say, “Hello, anxiety, let’s make some art”. It does not matter what the art looks like. Just keep saying yes, no matter what comes up. If you need more inspiration, it does not have to look pretty. I have a lot of examples. Please write to me @ bridget@expressivearts.work.
2nd step: open your art journal. Bridget - “I don’t have an art journal yet.” No problem. I like this smaller version, which is less expensive than larger art pads:
Strathmore 300 Series Mixed Media Pads (5.5 x 8.5) and this set of paints: Sakura Koi Watercolor Half Pan and a set of Winsor & Newton Promarker Brush Markers (or any other permanent marker). You will be good to go for months and months into the future after these purchaces.
3rd: Draw a circle in the middle of the open page. The circle will go across each page, as pictured above.
I think it is important to cross the midline of your body. There will be more lengthy posts about this in the near future. Lastly, keep adding circles, lines, or any other shape you want. Here is another example:
You will notice I often end up with many circles and triangles in the corners (see an example below). No matter how often I do this, I don’t get tired of it. You can alter the practice in any way. Please tag me on the socials #transformationcollectivespace or follow along at:
I look forward to being more in touch in the upcoming weeks.
I wish you a lot of time for quiet reflection away from the onslaught of digital media and US elections. Yes, we need to be informed, but we also get to take breaks.
Peace,
Bridget
PS, I would love to know what you think of the updates on my website. Check out the MNDFL page for some invitations into mediation:
