Artist Statement

(00:00) The Heart Expressive arts therapy is attuning not only to our bodies, but our inner heart. The piece begins with a steady heart beat to emphasize the importance of our bodies, sensory self, to help understand our cognitive self. The heartbeat is like a metronome, a reminder to slow down, surrendering to our natural rhythms.

journal entry poem: “I will meet you there. Reaching, reaching two worlds. Arteries close the gaps. The heart basket beats. Smashed and now revived”

(00:09) Sand Dunes The piece transitions into a fleeting sand dune representing the “letting go” or the erosion of who we are prior to engaging in “studio”, the creative dimension. It also represents time, as sand dunes are developed by the gentleness of the wind across time and space, we too need gentle time to engage in change.

(00:21) Rachel A character appears, “What would my life become if I were named Rachel?” She is Christen’s artistic self, she appears on multiple occasions throughout the piece showing gradual progress in mastering ribbon dancing (meaning gratitude and honour). The orange and yellow glow represents the welcoming warmth of de-centering, enabling our creative self to thrive.

journal entry “Studio is empowering because it's an active decision to strive for healing. Studio is a place and headspace where mistakes are beautiful markings instead of fearful ones.”

(00:35) The Breaking The falling and shattering of a vase depicts the following phrases: “The purpose of the cultivation of artistic sensibilities is to break us open, so that we are made ready to nurture others through our own experience of brokenness, pg.51.” & “Perhaps we need to experience our own brokenness as part of the process of readying ourselves for the work we are called to do, pg.47.” This reframe of brokenness is felt deeply and understood as an essential part of growth.

(00:38) Flying Freedom Following the break, a sense of freedom is felt alongside others who have taken the risk to de-center, stepping out of our current mental state and becoming onlookers (birds) at ourselves. Soaring collectively, I believe is a tenant of expressive arts, co-regulation and shared celebration.

(00:50) Undulation The repetition of rising and falling fluctuations represents ongoing thoughts when experiencing de-centering. It invites awareness to thoughts that weave in and out of our minds. At first I feel resistance, but the longer I sit in undulation the more it becomes a soothing river vs. rapid waves. This segment is the longest bringing attention to how the practice of awareness takes patience and time to develop the skill.

journal entry undulating thoughts, I am the one who…“Feels left out, has to much to do with too little time, thinks to much, waited with food, frantically searched for my fuzzy socks, feels deeply for small things, thinks, thinks, and thinks, ahead and behind myself, wants to do more, wants to do less, needs encouragement, I am the one who needs to make the time” journal entry “Lichen on a watered soul, lichen on a wounded soul.”

(1:12) Blinking Eyes The short insert of eyes blinking represents things seen and unseen. Expressive arts can be associated with performative external acts of self-expression however, I am learning that much of the “work” is in the unseen, the internal performances within us that bring inspiration. Eyes are also a symbol of noticing, noticing has been a consistent theme in the course that has helped to bring close attention to the impacts of studio on the mind/body. journal entry “The bok choy and I had our last dance. How did the bok choy feel and think to engage in a dance? Resisting Resistance, I followed my impulses letting out a dance. Waltzing with the leafy green. Ever-changing, playing without judgment, whole body laughs, being more mindful of objects and environment around us, locking eyes “

(1:16) Mudd Play Studio has been a mixture of clay goodness. Pleasures is found from feeling the clay, cold to warm, creation to ruin and process to outcome. Clay making also bring unintended surprises as the kiln transforms each glaze into unknown tins and tones. journal entry “Making with my hands reminds me that I can make beautiful things. At first, it is difficult to let go of straight lines and bold shapes, the more I moved the more I produced rounded squiggles which emerged into a new language, a language I feel my internal self understands.”

journal entry “Studio is a space where silence can exist, where silence exists, stillness and slowness can also live. I wish to be in silence. Studio is a comfortable embrace of possibilities. Studio time these days is shared with clay. It has renewed my sense of wonder for creation. Where asymmetry can be without correction, where messiness is an expected happening and where growth is a collaborative mission. Studio helps to be courageous us to challenge the should’s of this world”

(1:27) Ribbon A hand holding a fluttering ribbon represents the first acquaintance with an object. Later in the piece, Rachel uses ribbons as her companion and an extension of herself. This is part of de-centering, leaning deeper into the imagination of objects and environments.

(01:41) Balance A classmate shared “in the imbalance there is balance”, a reminder that two opposing ideas can exist simultaneously. The slow rolling frame of a rock sculpture is a symbol of balance that humanity, in some way shape or form, desires. Using the arts, balance can be achieved in ways we never expected. I like how different rocks are used to maintain balance like how inter-modality, although different art forms, can collectively bring balance.

journal entry “Inter-modality is helping to build scaffolding.” journal entry “Studio, nothing was working, so I began to play. Throwing clay side to side with nothing particular in mind, I wanted and needed to make a symbol of happiness, and so a happiness hug sculpture evolved.”

(01:55) Rotating Solitude Planet representing the following journal entry poem.

“Sit and wait

Quietly watching

Lovely on my own

Butterfly dreams, introvert at peace

Sitting on my own planet”

(02:29) Sunrise When a new sun rises, a new beginning is born. Expressive arts has been a lingering and pending interest, being able to participate in this course feels like a new sun has risen. In my day to day, I work closely with newcomer clients and groups, I continue to look towards arts a bridge maker and community cultivator to inform my health promotion and socialwork practice.

journal entry colour “I am feeling burnt yellow, things on the horizon slowly rising.”

(02:45 - 00:2:57) Sequence The sequence represents the use of inter-modality, guiding us through different segments of art expression from simple to complex meaning-making.

journal entry poem “A not so usual space. Offers flavour. It is the stem of culture. If garnished with lemon. Leads us towards the light”

(03:15) The Breaking Once Again The breaking reappears revealing the architecture of the falling vase. This represents the architecture learnt during the course, each session is building upon rituals practiced over and over again to instill healthy habits. journal entry, after moving I feel…“Stiff, needing the stretch, neglected areas, miss movement, cold and stiff, lingering worry I have to be home, mirroring collective, felt included, felt seen, felt duplicated, curved back, short back.”

(03:23) Different Place “Let’s whisper into the ear of the public, the art that’s best for you, now and in the future is not a commodity but an inspiration, pg. 278.”

journal entry “I don’t want to be called an artist, I want to be one.”

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Gratitude to artists on Youtube that provided video content to represent my inner thoughts. Music credit to Yann Tiersenn, Porz Goret, a musical piece I have engaged in learning for the past months.