Art Therapy and the Creative Process E-Book

Cynthia Pearson

• Herausgeber: Loving Healing Press
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 191

Beschreibung

International voices from across the globe come together in Art Therapy and the Creative Process to share their perspectives on art, the artist's process, and how art has been therapeutic for them.
In the first section, the three primary contributors--Alfredo Zotti, Samuel Mann, and Cynthia Pearson--create a triple commentary on a piece of art. Zotti paints a picture, Mann analyzes it, and Pearson writes a poem to complement it. In later sections, various artists share why they write, paint, play music, or take photographs, including what their individual mediums mean to them, what they may mean to others, why they have chosen various art forms, how art allows them an opportunity to escape from the world, and how it can also help them heal.
Artists will find kindred spirits in these pages. Lovers of literature, music, and art in all its forms will gain insight into artists' souls, how they view the world a little differently, and why. Art Therapy and the Creative Process gives art a purpose beyond what most of us usually think of it having--that art is a way to keep us all sane in a maddening world and it gives us the opportunity to create something to heal that same world that wounds us.
"Art Therapy and the Creative Process is a fascinating, multi-perspective look at art. I found myself resonating with many of the pieces here. Art allows us to take control of the uncontrollable and make meaning out of chaos. Viewing art as therapy opens the door to a new understanding between art, science, and psychology."
--Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D. and award-winning author of The Best Place and Narrow Lives
"Creative activities heal. They lift us out of suffering for awhile. They validate us when we feel damaged and worthless. And, over time, they can transform our perception of our world, so that we change from sufferers to survivors, and even joyful surmounters. Art Therapy and the Creative Process can be a shining example for those who want a way out of a personal hell."
--Bob Rich, PhD, psychologist and author
"The book is a beautiful piece of work and all concerned should be very proud. The human dimension is enhanced through art and expressive approaches should be a much stronger part of mental health care ."
--Professor Patrick McGorry, AO MD PhD, Executive Director, OYH Research Centre, University of Melbourne

Leseprobe

Loving Healing Press

Ann Arbor • London • Sydney

Art Therapy and the Creative Process: A Practical Approach.

Copyright © 2016 by Cynthia Pearson, Samuel Mann, Alfredo Zotti.

All Rights Reserved.

Published by

Loving Healing Press

5145 Pontiac Trl

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

www.LHPress.com

[email protected]

Tollfree (USA/CAN) 888-762-6268

FAX [phone]

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Zotti, Alfredo, 1958-, artist, author. | Pearson, Cynthia (Cynthia

Elaine Allen), 1965-, author. | Mann, Samuel (Samuel Augustus), author.

Title: Art therapy and the creative process : a practical approach / Cynthia

Pearson, Samuel Mann, Alfred Zotti, and other contributors.

Description: Ann Arbor : Loving Healing Press, [2016] | Includes

bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016013186| ISBN 9781615992966 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN

9781615992973 (hardcover : alk. paper)

Subjects: | MESH: Art Therapy | Creativity

Classification: LCC RC455.4.A77 | NLM WM 450.5.A8 | DDC 616.89/1656--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016013186

Distributed by Ingram (USA/CAN/AU), Bertrams Books (UK/EU).

Contents

Table of Figures

Table of Poems

Acknowledgements

Preface

PART I - Art Works and Commentaries

Carol’s Story by Alfredo Zotti

Commentary on “Grandmother” By Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Grandmother” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Luciano Zotti” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Luciano Zotti” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “The Bush” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “The Bush” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Photograph 51” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Photograph 51” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Rosalind’s Eyes” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Rosalind’s Eyes” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Oriental Dream” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Oriental Dream” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Uncle Sam” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Uncle Sam” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “September 11” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “September 11” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Violin on a Rock” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Violin on a Rock” a poem By Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “The Depression Trap” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “The Depression Trap” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Colours of Emotions” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Colours of Emotions” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “The Piano Player” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “The Piano Player” by Dr. Krystyna Laycraft

Commentary on “The Boat People” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “The Boat People” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Bits and Pieces” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Bits and Pieces” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, the Flowers” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, the Flowers” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “Venice” by Samuel Mann

Commentary on “Venice” a poem by Cynthia Pearson

Commentary on “The Shore” by Dr. Krystyna Laycraft

PART II- The Impact of Art Therapy

Chapter 2 - Creative Writing as Therapy by Bob Rich, PhD

Chapter 3 - A Dream Come True! by Victor Paul Scerri

References

Chapter 4 - A Creative Journey by Krystyna C. Laycraft

Fascination with Nature

“How to Paint Infinity”

“The Silence”

Concentration on Chaos Theory

Interest in Individuation

Contemplating I Ching

Fascination with the Theory of Positive Disintegration

Studying the Creativity of Young People

Writing Books

Conclusion

References

Chapter 5 - “Getting the Hurt in My Head, Out”: The Creative Process and Healing by Debra Bradley

My Personal Story

Like a Part of a Gun

She was only Ten Years Old

He was Twelve Years Old

He was just Eleven Years Old

References

Chapter 6 - Why Music Matters: The Healing Properties of Music Therapy by Michael Bradley

References

Chapter 7 - Cantare e Suonare è una Salvezza per l’Essere Umano By Mauro Lopizzo

Singing and Playing are a Salvation for the Human Being by Mauro Lopizzo (English Translation)

Chapter 8 - My Favourite Coffee Shop by Alfredo Zotti

Chapter 9 - My Friend Colin Sydee By Alfredo Zotti

Chapter 10 - Connecting with Art: My Experience with Homeless Youths by Samuel Mann

References

Chapter 11 - Poets of the Caribbean Circle (POTCar)

If Only I Could Paint by Alan Pena

Let Me Touch You There by Alan Pena

Chapter 12 - Healing on the Run by Ernest Dempsey

Chapter 13 - Singing to Heal by Judy Wright

Part III - Authors, Artists, and Other Contributors

Cynthia Pearson

Samuel Mann

Krystyna Laycraft

Dr. Bob Rich

Victor Paul Scerri

Debbie Bradley & Michael Bradley

Paul Corcoran

Alan Pena

Ernest Dempsey

Judy Wright

Alfredo Zotti

Bibliograpy

Index

Table of Figures

Fig. 1-1: Grandmother by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-2: Luciano Zotti by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-3: The Bush by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-4: Photograph 51 by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-5: Rosalind’s Eyes by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-6: Oriental Dream by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-7: Uncle Sam by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-8: September 11 by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-9: Violin on a Rock by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-10: The Depression Trap by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-11: Colours of Emotions by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-12: The Piano Player by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-13: The Boat People by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-14: Bits and Pieces by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-15: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, the Flowers h by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-16: Venice by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 1-17: The Shore by Alfredo Zotti

Fig. 3-1: Painting with my eyes closed -- Victor Paul Scerri

Fig. 3-2: The monkey painted with my eyes closed after simple meditation in 2005 while in Tokyo,

Fig. 3-3: The gorilla painted with my eyes closed after simple meditation while in Tokyo, Japan.

Fig. 4-1: My first paintings (1994/95)

Fig. 4-2: Pastes of skies, (2003/2004)

Fig. 4-3: Acrylics of trees, (2003/2004)

Fig. 4-4: Paintings of bifurcations: Triptych of Kantor, Strzemiński, Dali, (2004/2005)

Fig. 4-5: Paintings of attractors of love, pleasure, power, and knowledge, (2004/2005)

Fig. 4-6: Persona, Mixed Media, (2005)

Fig. 4-7a: Twelve examples of collages of hexagrams: #1. Creative, #14 Inner Wealth, #16 Enthusiasm, #22 Grace, #23 Splitting Apart, #26

Fig. 4-7b: Twelve examples of collages of hexagrams: Major Restraint, #43 Breakthrough, #34 Great Strength, #13 Fellowship, #33 Retreat, #40 Liberation, #17 Following, (2008/2009)

Fig. 4-8: Collages of the five levels of positive disintegration, (2012).

Fig. 4-9: Collages – Four Perspectives of Studying Creativity (2012)

Fig. 4-10: Collages representing the six participants of my study: Stephanie—The Scuba Diver, Krista Jennings—The Contortionist, Eton—The Spiritual Artist, Jade—The Art Teacher, and Alasdair MacEwan—The Young Composer (2012)

Fig. 4-11: Collage of Culture Perspective of Creativity, (2012)

Fig. 4-12: A conceptual model of the creativity of young people

Fig. 4-13: Krystyna Laycraft’s publications (2012-2015)

Fig. 4-14: Illustrations for A Journey through the Lands of Feelings (2014)

Fig. 5-1: This one represents the pain that sexual abuse causes

Fig. 5-2: “I painted fastasy-lands where all was pure and perfect”

Fig. 5-2: “I painted beautiful murals and fantasy lands where all was pure and perfect”

Fig. 5-3: “This is the Creeper”

Fig. 5-5a: Magical King of the Sea

Fig. 5-5b: “I feel so free...”

Fig. 5-5c: Black Bird

Fig.5-5d: “Birds are flying through the air”

Fig. 10-1: Hope

Fig. 10-2: Michael Jordan

Fig. 10-3: Love

Fig. 10-4: Hip Hop

Fig. 10-5: Guitar Player

Fig. 10-6: Picasso

Fig. 10-7: Horse and Man

Fig. 10-8: Bob Marley

Fig. 10-9: Lost in Thought

Fig. 10-10: Homeless

Fig. 11-1: POTcar logo

Fig. 14-1: Portrait of Cynthia Pearson drawn by Alfredo Zotti with white and normal pencils

Fig. 14-2: Drawing of Samuel Mann by Alfredo Zotti 2015

Fig. 14-3: Portrait by Alfredo Zotti special ink, pencils and other media, 2015

Fig. 14-4: Portrait of Bob Rich by Alfredo Zotti 2014. Pastels and pencils

Fig. 14-5: Caricature of Victor Paul Scerri, who is a wonderful friend and a sport, by Alfredo Zotti (2015)

Fig. 14-6: Musician, composer, and multi-talented visual artist Alfredo Zotti at the piano

Table of Poems

Grandmother

Luciano Zotti

The Bush

Photograph 51

Rosalind’s Eyes

Oriental Dream

Uncle Sam

September 11

Violin on a Rock

The Depression Trap

Colours of Emotions

The Boat People

Bits and Pieces

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, the Flowers

Venice

How to Paint Infinity

The Silence

I want my teddy

Heroes are not real

Like a Part of a Gun

You tore our hearts apart

If Only I Could Paint

Let Me Touch You There

Acknowledgements

While there are many people I would like to acknowledge, it would be impossible in the space of this book. This is because I do not believe in the possibility of an absolute author and, therefore, the idea of copyright as conceived in the Western World is highly problematic to say the least. Every day, we learn from the world around us, and most of what we learn comes from the minds and ideas of other people. Because of this, I would like to thank all those who have somehow contributed to my understanding of life and, in particular, my friends on Facebook, on the various websites where I help many people with mental problems, and all the people who help me every day. Thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart and particularly to those who have helped me to create this book.

Alfredo Zotti

Preface

Many books, articles, essays, and journals have been written on Art and Creative Therapies, and while the content of the literature is often good, there are almost always complexities that obfuscate the discussions and debates.

Art and Creativity can be simple endeavours but also natural, particularly in the practical hands of artists, and we should not read too much into these human activities, but rather, practice them and be involved in the artistic creation in as many ways as possible. Indeed, today we put too much effort into writing research books and papers on creativity, rather than helping our young people be more creative in a practical fashion, which can ultimately help our social world. In many instances, our ideologies prevent the creative process and even stump it.

The most beneficial aspect of these processes is that the person creating, no matter how valuable and respectable the work of art is, will always lose him- or herself in the process, often forgetting his or her problems, commitments, and daily routine. The creator can become so involved in the process that he or she will forget daily problems. This can be extremely therapeutic and beneficial to the mind, and it is what I really value about the creative process.

But there is more to it because the artist, or the amateur artist, is often able to confront life in all of its intricate, positive, and negative elements. The creator learns to understand life and looks at it with a critical mind. This effort further fuels his or her creativity as the individual learns to evaluate life independently from ideology and from the commonsensical way of doing and thinking. Mind you, it can be a difficult process to evaluate life critically, which may be why many artists often develop mental disorders, or, alternatively, they already had mental disorders, which helped them to gravitate towards the creative arts. I feel that real artists will always suffer with some mental disorders; it is part of the creative process.

I want to leave these processes as they are without reading too much into them. I want to look at the practical aspects of creating, the ideas behind the act of creation. Creativity is what humans do; we create ideas in our mind, ideas that are then translated into artistic works, practical ways of doing things, and even daily strategies. Creativity is not confined to visual art, or music or poetry, or any other artistic activity alone, but it can also be found in the form of a unique way to type at the computer, or a creative strategy at work or at home. In this book, however, the focus is on creative writing, visual art, and poetry.

In the first part of this book, I feature photos of my paintings and drawings done with different media. These are complemented by the beautiful poems of Cynthia Pearson and the very analytical mind of Samuel Mann, a very talented artist and writer. With the help of these wonderful people, I have been able to capture something about the artistic and creative process, and that is to reveal the possible mental activities that often go with the work of art, either during conception, before or after, when critics and commentators look at the work. Like everything else, what we see is both unique and universal. There is never one way to look at a work of art. The work is most often interpreted by the viewer just as each of us interprets life. Yet all of these interpretations are valuable and correct because they generate ideas in the viewer, creative ideas that come to life.

In the second part of this book, I will include many articles by friends, academics, and professional therapists who will help to shed more light on the Artistic and Creative Therapeutic Processes. There will never be a final and complete understanding of what Art Therapy and Creativity are, but this book aims to invite the reader into the creative world of the human mind. It is just a peek, just a quick look at what remains a mystery in terms of explaining it. No matter how much writers attempt to capture, define, and pin down these creative processes, we can never fully understand their complexities. But we can be part of the activities that make up these processes. In other words, it is much easier to engage in the process than to try to explain it. There is no doubt that certain aspects will never be fully understood.

Alfredo Zotti

PART I -Art Works and Commentaries

Carol’s Storyby Alfredo Zotti

During the 1930s and the Great Depression, most of the industrialized countries found themselves in a financial crisis caused by the collapse of the world market. Carol, then a young woman, decided to settle and work as a waitress in Sydney, Australia. She was born in Tasmania and had lived there all of her life before coming to Sydney. Given that it was still possible for some people to afford a cup of tea and some cake, she managed to find a little part-time job in a tea cake shop.

One evening as Carol was going home, she encountered the unusual sight of a well-dressed man sleeping on a park bench with his face covered by an old newspaper. As she quickly walked by to pass unnoticed, the man suddenly woke up and caused her to trip, hurting her leg in the process. She was terrified, but the man understood and said, with a strong European accent, “No fear, no fear, Miss. I will not hurt you. Let me help you up.”

Carol felt a sense of relief. With the help of the nice man, she got up and they both headed towards the park bench where they sat together. At first, there was silence as Carol came to terms with her excruciating pain. Soon she asked the man, “Where are you from?”

“I come from Yugoslavia,” the man said. Yugoslavia is today known as Serbia, but back in those days, it was still Yugoslavia. “They promised me lots of work, and that is why I decided to come here, but now I cannot find any work,” he continued. “I wait each morning, in line, hoping for some work down at the construction sites, but I have to be lucky to get some part-time work, and I cannot afford a place, so I sleep in the streets and use the public toilets to wash.”

Carol looked at him and noticed his kind eyes. She said, “It looks like you are in luck for tonight. You will have to help me home. You can stay for the night. I will let you sleep on the lounge.”

The days went by fast. Carol came to trust Paul (this was the name of the nice Yugoslavian man) so much so that she asked him to stay with her for a while till he had a roof over his head. She cared for him and did not want him to sleep out in the rough.

Paul was not your average man. He was extremely caring and gentle, and he respected Carol very much. He treated her like a real person, not like how some men treat women as inferior sexual objects. He was a real friend to Carol and really appreciated her kindness and desire to help him.

Paul would work occasionally part-time because he was a good worker. But the competition for work was fierce during the depression because many people were willing to work hard. Carol and Paul had a friendly relationship. They had had no sex yet, but they cared for each other. The ingredients for a great relationship were certainly there. Unfortunately for Carol, as soon as Paul got some money together, he went to visit some people he knew to borrow enough money to buy some land that was suitable for a tomato farm. He always wanted to grow tomatoes and make a living as a tomato farmer.

He borrowed thirty pounds (which would be the equivalent of about 12,000 dollars today) and went up to a place called Kariong, situated on the Central Coast of New South Wales, to buy a piece of land. The first thing he did was to build his house while he slept in a tent that he had made with recycled materials, and he worked with the local council, part-time, to earn a living. The land was quite big, forty acres, ideal for growing tomatoes, or so he thought.

Carol and Paul kept seeing each other on weekends. Paul would catch the train to Sydney, which was a couple of hours away from Kariong. Sometimes, Carol would visit Paul and sleep in the tent. By now, their relationship was complete and Carol and Paul were thinking about their future. They planned to get married.

Paul learned that Carol had two sons, Cyril, who was twenty-four, and John, age twenty-six, who lived independently at the time. Carol had been married twice, but she had never known a man like Paul—a real equal partner who treated her like a real person.

Paul continued to work with the council, and this was just as well because as soon as he built the house and started to plant the tomatoes, he discovered that the land flooded quite frequently. Twice he lost his tomato crop. Realizing that the tomato farm was not possible, Paul continued to work until he got a permanent job with the local council. It was not easy to work in those days because migrants were discriminated against in all sorts of ways. But Paul was such a good worker that he soon became the gang leader and was in charge of nine men who worked with him to build roads and he took care of the workers.

Carol continued to work as a waitress and visit Paul every weekend. Eventually, Paul built a house, and Carol and Paul decided to get married. They got married in 1937 and continued to struggle until the end of the depression, two years later, in 1939. The years went on into the 1950s. Paul continued to work for the council while Carol travelled to Sydney to work in a coffee shop. Life was busy and the days went by fast. But something terrible was about to happen to Carol and, fortunately, Paul was there to ensure that she survived the ordeal.

Of course, this story is mostly true, but there are always parts that contain some fiction because it is impossible to tell an accurate story of past events. Carol and Paul had survived the Great Depression and the Second World War, and although news of terrible things came to them via the old valve radio and newspapers, Kariong was a reasonably quiet place. Most of the inhabitants were almost self-sufficient.

Paul had been able to find bore water (water that is stored naturally underground). Kariong was famous for it. With that endless supply of water located on his land only twenty meters away from the house, Paul was able to grow all sorts of vegetables. This time he made sure to plant his crops on a hill so the floods would not kill the plants. He had been able to grow potatoes, zucchini, watermelons, strawberries, carrots, celery, beans, and many other vegetables. Near the house there were fruit trees. This abundance was incredible and the soil very fertile. He used what vegetables he could, and the rest he would sell with Carol at the local markets, on a Sunday, or give some away to friends and visitors. And, of course, there were chickens for eggs. It was a self-sufficient little farm that Paul had established on his property. In addition, Paul loved dogs and he had a couple of miniature fox terriers running around the land, for alarm and protection.

Kariong was, and is, a beautiful place. The air was pure up to the 1980s when I, the writer of this story, and my wife, went to live with Carol in Kariong. By then, Paul had died and Carol was left alone with her memories. But this is for later.

The name Kariong, once believed to mean “Meeting Place,” and after, “Place of the Cold Winds,” was just a typographical error from the old script “Karrong.” The second “r” was mistaken for an “i,” giving the name Kariong. The first British settler was W.H. Parry, who arrived in 1901. And the name Kariong was not given until 1947. Prior to that, Paul had called the land Penang Mountain

Mount Penang training mountain opened in 1911 and was a kind of correction and training centre for young boys who had lost their way or young convicts who arrived from England. Paul had met Bill Dibden, who worked as an officer at the centre where he took care of the young boys and was like a father figure to them. Bill was a wonderful man who cared for the youths, all of whom he helped to became good men and hard workers with family. I met Bill in the late ‘80s, but for now, let’s go on with the description of Kariong.

Kariong still has some of the most unique plants and flowers. The Brisbane National Park was only a few meters away from Paul’s House. I remember when I lived there for a while I used to go into the National Park and either take photos of that beautiful natural and wild place or just sit there among the ancient aboriginal drawings. I would often spot a wallaby (small kangaroo), and sometimes there were other little animals that were not afraid of me but simply minded their own business. Of course, there were snakes (the red belly snake) and spiders (funnel web spiders), but they did not bother me if I left them alone. And also there were plenty of birds. Kookaburras, magpies, and craws were plentiful, but also the other rare smaller birds. I always had my way of getting on with all sorts of animals.