About a month ago I signed up to participate in the ATC (artist trading cards) swap through a subgroup of the Art Therapy Alliance and organized by Gretchen Miller (MA, ATR-BC). The swaps theme: How art therapy helps others, our community, and the world. We were tasked with creating four cards based on this theme. Three cards will be given to other participants (there is over 50!) and the fourth will be kept by the Art Therapy Alliance.
Many thoughts went through my mind as I began to view all the guidelines and creative ways ATC cards are made. The amount of information was overwhelming! I began to wonder if my ATC’s would be good enough to join the ranks of all these other talented artists. For me when feeling overwhelmed and doubtful it is best to start one step at a time. So I began by finding a deck of standard playing cards and covering both sides with Gesso. Then I began thinking about how the arts have helped me personally and how they have helped me to reach out to those around me. Finally ideas began flooding my mind! I thought about how many times playing music and creating art have allowed me the freedom of expressing exactly what I need to express rather than keeping negative, or even positive, thoughts in my head indefinitely. There were times while growing up that music and books were the only things that gave me hope for my future. I thought about how I’ve made a difference in so many lives through connecting children and their families to musical performances, something that many of them had never experienced before. My career choice to work with others using the expressive arts and my recent experiences working with many foster children and their families. Once I got started this project took on a life of its own. Below is the finished product of my ATC card journey and I love all of them!
These are lovely!
By: Phoenix Peacock on July 17, 2010
at 11:49 pm